Hotels in LA
 

My family is going to LA in late April and we are trying to find a good place to stay. We have narrowed it down to the Renaissance Hollywood, Farmers Daughter, and the Biltmore. I worry that the Renaissance will be too touristy, the Farmers Daughter too Little House on the Prairie, and the Biltmore too fancy. We will have our 2 year old energetic son, so that is also a consideration. In general, we are a laid back family so the uber-cool hotels where I may spot Lindsay Lohan aren't that appealing. Now I wouldn't mind hanging with Julia Roberts and family . . .

Thanks in advance!
Katie

Julia has a bitchy reputation, you probably wouldn't want to hang with her. >:-)

What are your plans for touring?

Hubby has a one day conference at the Renaissance Hollywood but other than that we plan on hitting the Getty, just driving around to look at the famous sites, maybe a couple of kid things. We will probably drive to the Santa Monica pier but we are not beach people.

katie

Julia doesn't live in LA, she lives in Taos and NYC. But you never know who might run into. :)

What makes you think the Farmer's Daughter is too "Little House on the Prairie"? I don't think Laura Ingalls ever visited L.A. ;)

Why don't you want to stay at the Renaissance if you have a conference there? I'm not sure I understand the objection of "touristy."

Oh, I forgot that Julia is also building a place in Malibu. Or last I heard. But she spends most of her time in Taos. (I'm not a stalker - I have a friend in the business who keeps up with this stuff and likes to name drop.)

If you want to bump into stars, go to stores and the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in the Robertson and Melrose area.

Our problem with the Renaissance is that the first night we are in town they are full. We could stay somewhere else and then move back for the last two nights, but I hate the idea of moving hotels especially with all our toddler gear. Plus I kind of like the idea of an original hotel. Although the Renaissance does look lovely. Anyone have experience with moving hotels?

Katie

Oh and I go to Taos a lot and have yet to meet Ms. Roberts. Bummer!

Actually we aren't very into meeting celebs.

Katie

Hi Katie,
Well, you're certainly choosing among three good hotels! Sounds like you've got a good grasp on the Goldilocks decision. The Renaissance Hollywood is part of the Hollywood & Highland complex, which is like a mall on steroids. You'd be near Grauman's Chinese Theatre so the sidewalks are often filled with looky-loos. Some of the mod furniture in the guestrooms might not be toddler-friendly.

The Millennium Biltmore is gorgeous, but it's definitely more formal. Downtown LA is not for everyone---some visitors get pretty uncomfortable when they see the number of homeless people a couple of blocks from the nice hotels. (This isn't to say the Biltmore isn't safe---it is. But downtown is variable.)

So how about the Farmer's Daughter? This might be just right (or close enough). The look is sort of Ironic Country. Think denim bedspreads and barnyard-animal paintings. Maybe the rocking chairs would be handy if your toddler needs soothing at night? There is a pool, which can make some rooms noisy. But this place is quite a bit cheaper than the Biltmore! Another plus: you're right across from the Farmers' Market, a great place to get a meal.

Have a great trip!

There are other hotels downtown that are better located than the Biltmore. Check the Omni or the Bonaventure. The public areas at the Biltmore are spectacular, but there actual guest rooms get a fair number of complaints on Tripadvisor.

We have stayed with our kids at the Biltmore and loved it!

We had most beautiful rooms on the executive level. Brand new, lavish decoration. The executive floor is good with children who are always hungry and thirsty.

The pool is historical and displays some faded glamour of the golden era of Hollywood.

The kids loved the style of the hotel - it is like a castle in a fairy tale.

We stayed over Christmas (few business travellers) and did not find it fancy at all. The restaurant where breakfast is served is pretty informal.

We had no problem with the location. We walked a lot around in the area: to the opera, cathedral, Chinatown, Old Los Angeles..

There is a fantastic hispanic covered market in the area with mouth-watering food and snacks!

The best thing was: We got the rooms on the executive floor for 150 dollars per night. This is a three-star rate for a five-star hotel.

I've heard that the executive/club level rooms at the Biltmore are nice, but they are not the same as the standard rooms.