In this note, we investigate some of the fundamental algebraic and geometric properties of $s$-lecture hall simplices and their generalizations. We show that all $s$-lecture hall order polytopes, which simultaneously generalize $s$-lecture hall simplices and order polytopes, satisfy a property which implies the integer decomposition property. This answers one conjecture of Hibi, Olsen and Tsuchiya. By relating $s$-lecture hall polytopes to alcoved polytopes, we then use this property to show that families of $s$-lecture hall simplices admit a quadratic Gröbner basis with a square-free initial ideal. Consequently, we find that all $s$-lecture hall simplices for which the first order difference sequence of $s$ is a $0,1$-sequence have a regular and unimodular triangulation. This answers a second conjecture of Hibi, Olsen and Tsuchiya, and it gives a partial answer to a conjecture of Beck, Braun, Köppe, Savage and Zafeirakopoulos.