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Looking for a good place to stay in L.A beach areas?

Looking for a good place to stay in L.A beach areas?

Old Jun 27th, 2010, 12:07 AM
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Looking for a good place to stay in L.A beach areas?

My family and I are travelling from Australia to LA for a week in mid Sept and looking for location and hotel suggestions for a beach area. We have 2 boys aged 13 & 16 and hoping to spend a week in LA area and a week in Vegas. Thought we'd have 3 nights in Anahein to cover off Disney and then 4 nights in a beachy area to relax and do some of the tourist things. Any suggestions? Also, do you usually get a better deal booking direct with hotel or on web, if so where....wotif.com etc
Cheers
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Old Jun 27th, 2010, 04:18 AM
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Santa Monica has everything you are looking for, especially for your teens... shopping, dining, the beach, the pier, and you're minutes from Venice beach and Malibu... great location for side trips to Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the LA tourist stuff... several price ranges depending on your need to be "on" the beach or nearby... have fun!
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Old Jun 27th, 2010, 08:54 AM
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I'm an L.A. native but not a big fan of Santa Monica. I live a few miles south of SM in the much smaller town of Manhattan Beach which I think has everything you are looking for, especially for your teens... shopping, dining, the beach, the pier. IMO, side trips to Hollywood and Beverly Hills are equally convenient from Manhattan Beach. (I work in Beverly Hills.)

Without knowing your budget, it's difficult to make hotel recommendations, but here is a place in Manhattan Beach that is perfect for families who want to be close to the beach and the bike path. Bicycles, beach chairs, towels and boogie boards are available to guests.

http://www.theseaviewinn.com/index.htm
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Old Jun 27th, 2010, 09:50 AM
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This is an upper class place with some decent discounts.

http://www.hotelportofino.com/portofino_home.aspx
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Old Jun 27th, 2010, 12:27 PM
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I would suggest Laguna Beach. It is the most beautiful in my opinion, family friendly and there are hotels right on the beach and across Pacific Coast Highway.
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Old Jun 27th, 2010, 03:53 PM
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Hey Celtic,
Here is a deal that I received via e-mail and this is a gorgeous 5* resort in Rancho Palos Verdes/LA area.

Terranea resort for $204 a night with free breakfast and upgrade!

Here is the code:

PerfectEscapes.com
(877) 589-7688
and ask for offer
OID: 1146

www.terranea.com
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Old Jun 28th, 2010, 12:47 AM
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Thanks for all the info. The Portofino looks nice as did the Terranea however probably just a bit too expensive. Is a budget of $150 p.n reasonable and if so any other suggestions of hotels or websites?
When booking, is it normally the same cost for 2 double beds as 1 king and do we need to say how many guests as I have noticed on a couple of the Vegas hotel sites that as soon as we put in 4 guests in one room with the 2 beds it seems to jump up, any suggestions?
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Old Jun 28th, 2010, 02:22 AM
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Having had another look about I am now thinking of Hotel Portofino in Redondo Beach as 1JAR recommended or the Crowne Plaza same location,any more thoughts? I am not haveing much luck with hotels in the Laguna Beach area or Manhattan Beach areas, any suggestions?
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Old Jun 28th, 2010, 06:50 AM
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If you look for Anaheim hotels during the week and beach hotels during the weekend you may find lower rates.

In Santa Monica try the Sea Shore motel. Also some place in Marina del Rey are really quite close to Venice Beach. Try Foghorn.

Terranea isn't what you're looking for. It's on a clifftop, no beach to speak of and adult-oriented. The Redondo ones might work out although travel to the usual touristy things is not going to be efficient, it's not near the freeways and traffic is a B@#%&.

Bear in mind though that summer at the beach in LA can be a foggy affair, although by mid day it may burn off. And don't expect Caribbean temps for the ocean, we have a cold current.

So an alternative is to stay a bit inland and just drive to the beach. I like to recommend the Holiday Inn Express in West LA, which should have two queen beds, free breakfast and free parking. No atmosphere to speak of but if you're on that budget you can't have everything.

http://www.hiewestla.com/
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Old Jun 28th, 2010, 06:51 AM
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Sorry really the weekend will be bad for either locations hotels, maybe switch the order!
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Old Jun 28th, 2010, 07:10 AM
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Neither the Portofino or the Crowne Plaza are located on a beach. They both overlook a marina. Also in the area is the Best Western Sunrise, which is usually more reasonably priced.

These properties are about a 10 minute walk to the beach (either Hermosa to the north or Redondo to the south). I believe that they all have bikes for their guests to use or rent. The downside to Redondo Beach, however, is that it is not freeway-close. This will add at least 20 minutes each way to your driving time (vs. Manhattan or Hermosa Beach) should you decide to go explore Hollywood, etc.

Although I agree that Terranea is probably not what you want for this trip, I must disagree that is adult oriented. It is very family friendly, has many children's programs and the main pool has always been full of families on the times that we have been there. There is a separate, adults-only, pool as well.
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Old Jun 28th, 2010, 07:35 AM
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Sorry really the weekend will be bad for either locations hotels, maybe switch the order!
__________________________________________________ ___________
I was wondering about that. If there are conventions or heavy business travelers in Anaheim during the week, they'll jack the prices UP.

celtic71- is there a 'reason' you are spending a 'week' in Las Vegas? That is a long time, IMO.

What kind of 'experiences' are you looking for in So. Cal? museums, history, sunbathing, active outdoor activities, popular LA tourist destinations etc. Is a scenic location more important than a highly populated destination for people watching? Do you want to drive around a lot or avoid that as much as possible?

The suggestions so far cover 60 miles along the coast. Would you be willing to do 2 nights, 2 locations?

I am happy to say, you should experience some of the best weather So.Cal coast has during your visit.
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Old Jun 28th, 2010, 08:20 AM
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Like Socaloc said, where you stay depends on what you want to do? If you just want to relax by the beach then staying in Redondo/Manhattan/Hermosa would be great. However if you want to do sightseeing in LA, Santa Monica the drive can be a killer.

If you want to do sightseeing, then the Santa Monica area would be the best but I don't think you'll find a room for $150 near the beach. If you don't mind driving a little to get to the beach, then you have more options.

Even though the Crowne Plaza and Best Western in Redondo Beach aren't on the beach, there would be lots for the kids to do. As lkv said, you can ride bikes or walk and be on the beach in a few minutes. But she's right about getting to the freeway, it takes awhile.

I was going to suggest the Ayres Suite hotel in Manhattan Beach. Not the most attractive location as it's right by the freeway but you could drive to the beach in about 5-10 minutes and you'd be close to the 405 freeway to go to LA. Looks like mid-Sept the rates run $199. http://www.ayreshotels.com/

Thought I'd check on Travel Zoo to see if there were any deals and I found the Hawthorn Suites on there. It's also located in Manhattan Beach but closer to the beach area. It's on a busy street but I'd ask for a room in the back. Sounds lilke a great deal with a free full breakfast and free parking. You'd have to drive to the beach but it's close and wouldn't take too long to get to the freeway. Rates are under $100 with the Travel Zoo deal of staying for 3 nights.
http://www.hawthorn.com/Hawthorn/con...OMFOBTravelzoo

I think it depends on what you want to do. If you want to find a hotel that is closer to the beach and has some atmosphere, you are going to have to pay more than $150. The Seaview Inn that Jean suggested looks like your best bet for that. If you don't care about ambiance then you will have hotels to choose from.

Also I agree with Socaloc about staying in Las Vegas for a week. That time period would be OK if you are going to do some sidetrips like the Grand Canyon but if you're not, a couple of days is more than enough when you have kids.
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Old Jun 28th, 2010, 09:39 AM
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Along the same lines as the Hawthorn Suites, there are several properties in the Manhattan Beach area that are a few miles inland, but are close to the freeway and offer full breakfast, free internet and free parking. The rooms generally have more space plus refrigerators and microwaves. Look at SpringHill Suites and TownPlace Suites in Hawthorne and Residence Inn in Manhattan Beach. (All are in the Marriott family of lodging.)
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Old Jun 28th, 2010, 10:08 AM
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My family ( including 2 teens) stayed at the Calmar Hotel Suites in Santa Monica and we really liked it. Its a cool motel type place with full kitchens built around a funky looking pool/courtyard. I think that parking was free as well. The kids were able to walk to the Third St. promenade the Santa Monica Pier and the beach.
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Old Jun 28th, 2010, 10:17 AM
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The Calmar Hotel Suites is a possibility if you want to stay in Santa Monica. Looks like you can get a room for close to the $150 range without tax. It is more spacious and has the kitchen but make sure you check out reviews on tripadvisor so you know what to expect. It's an older apartment building that was turned into a hotel. It's decor could definitely use some updating but it's a good value for Santa Monica. Can be a little noisy but you would expect that in a city location. I stayed there once just for the night and it was fine and the location is great.

Again Santa Monica is a great starting point for sightseeing in Los Angeles but if you just want to hang by the beach I would stay in the Manhattan Beach area.
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Old Jun 29th, 2010, 04:36 AM
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Wow! Thanks to all for the info, it has certainly made us rethink some parts of the trip and decide what we really want to do. Having had a look around, I think we are going to have 4 nights in the Redondo to Manhattan Bay area. Probably just chill out a bit and take a drive around in the non peak hour times perhaps. What are the must do's in the Hollywood/Beverley Hills areas? Any must do art galleries?

We're also keen to see a football game, is mid-late Sept in season to see anything and if so who and where do you recommend?
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Old Jun 29th, 2010, 06:51 AM
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"We're also keen to see a football game..."

If you mean American football, we don't have a professional team, but UCLA plays the University of Houston on the evening of Sept. 18th at the Rose Bowl. That would be a Driving Adventure of the first order!

If you mean soccer, the L.A. Galaxy has night games on Sept. 18th and 24th at the Home Depot Center which is not far from the Redondo/Hermosa/Manhattan area.
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Old Jun 29th, 2010, 06:52 AM
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If you mean American football, Los Angeles does not have a professional team. If San Diego or San Francisco are on your itinerary, you might want to see if the Chargers or Forty-niners are in town when you are there(stay away from Oakland Raider games ).

Otherwise, you could see a college game. With the marching bands, mascots and cheerleaders, it might be a more interesting experience for your family. UCLA plays at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, and USC plays at the Coliseum in LA. Here's the general PAC-10 schedule to see if their home games match your dates in town: http://espn.go.com/blog/pac10/post/_...tball-schedule Both are home on September 11th, only UCLA on September 18, and both are away on Sept. 25.

Hollywood is interesting for about two hours, max, to check out the Walk of Fame, Chinese Theatre, Hollywood sign and Sunset Strip. I can't think of anything in Beverly Hills that would interest two teenage boys. Nearby is Griffith Park, with its observatory and fantastic views of the city, which might be worth a stop. www.griffithobs.org/

Have you been reading shanek's marvelous trip report? He is another Aussie here right now with his family and his report is full of (very entertaining) detail that might help you with your planning.
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Old Jun 29th, 2010, 08:00 AM
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On a quick trip to Southern California recently, I stayed at the Redondo Beach Crowne Plaza. It's "on" the beach, meaning that you can access the beach from the property without having to cross any streets. It is also very close to the Redondo Beach Pier where there are plenty of restaurants. It is, however, as the others have said a bit of distance form major freeways (which may be a blessing in Los Angeles!), so you have to factor in at least 20 minutes to get to a freeway. Very nice property.

Manhattan Beach is also a good area to locate yourself.
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