Where to stay LA?

[Zosha]

So I'm in the fun booking stage still for our December US trip. So far I have booked:
The Venetian in Las Vegas 3 nights
Red Feather Lodge at Grand Canyon for 2 nights
Port Orleans Riverside for 10 nights
AS Sports for 4
Universal RPR for 1 night.

I still need to book 3 nights in LA and am looking for tips. I have looked at Santa Monica but it was looking like upwards of $2000AUD for 3 nights and $30 for parking each night so quite cost prohibitive for us. I've had a look at Air BnB but it doesn't seem any cheaper for accom. I want to be somewhere central. Ideas? We will likely have a car.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I have stayed in Santa Monica multiple times, its one of my favourite places in LA

The first few times I went I went really low budget and stayed in the backpackers hostel http://hilosangeles.org/ Its one of the best hostels I have seen, very safe as a solo female traveller. There is key-card only access from the lobby into the building. The rooms are either male or female, with bathrooms on each floor. Breakfast is included and there is a TV area and internet computers. Its location is amazing, just one street away from the beach on one side and one street away from 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place on the other side. There are 2 parking structures opposite

I have also stayed at Comfort Inn on Santa Monica Boulevard http://www.comfortinnsantamonica.com/ This is a little further from the main shopping street and beach but again I felt safe staying here. There is bus stop just up from the hotel, which brings you down the street to the beach ( I dont drive so I always stay somewhere with good public transport) Again breakfast is included and I dont think they charge for parking.

I have also stayed at Santa Monica Motel http://www.thesantamonicamotel.com/ This is a basic motel, room only, on the opposite side of Santa Monica to Comfort Inn. Again it was on a bus route. I did walk to the main shopping district but it took about 20 minutes, ok during the day but I would get a cab back at night.

In 2015 I decided to stay in Downtown LA. I stayed at Kawada Hotel, which is near Little Tokyo http://www.kawadahotel.com/ This was a room only hotel. While the hotel was fine, the area is not so good, I only booked here as it was beside the Metro Station and bus route I wanted to use.

I haven't booked my hotel for June 2016 yet but I am looking at http://www.milnerhoteldtla.com/ the area is bit better than last year and it is close to a metro station.

 

[carnival kid]

Hi

Agree that Santa Monica is pretty crazy with prices..... but we treat ourselves sometimes to stay there anyway We love the Shore hotel right across from the pier. This time I cashed in all my Qantas frequent flyer points and booked through Qantas holidays and its about $500 per night for a partial ocean view. they have a sister property just up the street called oceanview that is a bit cheaper??

In LA we love to stay at the Magic Castle Hotel which is right in Hollywood.

We have also stayed at Ramada Plaza West Hollywood. A basic hotel but good enough. Would only stay here though if you had a car.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Hi

Agree that Santa Monica is pretty crazy with prices..... but we treat ourselves sometimes to stay there anyway We love the Shore hotel right across from the pier. This time I cashed in all my Qantas frequent flyer points and booked through Qantas holidays and its about $500 per night for a partial ocean view. they have a sister property just up the street called oceanview that is a bit cheaper??

In LA we love to stay at the Magic Castle Hotel which is right in Hollywood.

We have also stayed at Ramada Plaza West Hollywood. A basic hotel but good enough. Would only stay here though if you had a car.

Gosh, your budget is waaaaay above mine, but I still managed to stay in Santa Monica, my budget is is around the €120 per night lol, half that when I stayed at the hostel Staying in Santa Monica CAN be done for very little money but you got to do research

 

[viaggiamo]

We have stayed at Santa Monica but in an apartment and it was fun, but I prefer in LA to do touristy stuff. If you can find a great deal the Beverly Wilshire is fun. We stayed there for two nights once and they had a deal with breakfast, dinner and accommodation for around $300 pn, then we got an upgrade to a suite. It was pretty awesome. There are so many choices in LA it depends on which area you want to be near. We like the Beverly Hills area or near the Grove as it's pretty central to do touristy stuff and also we like the surroundings to shop and people watch.
Have fun planning

 

[Feej]

If you want to stay close to Hollywood, I'd suggest Best Western Sunset Plaza. Stayed there a few times and always been happy there. Is quite competitively priced for the area too.
http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwes...=TRIPHWS&cm_mmc=BL-_-TRIP-_-TRIPHWS-_-GENERAL

 

[jevs]

We love Santa Monica but it's off the trip this year. We usually stay at the Hotel California.

We're trying out staying in LA for a few nights and have booked here http://www.hotelcelebrity.com/

 

[Zosha]

Thank you for all your replies everyone! I'll have a look at a few of the hotels you have mentioned. It sounds silly but I'm starting to feel a bit overwhelmed with the planning, which I know is such a first world problem. I feel like I don't have enough time to look into everything even though we don't leave until December! My next concern is about DL. I was thinking of just getting 2 day tickets but I'm not sure about what to prioritise so I can see everything parades, shows etc

 

[BadPinkTink]

We love Santa Monica but it's off the trip this year. We usually stay at the Hotel California.

We're trying out staying in LA for a few nights and have booked here http://www.hotelcelebrity.com/

I just checked the rates for that hotel, for my dates in June. http://www.hotelcelebrity.com/ for me for 6 nights is USA $1034 not including room tax while http://www.milnerhoteldtla.com/ is USA $874 not including room tax for the same dates

I then checked the same dates for http://www.hotelca.com/ in Santa Monica, that is USA $1434 before room tax and https://www.choicehotels.com/california/santa-monica/comfort-inn-hotels/ca430 is USA $1164 before room tax

 

[crazy Cat Lady]

Downtown LA is very dodgy before and after business hours!

With DL, get a two day park hopper and you'll be fine, you'll see everything you want. Try the Mexican restaurant in DTD, it was great, I'm looking forward to tacos next November. LOL

 

[bswift]

I've stayed at the Wilshire Motel every time I've been to LA. It's close to Santa Monica, reasonably priced (around $150 a night) and they have a few different room options. It's on a busy road but we've always been towards the back of the property and never had a problem with noise. There's a Ross and a Ralph's within walking distance for shopping/groceries and the Chinese place across the road is really good.

 

[elphaba91]

We stayed at the Seaview Motel in Santa Monica and it was quite cheap. The location was amazing (nice and close to the beach and pier) although the hotel itself wasn't great. We had a kitchenette, with a fridge, microwave, stove and sink but there weren't many dishes, etc. so we bought some plastic ones. It was nice to save some money on breakfast though. There was a nice communal deck with a bbq which would be lovely in summer (or really anytime it wasn't pouring!). Santa Monica is a gorgeous area though with great restaurants and shopping and felt very safe so I would highly recommend staying there if you can.

 

[PrincessInOz]

If you have a car....have you considered staying around El Segundo, near the airport?

It comes down to your budget and where you want to stay. I know it's not the 'trendiest' place to stay in LA, but there are a number of hotels there that might provide buffet breakfast and free car parking for significantly less cost than staying in Santa Monica.

 

[Zosha]

Next question - do I need a car? I was planning on it, but now I'm wondering if it will be necessary. We have 3 nights in LA (hotel still unbooked!), 2 nights at Anaheim (I don't think I'll need a car there?). From Anaheim we will definitely need a car as we will be driving to Vegas and then to GC and Phoenix. I don't want to waste money on car hire if it's just going to sit there unused and also cost us money for parking. But we are also not public transport people ... I imagine LA is quite spread out though and I don't really want to rely on tour buses and the like. We need a car don't we LOL?!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Next question - do I need a car? I was planning on it, but now I'm wondering if it will be necessary. We have 3 nights in LA (hotel still unbooked!), 2 nights at Anaheim (I don't think I'll need a car there?). From Anaheim we will definitely need a car as we will be driving to Vegas and then to GC and Phoenix. I don't want to waste money on car hire if it's just going to sit there unused and also cost us money for parking. But we are also not public transport people ... I imagine LA is quite spread out though and I don't really want to rely on tour buses and the like. We need a car don't we LOL?!

LA is incredibly spread out. Public transport is not easy in LA. It also depends on what you want to see and where you're staying. I know a few of the Aussie Dissers like to do those bus tours. They can add up in cost if there are a few of you in the family. Hiring a car works out more economical in that regard.

 

[Zosha]

Thanks PIO. I'm just looking at El Segundo now. It actually looks quite good. Bit cheaper, out of the way a little, but seems to be still reasonable to get around from. Thanks for the tip!

 

[LivingforDisney]

Orchid Suites if you want to stay right on Hollywood Blvde.
Easy jump on a bus to The Grove and Farmers Markets.
Wont you encounter snow driving to the Grand Canyon in Dec?

 

[BadPinkTink]

Next question - do I need a car? I was planning on it, but now I'm wondering if it will be necessary. We have 3 nights in LA (hotel still unbooked!), 2 nights at Anaheim (I don't think I'll need a car there?). From Anaheim we will definitely need a car as we will be driving to Vegas and then to GC and Phoenix. I don't want to waste money on car hire if it's just going to sit there unused and also cost us money for parking. But we are also not public transport people ... I imagine LA is quite spread out though and I don't really want to rely on tour buses and the like. We need a car don't we LOL?!

That depends on what you want to do and where you stay.

I dont drive, some years I have been with friends who have a car, so years I have done solo trips. Having a car gives you alot more freedom, you dont have to stay in the area you want to visit. Driving in LA is manic and distances can be longer than they seem and you need to be a confident driver. Having a car you can see alot more of California and not have to have such a rigid schedule.

In the last few years I have done solo trips and relied on public transport. This needs alot more planning and research and hotels choices are more limited as I pick hotels which are on particulr bus routes or Metro lines, depedning on what I want to do.

In 2015 I stayed in Downtown LA, 1 block from a Metro station and the bus route I wanted to use. I use SuperShuttle to and from LAX. This year 2016 I am staying in the same area but in a different hotel. The Metro station up the street is a direct line to Hollywood Walk of Fame and Universal Studios. The bus stop outside the hotel is a direct bus route to Disneyland.

I am doing a 2 part trip, 6 days in Downtown LA, then getting the bus to Anaheim and staying at Motel 6 to go to Disney.

I use the regular city public transport, not tour buses. You can get a plastic credit card sized travel card called a TAP card, which you load money onto. You then just TAP this card on the bus or Metro to pay the fare. I use a similar type system here in Ireland and in other countries.

In my day to day life I use public transport and I have lived in London and Munich and used the underground and bus networks in those cities too. To me, using public transport in a city when I am on vacation is automatic and I find it easy to figure out the routes and networks

 

[Plaid Princess]

Next question - do I need a car? I was planning on it, but now I'm wondering if it will be necessary. We have 3 nights in LA (hotel still unbooked!).

Short answer: yes. As a local, I'd say that relying on the public transport here is not a great idea. Not only is it quite limited, but it really only runs to and from a few commuter areas. Definitely get the car.

2 nights at Anaheim (I don't think I'll need a car there?)!

That depends entirely on where you are planning to stay. If you are only going to Disney during that time, and are staying at a resort with a shuttle or within walking distance, you'll be ok. If you are staying farther out, you'll likely need one. (Use caution, many hotels listed as Anaheim, are actually in Anaheim Hills, Orange, Garden Grove etc... NOT walking distance, and generally without shuttles.)

 

[lffam]

If you want to be in the heart of Hollywood Boulevard I highly recommend Loews on Hollywood & Highland. We have stayed there 4 times before. There is a metro station right under it which we caught to Universal Studios . This last trip we stayed at Marriott Residences at LA Live. They have kitchen/kitchenette. Its a great location if you are seeing any sport at Staples Centre as it is right there. Though other than that and the Grammy Museum (which is great) there wasn't much around

Here are two posts from prior trip about our Loews and the area.
http://www.disboards.com/threads/my-very-belated-trip-report-la-uso-ioa-wdw.3344673/#post-52519925

http://www.disboards.com/threads/my...t-la-uso-ioa-wdw.3344673/page-6#post-52969169