Los
Angeles:
Choosing your So Cal base
- the best area to stay
Location, location, location is the mantra of
the robust southern California real estate industry, and location
should be your mantra, too.
Where you stay in the Los Angeles area can
make all the difference between a fulfilling, uplifting visit
and a stressful, tiring, and even dangerous one.
Los Angeles is
heaven and . . . not heaven. Some parts are heaven and some parts are not.
Even the legendary Los Angles area smog concentrates in some areas
and not in others.
Avoid centre city Los Angeles and most of Hollywood
The biggest mistake a visitor can make is
to stay more than one night near the centre city Amtrak Union Station
or the downtown or Hollywood Greyhound stations. Most of the area
more than a few blocks east of Los Angeles International Airport
(just beyond the most expensive airport hotels) is downright dangerous,
too.
If at all possible, avoid accommodation
in Hollywood—especially the eastern portion of Hollywood—and downtown Los Angeles altogether, unless you are
arriving or leaving southern California by bus or train at some
very late or very early hour, and you want a convenient place
to stay for one night, or you are attending a conference downtown.
Outstanding
Los Angeles-area hotel bargains. Check out: Save up to 75% on 4-
star Los Angeles hotels!
The only reason to stay in Hollywood for more than a night would
be if your overwhelming purpose in visiting southern California
is to experience its vibrant music scene. Hollywood offers less
expensive accommodation near many of the best clubs. However,
stay away from hostels in Hollywood and very cheap motels along
the streets east of West Hollywood, which are often venues of
prostitution and hard drug use.
Stay on the west side of Los Angeles or in Santa Monica
If you must be near the Hollywood music
scene, stay at a hotel near the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood,
a much safer area.
The
Standard makes a good "mid-priced" but nevertheless chic hotel choice there. (This was the venue
for several HBO Sex in the City episodes set in Los Angeles.) Also,
the area near the new Hollywood and Highland entertainment centre
and Hollywood
Roosevelt Hotel has become safer as tourists flock to see the
new home of the Academy Awards and other sights there.
Beverly Hills, adjacent Westwood Village (UCLA), and Bel Air area all make good choices. The deluxe choice in this area, the
Hotel Bel
Air, is just a few minutes from Beverly Hills and
the beach, and set in the midst of beautiful gardens.
Using Hotwire.com , you can actually find affordable hotels in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and Westwood Village. You pick the quality, price, and neighbourhood, but don't find out your hotel name until you pay. Allow a minute or two for prices to show.
A visitor with a car can conveniently and comfortably
stay anywhere between Santa Monica and
West Hollywood, which includes Beverly Hills.
Santa Monica Beach
Seriously consider basing your Los Angeles visit in Santa Monica.
There you'll find a fine beach, great restaurants, the well-run Santa Monica Hostel (a short walk to the beach), a wide range of hotel choices, and easy access to sightseeing. You'll also be near LAX Airport. See our Santa Monica page for more details.
For more introduction to your L.A. area visit:
Go to >> Introduction to your visit
Go to >> Santa Monica
Go to >> Finding the perfect beach
Go to >> Why L.A. is so unique
For additional L.A. information:
Go to >> Off the beaten track L.A.
Go to >> L.A. at night
Go to >> Disneyland
Go to >> Links to the most useful
information
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