Because we have several thousand hotel points, we have to choose between staying at hotels in Carson or West Covina during our vacation to the LA area. Which of these suburbs would be a better departure point for the usual tourist activities in Hollywood, Bev Hills, etc.? Is either a safer/nicer area? Thanks!

You will be schlepping quite a distance from either location to the usual L.A. sights. Both Carson (south of downtown L.A.) and West Covina (east of downtown L.A.) are suburban communities with a mix of residential and light industrial development. Carson puts you closer to the water and access to the 110 and 405 freeways, which probably gives it the edge over West Covina, which is near the 10 freeway.

Can't you use your points for a hotel closer to "the action?"

I would advise you to stay in West Covina. I am familiar with both Carson and West Covina due to my business travels and feel you will be safer and have more to do in West Covina. I would not be comfortable staying in Carson. You can get on the 10 FWY from West Covina AND HEAD TO WLA Areas or get on the 605 to the 210 and head to Hollywood and Universal and San Fernando Valley. I must say you don't want to be making these drives in rush hour.

Oh my.... West Covina is east of downtown LA, Carson is south. Both are far away from the tourist points of interest, and Carson is an industrial city basically without charm. Of the two, Carson is far more convenient as far as transportation (one bad accident on I-10 westbound and you're pretty well stuck in West Covina), but it's not really desirable. Is there no way you can stay somewhere on the Westside?

DO NOT STAY IN CARSON. I stayed there once and felt very uncomfortable.

funinsun, which chain do you have these points with? There might be related properties in more desirable, more convenient areas (for your purposes, I recommend west LA areas like Beverly Hills-- there are reasonably-priced hotels there--, Westwood, Santa Monica, West Hollywood and selected properties in Hollywood). I'd stay in the LAX area before either Carson or West Covina (which, in its defense, does have a mall or two near it, but that's about it!).

West Covina is safer than Carson. Neither is located convenient to anything.

Let us know which chain your point are with. Neither W Covina or carson is a place I would stay on Vacation. I have stayed in both on business trips (I live in No Calif and used to travel to the LA area once or twice a month).

Neither area is particularly dangerous - but W Covina is a B**ch to get to/from. Carson is pretty dreary. I stayed there simply because we had a field office there. NOT a place for a leisure trip.

Thanks for all the responses. I was afraid that both places seemed awfully far away from the action! The points are with Hilton HHonors; those were the only 2 hotels that had "point stretcher" rewards. But from what you're saying, we would probably be better off just using more points to stay fewer nights at a better located hotel!