Does HG allow you to convert reward $ to cash? Hustler gives the $8/$16 players $5/hr. to use 1) for food at the table (and there an all-comp menu that doesn't use your reward $) or 2) for non-ingesitble/smokeable items at the gift shop. Alternatively, you can cash it out at 50 cents on the dollar. So it can be used as $2.50/hr. rakeback if you want.

I don't think HG allows you to convert to cash. I'm not 100 percent positive but pretty sure. I know its $3 a scan at 300NL and above.

Yep. That is definitely a huge advantage of Hustler. HG's rewards program basically means you get your food free, but that's it.

But HG's wild 8-16 games may be worth $2.50 more an hour for a decent player.

I'll have to give HG a try for an extended time. I've only played there a handful of times since the renovation.

Planning a trip to LA next week and was wondering how the hotel is at the Commerce. It's rated as 4 stars. Is it really a 4 star hotel? Clean and quiet? Is parking a nightmare that valet is a must?

Commerce is a bit dingy with some of the shadiest degenerates so I'm really not sure what to expect from a 4 star hotel that's attached to it

Also, any idea what a good rate would be? I see it listed in the $90-$120 range, does it ever get lower? How does it compare to the Bike?

I would give it 3.5.....not 4. Not really sure what kind of star system you looked at, but using industry ones, such as hotels.com or tripadvisor- yeah, about 3.5 stars.
Newly renovated, quiet, clean,good housekeeping, available room service. That'll get you a 3.5 in my book.
Now, valet- when I'm in LA, i usually have a lot of stuff in the car- so its always getting a valet. electronics, luggage, golf clubs...the usual. I've actually never self parked at The Commerce, and cannot comment or give guidance.
That rate you quoted is pretty good. It gets higher on the weekends and when busy.

Now- The Bike hotel- 4.5 stars. Why?, (IMO) newer, much nicer rooms, niftier gadgetry and electronics, more secure entrance in dedicated lobby, better food choices, superb spa facilities (according to the mrs.)

Thanks for the info! Do you know how what's a good rate for the bike? Right now it's going for around $200/night, I'm wondering if I should watch for it to get lower.

Im going to L.A. 10/10-10/12 and I just found The Bike on Hotwire for $158.

If they renovated the room since 2013 (I think I saw a renovated room a bud was staying in), I'd give it a 4 now. Before that, the old rooms did feel a bit old. Feels like a nice small hotel. Obviously the view of the industrial area isn't great.

If you're staying for a month, try doing a rental agreement at the Doubletree down the road. Not sure what the rate is, but it might be a bit better. Thing is, their rooms were starting to feel a bit dated, but I haven't seen them since 2011 (maybe it's not even there anymore, lol).

Oh, and self parking is ok - if you park on the high limit side behind the hotel (the small lot next to the VIP private lot), it seems pretty safe, no dings, etc. Takes a while to find a spot though on busy times, might have to wait up to 20 minutes for someone to leave. There will always be spaces on the other large lot, but it's a long walk. Also, I am not sure, but I think my car got side-swiped leaving a tear in the front side plastic bumper/quarter panel, when I was parked in the front of the main lot. Probably someone drunken pulling out and forgot to turn the wheel all the way.

I never felt safe at Hawaiian Gardens for some reason (maybe it was the Compton signs on the same exit as they're on).

Mike, Club- that 158 rate for The Bike is about as good as you can expect. And, yeah, found on Hotwire and some other consolidators. The regular advertised rate is about 249-269. When I book direct thru the hotel, I give them my players number and I get it down to the 150s. (plus tax/fee).

I believe the Bike is managed by Interstate Hotels, and you can expect them to offload excess inventory to the consolidators like Hotwire and Hotels.com. IMO its clearly the only upscale hotel choice in a wide circle anywhere near Bell Gardens. Anytime you find a rate in the 150s outside of being a cardholder, thats pretty neat.

Anyone know a date for LAPC schedule?

Thanks! That’s useful. Do you happen to know what’s the lowest rate one can get for Commerce?

Thanks to clubkid too for the info

I'm planning to go to LA the week of 10/14. Planning to play at Commerce, Bike, Gardens, Hustler. Will rent a car. Last time I went (12/2017), I stayed at Commerce because they gave me $99/night rate. That's about as low as you will get but it only comes 1 or twice a year. Right now on Commerce Hotel website, they are quoting $180/night. Hotels.com is quoting $153/night. The poker room rate, according to a supervisor, is like $159/night. That's right, it's higher than Hotels.com. No idea how you are getting $90-$120/night. Please share if it's not a special exclusive deal.

The hotel itself is only ok. It has a gym. It does NOT have a refrigerator in the room. This is a deal breaker for me. I like to buy fruits and milk for my coffee machine (AeroPress)


I tried to book The Bike on their website and it said nothing was available. The quoted price was $190/night. Do you know if it has a gym and refrigerator in the room? I wouldn't mind the $158/night rate since it would be my first time there.

Doubletree is actually going for $190/night on the major sites. Not worth it.


As mentioned before, $99/night is the lowest you will prob get and it comes only a few times a year. I've seen other times for $120/night but again for special weekends like Memorial Day, etc.

So I really only need a clean, safe place with a gym and refrigerator since I'll be playing poker full time. There are 2 low cost options near Commerce and the Bike.
- Best Western Plus. $102/night. Just renovated. Small gym and refrigerator.
- Travelodge by Wyndham. $77/night. Small gym and mini fridge.

Both of these rank lower than Commerce but seem safe and clean based on reviews. I stayed at Best Western Plus or the Ramada I believe, about 10 years ago. It was ok. Don't remember much.

Can anyone recommend either place? I am wary of such a low price by Travelodge. Seems too low for California but the reviews are comparable to Best Western Plus. I would rather lose my money at the poker table than the hotel room.

FYI, they are both near each other and only 2.5 miles away from Commerce and The Bike

Leave all your cash in a player bank and have one less thing to worry about.


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Details?

Woah, on Bravo it says commerce had a new game 200NL with 1/2 blinds...a new trend for LA? 100 B.B. low limit cash game?

Just go to the cage and tell them you want to start a player bank. You can keep your money on deposit at the cage.

That sounds like Crystal not HG. HG is off the 605 and right by Cypress, Cerritos, Lakewood, Los Alamitos.

I've starting playing poker again after a very long break. Spent the last few days at Commerce getting back into the swing of things. Here are some of my thoughts:

The limit hold'em games are great, with lots of action at all hours of the day. The rake is a bit of a killer for 4/8 and below.

The NL games are terrible and nit-infested. You'll probably be playing with 7 nitty regs and maybe one soft spot. Everyone is miserable, on their phones, and often away from the table leaving the game shorthanded. I only played at 5/5 $500 max buy-in though so I don't know how the lower limits are like.

The PLO games, on the other hand, are freaking fantastic with some of the loosest, fishiest play I've ever seen in my life. Just be prepared to wait because you'll only see like 6 hands dealt an hour. I played at 1/2 $400 max, but there seems to be an unspoken rule where you come in for $5. Never saw anyone try to limp for $2. The 5/5/10 $1500 max PLO games also looked pretty insane with one stack at over $25k and multiple stacks above $10k.

The Vietnamese chicken dish seems pretty bad. Saw three different people order it, take a single bite, and left the rest unfinished.

It's not unspoken, the blinds are 1-2 and the bringin is 5. This is pretty common in PLO games.

You are right. Yesterday was the first time I played PLO live.

There were two tables of 1/2 PLO running today with one of the tables being quite soft. Lots of limping and calling with non-nut draws and crappy two-pairs. The other table was nitty and bad.

If you ask the daytime manager at DoubleTree, they can talk about a monthly agreement. It saves on the rate by being for the longer period and ALSO because you then no longer pay the nightly hotel tax. It was years ago that I did that but it was around 2,700 or a bit more if I remember correctly.

I don't think I dared go to Crystal. I think the fact that HG was in the tent back then made it seem more sketch.

For the Commerce $99 rate - I believe from a previous poker bud that if you know the right high level manager, they can always get you that rate on weekdays. But you have to know or connect with the guy and I never knew the guy's name. Maybe he's moved on though or what not.

Crosspost from the LA thread but I thought I'd try here. Particularly about hotel info. How many hours would I need to put in for a rate at the hotel at Commerce? Does it even work this way?

I've read through about a year of this thread but I don't think I'm seeing much on point for me. I've never been to LA for poker. I'll be in LA Friday the 19th-22nd of October and San Diego the following week for work. I usually play 20/40 limit at the Borgata in AC.

Where should I stay and play? I'm getting the feeling that Commerce will have the best/most games. Looking to play anywhere from 8/16 to 20/40 limit. The impression I get is the limit games are better than NL, is this true? I was thinking of staying either at Commerce or Bike, but it's hard to say which is better. TIA

I am unconventional in this regard. When I go to LA for a poker trip, I like to stay in a suite hotel, shop for groceries, and fix my own meals when I am not getting meals comped in a poker room. I generally play at Commerce, and I generally stay at the Extended Stay America in La Mirada, ten minutes' drive away when traffic is good.(*) Staying at a suite hotel and fixing my own meals saves a boatload of money.

If you are playing 20-40 at Commerce, you'll be playing in the high-limit area, and any floorperson will be able to hook you up with a poker rate for the hotel. It's been years since I've done it (see suite hotel) but IIRC it takes about 6 hours of play to get the rate.

(*)It's LA. Traffic is never good.