Santa Monica hotel with cheap/free parking?
 

We're looking for a hotel in Santa Monica for 3 nights (Sept 3/4/5).

It must have free or cheap parking.
Budget US$100-125/night.

Two females needing two beds, and would prefer the hotel to not be too dodgy!!

We're planning on driving ourselves to the airport (flight to Vegas in early afternoon) - would this be a good location for getting to the airport fairly easily?

Cheers.

Santa Monica is not all that far from LAX especially since you've got your own car.

Sorry no ideas about hotels that cheap in Santa Monica (but will top this post and hope others chime in) and I wouldn't count on free parking.

Is the $100-125 a night per person or per room? Santa Monica hotel's are expensive but it seems like there are a couple of cheaper ones although they won't be right by the beach. My first thought was the Travelodge on Pico Blvd. It gets great reviews on tripadvisor and for the time period you mentioned, it's $159 a night plus tax. This includes free parking and a continental breakfast so that will save your money. It's about 3 miles from the beach.

The other hotel I saw on tripadvisor, I don't know much about but the reviews seem OK. It's the Sea Shore Motel. Looks like rates are in your price range and there is free parking. You are a little closer to the beach but are south of the Santa Monica Pier area. Main Street where the hotel is located is cute with shops and restaurants.

Anyway, check out tripadvisor for Santa Monica hotels to read the reviews. Seems like most of the other budget hotels in the area are not as good as the two I mentioned.

I'm surprised about the free parking; seems like good recommendations above.

The tourist-heavy area of Santa Monica is its highly-developed Downtown. There is precious little space for parking lots. The better hotels will have to charge for parking.

There's a Best Western by the Pier (BW Ocean View, I think-- or something). Their parking rates may be reasonable.

That Sea Shore Lodge is up the street from the Starbucks I stop at every weekday morning for my coffee. I'm pleasantly surprised by the Tripadvisor reviews-- it looks very nondescript outside, but for what it is, the location is good.

The Travelodge gets good ratings, but those three miles are LONG miles (Pico is a very busy street).

rjw-You are definitely right on about Pico being a very busy street. For the OP's budget, I might take the Sea Shore Motel. I do drive down Main Street ocasionally and have to say, I've never noticed that hotel before!!

I would book a room as soon as possible. Sept 3 is Labor Day so people might be checking out but it's a busy time. September beach weather in So. Cal is great so it's a good time to visit. Here's a link to the Sea Shore Motel.

www.seashoremotel.com

If you mean $100-$125 total - I really wish you good luck. By the time you include hotel taxes you are only talking about $90-$110-ish.

Please clarify if you mean $100-$125 total, $100-$125 plus tax, or $100-$125per person.

They mean $100-125 total for both of them (i'm psychic)
:-)

If it is total including taxes - then even the traveLodge is likely outside of your budget. Have you considered priceline? But then you cannot guarantee free parking so you are in the same boat - a cheap room but fees for parking will probably put it outside your budget.

$100 a night over a holiday isn't reasonable many places but especially in Santa Monica.

There's a cheap place to stay in Marina Del Rey, a few miles south of Santa Monica and an easy drive to LAX.
www.jollyrgr.com

The Best Western Gateway in Santa Monica is nicer than the one on the ocean and has free parking. Safe enough, too, although you'd need a car to get to most restaurants. A bit above your budget.

topping for Holli

Wow - thanks for all the replies! I was without internet over the weekend so only just caught up.

I would say that the $125 was including tax, per room (good work Suze!), but it does look like we'll need to stretch the budget a little more!

The Sea Shore looks good, and the Travelodge Pico was one I'd already been looking at.
Am also now considering the Comfort Inn - rates around US$129 + tax.

I should mention that we don't HAVE to stay in Santa Monica - I just thought it was a good area for tourists wanting to see a lot of the main attractions around LA, as well as being near the airport. We'll have a car as I mentioned. Can anyone comment on whether they think it's a good location, or would we be better off in somewhere like Hollywood or Beverly Hills?

Well I have persisted with hotwire again and just booked the Sheraton Delfina for us$119 a night plus tax. The hotel's rate for our dates was $279 a night so I am VERY happy with what I got.
Reviews look great for the property, and even taking into account the $22 valet charge, it is a similar price to the 2 star options I had been considering. Thanks to all for their input!!

Before I got to the end of this thread, I was going to suggest the Sheraton....and good news, there is free self parking in the garage....don't bother with the valet. Your deal just got better.

Great deal! It does pay off to be persistent. Have fun on your trip.

yeah! :-)

Ooh thanks Milemarker0 - free parking! Yay!!
I love hotwire - and fodors!!