Going to the Rose Bowl and will be in LA from 1/3-1/5. Got a reservation at the Georgian in SM...sounds great and we love the idea of being so close to the beach and 3rd street.

But....the Renaissance Hotel Hollywood looks wonderful and I also like the idea of being at Hollywood and Highland and seeing Grauman's, Kodak Theatre, Walk of Fame, etc.

Can anyone talk me out of the SM area? I think I'd rather see the beach and be convenient to 3rd street but I've never been to the other area...Is there more than what I just described (Kodak, Grauman's, Walk of Fame, "the Mall" or whatever it's called with shops/restaurants) in the general vicinity worth seeing and doing?

Bottom line, we'll be checking in late afternoon on the 3rd, having dinner, then the next day have a bit of time in the a.m. to have breakfast and snoop around before heading to Pasadena for the game around noon. The 5th consists of another breakfast and then driving to the airport.

So...not a lot of time, but wondered where the best place would be to spend it.

I work in Santa Monica, and it's basically the embodiment of what "outsiders" think of when they picture Southern California in their minds.

The Renaissance Hollywood is a nice hotel, and it is in a fairly central location to everything (and conveniently, there are highway on- and off-ramps when you have to journey far). The thing is: Hollywood, other than a few blocks around the hotel, isn't all that thrilling. It's just a gritty Los Angeles neighborhood. And venture a block or two away from Hollywood/Highland (the "mall" you're referring to), and you're hip-deep in tacky souvenir stores, head shops, etc. It's slowing cleaning up, but....

Hollywood is worth a long late morning/afternoon walking tour, and going to events at the Kodak, Grauman's or the Pantages is a lot of fun. But I think you'd enjoy Santa Monica a bit more, and there's more to do in nicer surroundings.

Thanks rjw_lgb_ca....I think I know what we're going to do, but wanted that verification that we weren't missing out on something special in Hollywood.

Where would be your choice for a great breakfast at 3rd Street?

The best breakfast on the Third Street Promenade itself? There are a few places serving breakfast or breakfast items-- three Starbucks, a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, a crêpe place at Third and Broadway (and another on Arizona between Second and Third), Johnny Rocket's, a Greek specialist between Wilshire and Arizona (don't scoff, the breakfasts are good!)-- but I'd head to Broadway Deli myself (also at Third and Broadway).

However, my favorite place for breakfast in that area would have to be Jinky's, on Second between Santa Monica and Broadway. Wonderful, innovative breakfast offerings. For that matter, it's great for lunch too. Healthy, hearty, fresh-- all the good things about California eating.

The Georgian has a demi-Continental breakfast that you can eat on the front porch (and probably watch me drive by on my way to work up the street-- look for a bald guy in a suit driving a red late-model Sebring convertible). I've heard it's good. And on a sunny morning, looking out at the ocean (you might see pods of porpoises swimming by!), it's a great place to be.

I agree - we stayed in SM a few years back and drove over to Hollywood - pretty ugly, uninteresting area. Stay in SM.

Breakfast tips are great! Thanks. Our breakfast isn't included with the room at the Georgian so I wanted to know some other places. Perhaps first morning we'll go out somewhere and on the second morning (with less time) we'll eat at the hotel.

Okay, I guess I knew where I wanted to be...so now it's definitely SM but there's an interesting twist. A room became available at the Ambrose so now I would like to play "Ambrose vs. Georgian"--I realize the Ambrose is several blocks up from the beach, but we will have a car and are familiar with the area so no big whoop there. Can anyone comment on pros and cons on the hotels themselves?

OK, I'll bite.

The Georgian is on Ocean Avenue, in downtown Santa Monica, on the bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. On one side it has a low-rise commercial building with an OK sushi joint (Sushi Roku) and the best seafood place in Santa Monica (Ocean Ave. Seafood). On the other side, it's, as I recall, a condo building. The Pier, the beach, the Promenade, shopping, restaurants, nightclubs, etc. are all a very quick walk away. And Main Street and Venice Beach are very close by as well.

The Ambrose, a rather lovely hotel, is about two miles inland (20th between Wilshire and Arizona), in the general area of the medical campus of St. John's Hospital and Medical Center. The beach, the Pier, the Promenade, Venice, etc. all become a five-minute drive (and that means finding parking whenever you want to be in those places), and there isn't very much around there as far as shopping, restaurants, etc. (it's a commercial part of town).

The Ambrose is newer, it's quite nice, it's reasonably-priced for Santa Monica-- but the location is far from ideal. The Georgian is practically ideal as far as location. But it's your call. I try to avoid driving whenever possible....

One big thing in the Ambrose's favor, now that I think of it: They offer complimentary London Cab service to and from Santa Monica places of interest. It is a nice little boutique hotel, but the location just doesn't do it for me (and not just because St. John's is where I had my appendectomy so many years ago...).

Hollywood is beyond gritty. You will be much happier in SM and do a drive through Hollywood.

I LOVE the Broadway Deli for breakfast. And really enjoy sitting at the counter with a paper and a cup of coffee watching all the activity. They are back there prepping, cooking, running food back and forth. And what food! We have even seen a celebrity in there last time we went for lunch.

Also LOVE Ocean Ave. for seafood, service and ambiance. Great place.

Just wanted to add my 2 cents. 3rd Ave is fun for window shopping and people watching. Always something to see...

I think the best thing to do would be to stay in Santa Monica. It has a great fun atmosphere. Theres the beach, the shopping and the atmosphere on 3rd street. A few months back I stayed at a hostel there which was good and spent the afternoon looking around but at night caught a bus into hollywood to see gaumans, walk of fame etc. It was alot of fun and its definetly a cool place to see but I think staying in SM is nicer you can wake up and go to the beach and have a nice brekky. Stay in SM and if your interested in hollywood go there for an hour or two to see everything!