rjw_lgb_ca

Tomsd is right in that the Hotel Bel-Air is NOT particularly isolated from ANYTHING. Despite the sylvan beauty of its grounds, it's still smack-dab in the middle of West Los Angeles, basically due north of the lovely UCLA campus (where I used to teach many, many years ago). And you can hop Sunset Blvd. to get to Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood (going east), Brentwood, Santa Monica, Malibu (going west)....

Getting to Disneyland is a bit of a slog, but not ridiculous. It's a good hour away, and depending on the route will involve the 405 and at least two other freeways (shortest distance driving: 405 S to 10 E to 5 S); a GPS becomes VERY vital equipment. I can tell you that that shortest-distance route is the easiest from the west side of LA (we did a conference one January at the Grand Californian and our company ran all of us principals in a van on those very freeways-- it's quite direct).

The Bel-Air and the Peninsula are sounding like your best high-end luxury options. Casa del Mar and Shutters would put you in high-end Santa Monica properties, and then you'd be very close to the great dining options in Santa Monica and Venice, and short drives to great eating in Beverly Hills and West Hollywood.

I've been wracking my brain trying to think of comparable high-end properties in West Hollywood, which is quite central to all the great dining/shopping/sightseeing options in LA Metro. The Sunset Tower Hotel (the old Argyle Hotel) is arguably the most outstanding Hollywood Déco building in West Hollywood, and when they converted it back to a hotel they completely refurbished it inside and out, and it looks absolutely stunning:

http://www.sunsettowerhotel.com/

This place looks great, but I will admit it's completely new to me. The location is pretty near ideal:

http://www.thelondonwesthollywood.com/

But I'll repeat: The Bel-Air and the Peninsula would be sure bets for your needs.

emcash

Thank you all for your thoughtful comments! i will look into all you mentioned!

Tomsd

And generally speaking - you want to try to miss the early morning commute hours - what 6:30/7 AM to 9/9:30? - and the evening commute - 3:30 to 7PM, or later;.

Also suggest you get a good map of the LA freeway system - and if you are driving on the freeways - listen to AM 1090 for traffic updates ever 10? minutes.

rjw has good advice - but for moi - if I was headed south to Disneyland - and the 405 was clear - I would just keep booking on it - and about Newport Beach - take the 22 over to the 5 and north a couple miles to get there.

The 5 thru LA is usually the most direct route - but it does get congested and has a couple choke points.

rjw_lgb_ca

The problem right now is that the I405-CA22 interchange (which is actually in Seal Beach, BTW-- I think you're thinking of CA55) is the southern end of a major freeway construction effort that starts about three miles north (new ramps to and from I605) and involves bridge reconstruction/widening, apparent widening of the 405 itself, lane deviations and pattern changes, etc. that have made that stretch of the 405 a nightmare. For even the most seasoned drivers who live in the area. Right now I steer people away from the area if at all possible (I've been almost hit too many times to count when I've been heading to OC).

However, by August most of the worst will be over, so (fingers crossed!) we'll be back to "normal".

rjw_lgb_ca

Oh, and one other slight correction: The radio station with the traffic reports every 10 minutes is KNX AM 1070. They are very good for traffic conditions north of LAX, especially heading into and out of downtown LA and the San Fernando Valley; they are only fair for traffic in Orange County, but downright terrible in covering traffic south of LAX down to the LA County/Orange County line (unless there's a major accident). Still, they're the best game in town as far as radio traffic reporting goes, so there you go.

cferrb

Personally, if I were paying for a luxury hotel I would also consider paying for a chauffeur and a car rather than trying to drive myself around. That way you can all enjoy the views and relax.

Tomsd

rjw - drove up and down the 405 to my niece's place in Brentwood a few weeks ago and didn't even notice that. And thanks - it is AM 1070 - which I sometimes get mixed up with our Radio Sports station down here - AM 1090.

crer - you do know how to live right.

And checked with friends of mine who live in both the Valley and also in the West Hollywood Hills ("Baja Beverly Hills") - and they were pretty much split as to their top three luxury hotel recommendations - which included in no particular order - the Beverly Hills, the Peninsula and the Bel Air.

FYI - the Bel Air is on the north side of Sunset - so you are really not in the more congested UCLA area, which is to the south of Sunset.

Tomsd

BTW - my friends' uncle lived in Beverly Hills - two different places - in the hills and down in the "flats" - and while growing up in the Valley - they only had to zip over Mulholland to go numerous receptions/parties at the various upscale hotels in BH. Of the three - I have not really spent much time at the Peninsula - but have been to events at the other two - and don't think you can go wrong with any of them.

emcash

Thank you tomsd! Thank you all! Will figure this out- a nice conundrum to have!