Los Angeles

[Manitoban]

Taking a Pacific Coastal cruise leaving from Port of Los Angeles, which is I believe, in San Pedro. I plan on being in Los Angeles area for 2 days prior to cruise. I was thinking of taking the Starline City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off tour which appears to leave from the Chinese Theatre. Where would be the best place to stay, keeping in mind, that the tour leaves from Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the tour is good for 2 days. Then need to catch transport from the hotel to the Pier. Which transport would be the best?

[Bruin Steve]

Taking a Pacific Coastal cruise leaving from Port of Los Angeles, which is I believe, in San Pedro. I plan on being in Los Angeles area for 2 days prior to cruise. I was thinking of taking the Starline City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off tour which appears to leave from the Chinese Theatre. Where would be the best place to stay, keeping in mind, that the tour leaves from Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the tour is good for 2 days. Then need to catch transport from the hotel to the Pier. Which transport would be the best?

 

You can actually pick up that HOHO bus tour from anywhere on the route...

I would highly recommend staying in Santa Monica...several hotels near the Santa Monica Pier/Third Street Promenade area...

 

The climate is nicer, the neighborhood better...and, when you return to the hotel in the evening, there are plenty of restaurant choices and a stroll on the Promenade gives you lots of nightlife and entertainment...

 

Use a shuttle service from LAX to the hotel in Santa Monica and from the hotel to the pier in San Pedro...

 

The top hotels in Santa Monica are Loew's, Le Merigot, Shutters, Casa Del Mar and the Fairmont Miramar...

The Holiday Inn is a more reasonably priced option--well located near the Pier and Promenade--but ask for a room away from the freeway...other budget alternatives include the CalMar....and there are a few smaller hotels--of varying quality--along Ocean Avenue...The Doubletree and the Sheraton Delfina are not as well located, but okay with a few blocks of walking...

 

The HOHO bus has a couple of stops right in this area...#56, 57 and 59 on the yellow line on the HOHO map...

[Manitoban]

Thanks so much for your info. I was looking at the Santa Monica area, lots of hotels are a tad over my budget though! Will take a look at the "budget" hotels you mentioned. Thanks for the info about the Ho Ho pickups. I didn't realize you could get them anywhere on the line. You seem to be a font of information about the LA area. Keep up the good work!!:)

[Manitoban]

I've been looking for the Holiday Inn you mentioned in Santa Monica - but the closest I found was Holidayy Inn Express: West Los Angeles located at 11250 Santa Monica Blvd. It seems to be several miles from the Third St Promenade. Is that the one you meant?

[kenish]

I'm not 100% familiar with Santa Monica or the lodgings. You're good to ask others...the city is a quiltwork of neighborhoods ranging from very upscale to a bit seedy. Also some areas can be noisy or not well-served by transit.

 

Another idea is to get on Google Maps, and use Street View. I've gone on "virtual walkabouts" to get a feel for areas around hotels I'm considering.

[Bruin Steve]

I've been looking for the Holiday Inn you mentioned in Santa Monica - but the closest I found was Holidayy Inn Express: West Los Angeles located at 11250 Santa Monica Blvd. It seems to be several miles from the Third St Promenade. Is that the one you meant?

 

Sorry...just realized the recently changed chains and are now a Wyndham:

 

http://www.wyndham.com/hotels/california/santa-monica/wyndham-santa-monica-at-the-pier/hotel-overview

 

As to budget, remember Los Angeles is a expensive hotel town...if you find a bargain or a cheap hotel, BEWARE....it is most often either very poorly located, in a bad or dangerous neighborhood, very run down, caters to a sleazy clientele...or a combination of the above...

 

Even if I was to recommend something in Hollywood, it would be the Loews at Hollywood and Highland, the stately old Roosevelt...or, maybe, the Magic Castle...most of Hollywood is fairly run down and sleazy...and can be scary to many...

 

For most wanting to be in Hollywood, I would recommend nearby Universal City...the Hilton, Sheraton or, perhaps, though a little less convenient, the Beverly Garland....

 

Another choice that keeps you on the HOHO route is the Sunset Strip area of West Hollywood... Say, the Andaz or the Sunset Plaza...

 

Other areas on the HOHO route include Beverly Hills, Century City and Westwood Village...but you'll likely find them pricey as well...

 

Some folks, as a more budget alternative, like the Farmer's Daughter on Fairfax, near the Grove and CBS Studios...makes for an interesting location as well...and on the HOHO route...

 

Still I like Santa Monica the best, but this should give you some options...

 

But, be prepared to pay a little more than you may have thought...and do NOT take an unknown hotel for the low price...

 

Another shot may be to try Priceline...but beware bidding too few stars in too wide an area...You don't want to find yourself too far from that HOHO line or in a bad area...

[kaerofan]

My daughter(10) and I have done the Hollywood thing several times and we really like the Loews (used to be the Renaissance) at Hollywood and Highland, it's a little pricy but it's a really nice hotel, lots of shops and restaurants next door. Like mentioned, the area can get a little ??? but we have never felt unsafe, there's always lots of tourists around. It is really convenient to pick up the hop on/off right at the theatre when they open in the morning instead of having to wait around. We usually do the Hollywood, Beverly Hills loop which covers a lot including the Grove the first day, and then take the same one the next morning and switch to the yellow line in Beverly Hills to go to Santa Monica. Just be sure to keep in mind the pick up time for the last bus and then you are dropped back off basically at the hotel. Also if you're adventurous the subway stop is right there and we've taken that very easily to Union Station to catch the Amtrak to Disneyland. We've also taken the Super Shuttle from the hotel to LAX and I think Super Shuttle will take you to the pier as well.