Cheap/safe hotel in LA area
 

I'm visiting Sequoia National Park in September, flying in and out of LAX. I want to spend my final night in the LA region so I don't have a long drive to the airport. Departure is 1 pm. My budget makes things a challenge. I'd like to stay around $100/night, but can go as high as $150. Safe and clean are my only other criteria. Is there an area, including nearby towns, that I should check out? It would be nice if it were somewhere I could enjoy a nice walk the final morning. Thanks in advance.

There is a Travelodge in this price range about a mile from LAX.

HTtY

Search Manhattan Beach on booking.com, there are a couple of well-rated budget motels right on PCH...in the morning if you have time you could park by the beach and enjoy a walk (with lots of other folks and doggies) along the Strand, then you'd have a 10 to 12 min ride to LAX.

If you'd rather stay north of the airport, since you're driving in from Sequoia, maybe Villa Brasil motel or the Jolly Roger near Marina del Rey.

The Courtyard Marriott in Marina del Rey has free parking and usually low rates. Ask for the Loyola Marymount U. rate (unless they jack up the price for parents! ha).

Or Manhattan Beach is probably the best recommendation, for great location.

Finally, the 'airport' hotels can be less than $150, like the Sheraton or Travelodge already mentioned.

You can easily find a place within that range around LAX, the usual chains (Motel 6, Travelodge, etc.). Even the Four Points by Sheraton there should be less than $150. The closest town nearby with hotels in that budget is probably El Segundo, a lot of airline personnel stay there. It's not exactly that scenic as a town, though, so not sure you're better off than closer to the airport. It's only a few miles away, though.

Manhattan Beach and Marina Del Rey would probably be the closest places more interesting, but they'll cost more for the same quality.

>>The Courtyard Marriott in Marina del Rey has free parking and usually low rates. <<

The Marina Del Rey Courtyard closed -- It is now a Doubletree and well over $200. The Marriott in Marina Del Rey (a different property) is even higher.

Try SeaView Inn in Manhattan Beach a block from the beach with bikes and rental chairs but may be above $150 by the time you add in 15% hotel taxes on top of that. Close to the airport, I would not stay at an airport hotel just to save on room rates, very few places to walk to, limited places to eat. I think it is above your budget possibly but we used to put visitors up at the Hilton Garden Inn in El Segundo, believe you can take their shuttle or the Ocean Express Shuttle for a low fee to eat in nearby Manhattan Beach.

If this will be a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, look at the Doubletree by Hilton or Hilton Garden Inn, both in El Segundo. You might find $139/night; weekdays are higher because of business travelers. The Doubletree is within walking distance of several inexpensive restaurants (Chipotle, The Habit Burger, Five Guys Burgers, Malibu Fish Grill, Rubio's). If you'd have a car, parking would be free and easy to find. Or you could drive about 1.5 miles west to the center of El Segundo and find many nicer dining options.

You can check your dates, but I'm sure the Sea View Inn rates are higher.

Thanks for the update, janis, that the Marriott Courtyard @ Marina del Rey is closed now.

Thanks, everyone, for the replies. I was hoping I could find something affordable in one of the nearby communities, like the ones mentioned above, but everything is too expensive. Seaview Inn, for example, is $175 plus tax for my date. I guess I will stay at the Wingate by the airport since it gets good reviews and the price is ok.

Don't walk alone at night in the area of the Wingate and don't leave anything in the rental car. I think you should ask for a room facing La Cienega, or it could be noisy.

IMO, the La Quinta a couple of blocks away on Century Boulevard would be a better location, although you might have to pay for parking there.

Hi Jean. I looked at the La Quinta, but it gets bad reviews on safety, referencing lots of homeless hanging out around the hotel and bed bugs.

I'm really wishing I had chosen to fly in and out of San Jose because it would be a lot easier to get a hotel. I went with LAX because it was on Southwest and allows free bags and a cheaper price.

Southwest flies to San Jose. Can you change your flight?

Look at the Hi View Inn & Suites on Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach.

http://www.hiviewinn.com/

Did you check the rates at the two Hiltons in El Segundo that I suggested upthread?

>> I went with LAX because it was on Southwest and allows free bags and a cheaper price.<<

Southwest also serves San Jose, SFO, Oakland, Burbank, Ontario and Vegas . . . and lets you change flights . . .

We have had good experiences with the small hotel group, Pacifica.

You might look at this one at Hermosa Beach. Not far from LAX.

Prices can be below $150.

mhttp://www.pacificahotels.com/hotelhermosa/specials

I picked randomly Sept 7, one night was only $111.00. Decent to get the freebies, too.

KING CITY VIEW
1 King bed
Refrigerator & in-room coffee
Complimentary continental breakfast
Complimentary wireless internet
Complimentary parking

Thanks Tabernash, that is a possibility. I'll look at tripadvisor. Looks like the rate for my night is $129.
I did find that the Travelodge in Santa Monica gets pretty good reviews and has a rate of $134. It's at 3102 Pico Blvd at 31st. Is this a safe location?

Janis, Southwest doesn't fly directly to San Jose, Burbank, etc (only Vegas and I don't want to drive from there). I'm ok with my choice. I'll learn a new area!

The Travelodge in Santa Monica is fine and so is the Seashore Motel. You will have to leave for the airport a bit earlier in the morning depending on what time your flight is.....maybe as much as an hour earlier if you're departure is between 8am and 10:30am or between 6pm and 9:30pm. (There are two ongoing construction nightmares near Santa Monica this year).
However if you stay in Marina del Rey, Culver City, El Segundo or Manhattan Beach , you will also have to be very careful about what time you are driving into Los Angeles from Sequoia and what time you are navigating towards the airport area.

(In fact I know of many situations where people will take a connecting flight out of Burbank airport instead of dealing with LAX. The 40 minute connection time in Vegas is better than the two-hour mess of getting over to LAX).

I'm not sure what time we'll be arriving in the LA area, as we'll be driving from Yosemite (we added that) - sometime between 8 and 9 pm, I would guess. My flight the next day is at 1:45 pm. I'll have a car to turn in.

The Hermosa Hotel that Tabernash suggested looks like it is 20-30 minutes from the airport right now, same for the Travelodge.

I appreciate the warning about traffic. The distances aren't great, but with construction and sheer number of cars on the road, it sure can add up to travel delays.

If you're arriving late and have limited time the next morning, I'd stay closer to LAX.

The Hi View in Manhattan Beach would be 15 minutes from LAX. The Travelodge in Culver City (Washington Place) would be closer to LAX than the Santa Monica location.

The Custom Hotel on Lincoln might have rooms for about $159. It's maybe 20 minutes to LAX, but it's on a busy corner with no place to walk per se. Beaches would be relatively close by car.

http://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/cali.../custom-hotel/

The Custom is less than 10 minutes from LAX, but I don't see a rate in September less than $169.

New info -- you are now coming from <u><B>Yosemite</B></u> . . . Which changes things.

It would be faster and MUCH easier to fly out of Sacramento or San Jose or SFO or Oakland . . . even if you have to connect someplace.

From Yosemite Valley to SMF = about 3.5 hours and to either OAK or SJC about 4 hours. To LAX it will take at least 7 hours.

Janis, when I did google map directions from Yosemite (fish camp), it said 4:40 hours to LAX.

Google says 3 hours 20 to SJ, 3 hours 35 to OAK, and 5hours to LAX.

>>Janis, when I did google map directions from Yosemite (fish camp), it said 4:40 hours to LAX.<<

BIG difference. When you said Yosemite I assumed you meant Yosemite <i>Valley</i>. Fish Camp isn't the same at all -- it is 90 minutes from Yosemite Valley.

And even from Fish Camp -- I'd use a northern CA airport and not LAX.

oops - didn't mean to click submit.

. . . It is MUCH farther and you have to cross the entire LA basin.

Unless Southwest and the car rentals have a big sale, I'll be sticking with my original itinerary because costs would go up significantly. Trust me, I've checked. This just won't be one of my more efficient trips. I'm ok with that. Getting out of dodge is my main goal and I'll be happy whatever I'm doing in California.

Sorry I missed this, but the Travelodge on Pico in SM is in a fine, safe neighborhood. I know it well, since it's across the street from McCabes Guitar Shop, where I periodically buy instruments or go to a folksy flavored concert. For food, you can either go to the very expensive (not on this trip, I know!) Valentinos, which is across the street, the very cheap Der Wienerschitzel, or the take back to the room Trader Joes . . . all within 1/2 block.

Thanks Surfergirl.

Keep your eyes peeled. Although they just had a big 3-day sale last week,there's a good chance that Southwest will have another September sale later this month.

And - are you set on Fish Camp? It is an hour and a half from Yosemite Valley - there are other/better places to stay.

Hi Janis. I'm not set on a Fish Camp, but I haven't found anything closer that a)I can afford and b)that my travel companion will be ok with.

Look at the Yosemite View Lodge and the cheaper Cedar Lodge in El Portal. They are 15 mins from the Valley. Even if they are a little above your budget it would be more than worth it to save 2.5 hours driving each day. Yosemite View is much nicer but Cedar is probably cheaper