backforth

We are a party of 5 adults and 2 girls (10 and 2) who will be traveling by car to LA in August. We will have 3 full days (Sunday to Tuesday) in LA before continuing on to Anaheim for the rest of the week. Our current base plan is to hit the Getty Museum on Sunday, Santa Monica Pier on Monday, and La Brea Tar Pits/Page Museum and the California Science Center on Tuesday before driving on to Anaheim in the evening.

I'm having a tough time locating a good hotel option and I would appreciate thoughts on a hotel or area that's at least reasonably convenient to these sites. We would like to keep it around $300 per night per room (2 rooms) before tax. Priorities aside from convenience are: ok for kids, updated and well-maintained, in a safe neighborhood, not too noisy. Pool would be a big bonus. Preferences of most of the group probably run closer to a Marriott or Embassy Suites rather than a quirky small hotel.

Would also appreciate your thoughts on whether it would be reasonable to add Griffith Park/Observatory to Sunday afternoon, or the Getty Villa to Monday. I just read that highway construction might make travel to the Villa difficult. The kids do well for their ages in the car and at museums. The little one snoozes in her stroller or in the car, so we won't need to go back to the hotel.

Feel free to add any other advice you might have!

clarkgriswold

In August you want to stay west of the 405 freeway which can be 15 degrees cooler than West Hollywood or Hollywood.

Cal Mar Hotel in Santa Monica maybe, or check Doubletree Suites. Holiday Inn Express West L.A. will do in a pinch, or ComfortInnSantaMonica.com, or the Hilgard House in Westwood (no pool).

Jean

What do you think about a sofa sleeper for the kids? You could stay in a 650 sq. ft. two-room suite (king bedroom + sofa sleeper) at the Palomar Hotel in Westwood for about $500 a night, overnight parking included. AAA discount offered (check website for how to book this promo). The hotel has a pool. It's 15 minutes to the Getty Center, 25 minutes to the SM Pier, 25 minutes to the Tar Pits, after the Tar Pits about another 30-35 minutes to the Science Center. There are many dining options in nearby Westwood.

I think you could see the Getty and the Observatory on Sunday, but parking at the Observatory is limited and in high demand on weekends, esp. in summer. The Getty is open 10a-5:30p. The Observatory grounds open at sunrise, and the building is open 10a-10p. Check the website for the schedule of Planetarium shows and info about tickets.

http://www.hotelpalomar-beverlyhills...4168939#photos

clarkgriswold

King bedroom and sofa sleeper for 7 persons? I'm sure they don't allow that many in such a suite. Unfortunately there are not many "Embassy Suite" type accomodations in the area.

Jamaica Bay Inn @ Marina del Rey is on hotels.com @ $250 per night for two queen beds. Gives you decent access to Santa Monica but rooms are not as spacious as Calmar might have available.

Jean

Oh, I missed the number of adults. Sorry. There's a recently renovated Embassy Suites south of LAX in El Segundo. Some locals refer to the downtown area of El Segundo as "Mayberry." A real small town atmosphere. North of LAX in Westchester is Custom Hotel which has one-bedroom suites. Both hotels have pools, but I think Embassy Suites' pool is indoor.

There's a Residence Inn on the southern edge of Beverly Hills. No pool AFAIK.

Cjar

Our family of four has stayed at the Jamaica Bay Inn and we were very comfortable there. It felt out of the hustle and bustle,but was actually quite convenient to everything.
We have also recently stayed at the Marriott in Sherman Oaks right off the 405. Not sure how convenient that is for where you want to go, but it had a pool and was a Marriott if that's what you're looking for.

Jean

There are Marriott-branded properties all over L.A.

Courtyard by Marriott in Culver City is a good location for seeing most of L.A.

Towne Place Suites in Hawthorne (Manhattan Beach starts across the street), and Spring Hill Suites in the same block. Both are about 2.5 miles from the Manhattan Beach Pier and 2 blocks from a Green Line metro station.

Fairfield Inn and Suites are supposed to open in the renovated Hacienda Inn property near LAX in El Segundo "in summer 2015," but it looks like they have a long way to go before they're ready.

jamie99

Marriott Residence Inn in Manhattan Beach on Sepulveda has been remodeled a year or two ago, a mile from the beach, fairly close to the freeway and has free parking and hot breakfast and some RIs serve light meals M-TH.

sf7307

I think the Santa Monica pier is good for an hour or two, not a day. I'd add other things to Monday.

Cjar

I think we lost the OP. ?? Then again I have disappeared for weeks sometime and then come back.

janisj

>>I think we lost the OP. ??

Cjar

What a shame as there is always such great information to be found here. I hope he/she makes it back.

backforth

Thank you so much and sorry for the delayed response. I didn't realize I had responses. This is great information - I hadn't even thought of the weather differential. Will come back to let you know how it goes.