Hi everyone,

I'm a born Angeleno heading back for a quick, two-day stay this weekend for a memorial service (on Roscoe near Van Nuys Blvd.) with my sister and our gaggle of kids---five of them---ages 2 to 7. Besides the service, all we want to do is visit the tar pits.

I can't think of anywhere I'd like to stay near Panorama City, and I'd rather not stay on the west side due to traffic. Any suggestions for a clean, reasonably kid-friendly hotel for, say, $150 or less around Wilshire? Any other hotel area suggestions?

Thanks!

Try the Farmer's Daughter hotel across from Farmers Market and the Grove.

I did a specific hotel search (link below) and found the following:

Hollywood Exec Vagabond Inn (.25 miles)
Farmers Daughter (.88 miles)
Elan Hotel Modern (1.45 miles)
Days Inn (3 miles)
Sheraton Gateway Hotel LAX (8 miles)

http://www.resideo.com/?q=la%20brea%20tar%20pits

Hope that helps!

Thanks very much! Unfortunately the Farmer's Daughter is booked, but I found a lot of availability in the list you sent, thepeters.

I also found these, which are also close to the tar pits:

Hollywood Downtowner
Rodeway Inn
Westside Rentals Hollywood
Dunes

Any comments on any of the above and/or

Hollywood Exec Vagabond Inn
Days Inn Hollywood

Thanks again!

Glad you were able to find availability! You should be able to book online at that site for whichever hotel you choose.

I'm not completely familiar with those hotels, but I did a quick check over at tripadivsor.com, and I suggest that you do the same, to read some of the reviews, etc. (if you haven't done so already).

Elan is ranked #2 overall in the area, out of 229 hotels. Here are the other rankings:
Hollywood Downtowner - #91
Days Inn Hollywood - #116
Westside Rentals Hollywood Hotel - #126
Vagabond - #175

So...go with Elan if you can, then Hollywood Downtowner.

www.parkplazalodgehotel.com

Thanks again. Upon closer inspection, the only places that have the room setup we need (2 queens) are the Hollywood Exec Vagabond, the Dunes, and the BW Hollywood Hills (which is out of our price range).

So it's the Wilshire Dunes or the Vagabond, neither of which will provide a spa weekend, but hey, that's not what we're looking for. Some of the TripAdvisor reviews are downright scary.

I'm thinking about flipping a coin!

Thanks for all your help. At the very least, I'll be able to post a review of a hotel not often mentioned...

I hope you realize that they're not going to allow you to put 5 kids and 2 adults into a room with 2 queen beds. There are fire regulations, strict regulations.

I know the areas of the two hotels you are deciding between but checked out tripadvisor anyway. There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I would stay at either of these hotels with my small children. I wouldn't even want to stay there by myself. Either up your budget a little or stay someplace that's little further away from the La Brea Tar Pits but safer.

Have you tried the Hollywood Orchid Suites? Are you staying one night or two? They have a room with two king beds for $132 for Friday night-not sure about Sat. This place gets great reviews on tripadvisor #10 for hotels in LA. Please spend some more time looking and do be aware that 7 people in one room would most likely not be allowed.

Staying in West Hollywood or Beverly Hills would only be a ten or fifteen minute drive and would open up endless hotel options -- although your price range will be limiting. I'd try Priceline and Hotwire.

Another hotel that gets good reviews on tripadvisor is the Hollywood Celebrity Hotel which is right next to the Orchid Suites. They have a executive 2 Queens with full kitchen for $139 a night and an executive 2 Kings with kitchen and separate bedroom for $159 a night. Either of these hotels on Orchid St in Hollywood would be much better than the places you are looking at. I put in 2 adults and 2 kids and had no problem but it wouldn't let me put more than 2 kids in a room. I think it would be difficult to sneak in 3 extra kids especially since they are so small not to mention that it's against all the codes and regulations.

Priceline would fit your budget but keep in mind that there is no guarantee to get two beds with Priceline. With Hotwire you can pick how many beds you need but don't know what the hotel is until you pay for it. You can usually figure out the hotel by going to www.betterbidding.com

wandergrrl: those two places are dreadful. Maybe not the actual rooms - but the locations. Absolutely NO place for two women and 5 kids. If you can't get into the Farmer's Daughter - I would absolutely stay elsewhere. The Farmer's Daughter is great - which is why it is booked up.

Please stay elsewhere (and try to raise your budget a bit - afterall you are talking about 7 people even though a few of them are tiny tots)

Wow, those are some strong reactions! Okay, we're upping our budget and widening our area. (And no, we're not planning to put everyone in one room; we're reserving two.)

The Hollywood Celebrity Hotel and the Hollywood Orchid Suites will both work for us, so I'm going to reserve one of those now.

Thanks for your candor, everyone. If you have any more thoughts, I'd love to hear them.

Hollywood Celebrity Hotel here we come! Thanks, everyone.

wandergrrl-Glad to see you booked the Hollywood Celebrity. I was really worried about the location of the other two hotels especially with your small children. Also, glad to see you are getting two rooms. Have a great trip.

Thanks, Paula. I wasn't too worried about it---that's my old stomping grounds, though admittedly I wasn't stomping with little kids at the time!---but my sister's never been a city-grit kind of girl, and I'm always happy to lay out some dough on a trip. I think this will be a happy medium.

I'll let you know how it goes! Take care.

Have crepes at the Farmer's Market for breakfast - simply delish! And some french press coffee.
Debi

DebitNM, you're speaking my language! I can't wait. It's been eons since I've been there. Thanks!