Hi, my parents are going to the LA area on September 30 for 7 nights. They would like to stay close to a beach and would want something on a budget...any ideas? I was thinking of doing priceline, but they might be interested in a condo or something with a kitchenette....

"on a budget" doesn't tell us much. How much do they want to spend?

In Manhattan Beach, 3 miles from LAX there is the Sea View Inn, a block from the beach. It's in a safe, clean neighborhood. Don't know your budget, but in Sept. it's just over a hundred a night for a standard room with frig. and Microwave, or $160 for ocean view and $200 for living room, fireplace and balcony.

http://www.seaview-inn.com/

Great, thanks for your responses. I guess around $100 per night would be ideal. I might try Priceline, usually you get something nice for under $100. However, I guess they will not get the kitchen/condo but rather a hotel room. We have a timeshare and are used to be able to trade for nice condo's in Orlando, but I noticed LA doesnt have too many options.

For $100, even on Priceline, I highly doubt you will get anything very close to the beach. Maybe a 2 or 3 star a few miles inland, maybe on a busy street. Choose the zones "Santa Monica and Marina del Rey" and "South Bay" to get closest to the ocean.

Also, there are several suite properties with kitchenettes in the El Segundo/Hawthorne area, about a mile from LAX and 2 miles from the beach. Some, like Townplace Suites and SpringHill Suites, include a breakfast buffet.

If you have a timeshare, are you a memeber of II or RCI? If so, you might be able to get a one week "getaway" (II's description, not sure what RCI calls it) for coastal CA pretty reasonably in late Sept. There aren't any in LA County, but Orange County has the Marriott Newport Coast Villas and a few in the San Clemente area.

For close to the ocean on a budget, I like MBNancy's idea the best.

Great, thanks. I guess they dont have to stay right at the beach....but not too too much of a drive. What would be a good place to stay that you can drive to nice beaches within 20 minutes....and not too far from other tourist attractions...ie hollywood, disney,etc.

Disneyland is way down in Anaheim, it's not close to Hollywood or the beach either one. I think you need to refer to a map to see the lay-of-the-land before booking a hotel. And decide what things it is most important they been near.

The Embassy Hotel Apts in Santa MOnica fits the bill - Affordable gorgeous 1020's Spanish building with kitchens and old world charm - 1 block from the 3rd St Promenade, 2 blocks from the ocean.
We live in the area and have many friends who have stayed there for extended periods of time and have loved it.

www.embassyhotelapts.com

If they want to be near Disneyland and you want to bid on priceline, try the Costa Mesa area in your bid. You could get some very nice 4* hotels for less than $100 in that zone.

Good luck!

yeah and that way your closer to the Southcoast Mall in Costa Mesa.

crosscheck~ NICE recommendation. wow now i want to go to LA and i wasn't even planning a trip! i grew up in the area and that building looks sooo old santa monica. nice.

Suze - You will love the Embassy. If you come, you should book one of their (limited) parking spaces for $15 extra. Also, the place fills up with film people from Australia and Europe, so it's a good idea to book early.

It seems nice...but $156 per night + taxes is a bit high....on priceline it seems you can get a 3 stars for roughly $110 taxes in....usually the embassy suites comes up......any comments?

Which hotel is $110? If you find out I'll let you know how it is. $156 is actually pretty reasonable for here.

We don't have an Embassy Suites in SM. There is a Doubletree Suites, which has amenities like a pool, spa, restaurant, etc., but I believe it is closer to $200 a night and the location is not as good as the Embassy Hotel Apts.

Sorry, I meant the Doubletree....I noticed it was won a few times on priceline for around $110....however I tried $100 today and didnt get any results...

If you can get the Doubletree for that price I would grab it.

I noticed this area is really cheap: El Segundo IS it a bad aread? Far from everything? It might not be ideal for my parents, however I will be there september 19-21 for a short weekend before vegas so I thought it could be ideal for me....our plans are: arrive Friday at 11h00 am....head out to Hollywood area an dcheck out the sites.....Saturday go to Universals or something like that.....Sunday hit a beach...and leave around 3-4PM for Vegas....Is there a beach close to this locations??

El Segundo is an industrial area next to the airport. It is not far the beach, but it isn't where you want to be if you have one weekend in LA.

There is a really nice Embassy Suites in El Segundo, (stayed there 3 times)as well as other hotels,Residence Inn, Doubletree, Hilton Garden, in a business park setting, not factories. Also the ones Ivk suggested are fairly new and border Manhattan Beach. You'll be a couple miles from a great beach, and near the freeways.

Ok.....so could this be an ok location for my parents? Is the beach a nice "familly beach"? I guess if they want to spend the majority of there time on the beach and its only a few miles this could be ok???? They would have more of a drive when they want to visit hollywood/beverly hills/disney....but I guess they would be ok with that.