We'll be making a quick trip to look at USC with our daughter and were wondering where would be the best place to stay. Would like to stay somewhere pleasant, with easy access to/from the USC campus. We won't be doing much sightseeing, since we'll only be there for two days, with most of our time focused on the campus. We were wondering if we could do this trip without renting a car. Do the downtown hotels have shuttles to/from the airport? Since car rental and parking really mounts up, would it be reasonable to rely on taxi's instead? Any suggestions appreciated!

The area around USC is not very desireable. I strongly suggest that you do not stay near the campus.

I have to differ with the previous poster. I was in L.A. in October, attending a downtown conference. Due to a confusion with the reservation, after the first night we could not stay in our downtown hotel, and ended up in the last room in the Radisson, which I believe is considered to be in So. Central. It is directly across the street (Figueroa) from the USC campus.
It may be that an airport shuttle company stops there; or, depending on the size of your party, a taxi might be about the same price, and more convenient. I know this is heresy, but I think for your purposes you might get by in L.A. without renting a car, as long as you are prepared to pay for the occasional cab so that you don't feel stranded at the hotel.
Maybe it's because I'm a New Yorker, but the neighborhood seemed safe and quiet. (Of course, I have been working in the South Bronx the last 10 years, it takes a lot to alarm me. But near the hotel it's nothing like the So. Bx.) I took a walk through the USC campus, which was lovely. Otherwise, we drove or took the bus to get to other neighborhoods.
We liked the Radisson quite a bit, although it didn't offer the luxury of the place we were bumped from in the heart of downtown. It was full of business people going to the Convention Center. We found it comfortable & quiet, and we took advantage of the gym & the pool. We ended up with a small suite, nice and roomy for two of us, which had a fridge, and a small patio overlooking the pool. Parking was cheap, compared to downtown -- just $5/day.
The hotel has an hourly shuttle to downtown, and there's also a bus stop outside. A cab ride to try a downtown restaurant wouldn't be a long trip. Of course, downtown isn't a considered a great tourist draw as L.A. goes, but since you're only making a quick trip, it does offer enough in the way of food & entertainment to keep you happy for a day or so.
The area right around the hotel doesn't have much in terms of interesting dining, though there is a restaurant adjoining the hotel that looks fine.
The only thing about the neighborhood is that it feels like you're nowhere once you're there. My guidebook listed a couple of interesting restaurants, but to get there, or to the local supermarkets, you need to drive or get a cab. Again, for a brief visit, these are probably not major concerns.

I agree with "Cal" - you do not want to stay near the campus. You would be better off staying somewhere else and then going to the campus each day you need to. I would suggest renting a car - cabs are not an easy commodity in LA, and they are cumbersome to use to get around LA.

Wren -

Please do not stay near the campus. Not a good area.

You'll probably need to rent a car.

Sorry!

Helen has BATS IN THE BELFRY!! The area is HORRIBLE! If your daughter is contemplating going to USC I feel SORRY for her! (It's better to just stay downtown at the Westin and take a cab to the campus!)

I agree with everyone (except Helen) on this one - stay in one of the major hotels in downtown L.A. The hotel near the USC campus may be fine but the area is not! I live in the L.A. Area and I don't venture into that area unless I have to.

Hi,

I agree with most of the previous postings--do not stay around the campus. If you are going to be in LA for two days I would stay on the west side--Santa Monica or West LA. You may spend your days on campus but it would be nice to go to Santa Monica at night. The area around campus does not have much to see and you really should get a look at the city. If your daughter does end up at USC she will be spending her free time elswhere.

You should rent a car. Cabs will cost you a fortune. LA is too spread out for cabs. Get an economy car that you can pick up at the airport. If you stay in Santa Monica you can still get to campus fairly easily.

I would go to a bookstore, get some coffee and check out some guidebooks so you can plan an itinerary for your stay and find some nice hotels.

Ted, don't feel sorry for Wren's daughter. USC is a great school with an excellent reputation. You did not by any chance go to UCLA did you?

The area around USC is not great to say the least but security is good and students do not seem to have many problems on campus or in dorms.

Downtown is BORING at night.

Best of luck to your daughter.

Alisa

When our son went to USC......we used to stay in Santa Monica...not to far away...and a nice change from the campus.

The immediate area around the campus is not that bad....if you exercise caution....but there is no reason to be staying so close to campus unless you are actually a student. The campus itself is quite nice ....(and they used to have a live video camera available on the net)..and it's a great school.

Bottom line...is that you can stay somewhere real close to campus or stay somewhere pleasant.

It's always nice to see that Fodorites can keep up a civil discourse. Bats in my belfry??? That's very nice.
Anyway, I guess it's to each her own. I gather from the postings that I'm the only one who's actually spent the night (3, actually) in the location at issue, whatever that's worth.
I felt reasonably secure in the hotel, and as I mentioned before, there were many business travelers lined up for the shuttle to the Convention Center each morning. So I guess other people lived to tell the tale as well.
Of course the other posters are right to point out that there are more inviting areas to stay, however if almost all your time will be spent on campus and in your hotel room, the surrounding area is not all that important. On the other hand if you hope to do some evening tourism via local strolls, this hotel would not be a good choice.

Helen, you're not alone. I used to stay at the University Hilton, which later became the Crowne Plaza, I believe. I found it fine and very convenient to my business at USC. I found the area to be pretty central to where I wanted to go at night...let's face it, you pretty much have to drive in L.A. anyway!

John, I didn't notice any other hotels in the immediate USC area. I wonder if the Crowne Plaza is now the Radisson?

It's entirely possible that the Crowne Plaza has become a Radisson. Chain hotels change affiliation so often these days! It was never a grand hotel, but was very adequate for those needing to be near USC. At any rate, I preferred it to the Bonaventure or many of the other ugly downtown hotels! (L.A. has new hotels since then so I suspect downtown has many more offerings)

Yes, the Radisson is the former University Hilton and Crowne Plaza. I have stayed at the hotel and it is fine, but I would not recommend the area at all, unless you are only staying in the hotel and going to USC to check it out. There is nothing else to do or see in that area and it is not the safest. I live in L.A. Area and would not stay there again, nothing against the hotel or USC, just not a good area.

My son was a graed student at USC and agrees with Calli. The Radisson is right across the street from USC and is the closest hotel to USC. The hotel itself is fine and is great if you are only going to spend time at USC.

However, the evenings may present a problem as you should not be wandering around the neighborhood looking like a tourist.

You probably need to determine just how much time you wil be spending on campus.

Have you checked out the USC TOmmy Cam offering live images of campus at
http://www.usc.edu/dept/TommyCam/

Thanks for the input, folks. We realize the neighborhood around campus has some drawbacks. As I said, our main focus will be on the school itself, and we'll try to give our daughter a realistic picture of both the up and down sides of life on an urban campus. Maybe a compromise would be to spend one night at the Radisson and the second night in Santa Monica. Any suggestions for place to stay there?

Hi,
Try smo.com for Santa Monica hotels. There is a Radisson Huntley which would be fine or the Doubletree. On the higher end--Lowe's or the Miramar are nice.