Hilton Torrance/South Bay - CA

[cjankowski]

Hi

 

Has anyone ever stayed there? Anyone from the area know what kind of hotel it is? We are looking to book and just wanted to make sure it was a nice hotel and worth our money.

 

Any information appricated.

[Qcruise]

We live here in Long Beach, California and this hotel is fine... decent area... it's not the Ritz Carlton, but not a motel 6 either... but look into staying closer to your port, I would recomend the "Shoreling Village" area which is right accross the Vincent Thomas bridge from the cruise port. It's only a 10 minute drive, hotels to choose from are the Hyatt, Westin, Hilton... it's accross the harbor from the Queen Mary, where the convention center and performing arts center are.... great new "Pike" development there.... many many resteraunts to walk to and lots to see and beautiful marina views..... definately look into this area instead.... the Torance Hilton is about 20 minutes away from the cruise ports....:)

[cjankowski]

We were looking at this area because we have 2 days before and 2 days after our cruise and would like to see the Hollywood area some. Thought it would be better.

 

Looked into the Hyatt and Westin and thought they were a little price. Are they worth the more money?

[Bruin Steve]

We were looking at this area because we have 2 days before and 2 days after our cruise and would like to see the Hollywood area some. Thought it would be better.

Torrance doesn't really put you any closer to Hollywood than Long Beach...it's sort of midway between the port and LAX, but Hollywood is a long car ride from Torrance (as it is from Long Beach). Either way, you are going to need a car and to venture far from your hotel to see Hollywood.

 

Best place to stay for "Hollywood" would actually be in the Universal City area (Hollywood itself is sort of "scuzzy")...Universal City puts you just north of Hollywood and right next to Universal Studios and CityWalk and near NBC Studios and others in Burbank...I'd look into the Universal City Hilton...it can't run that much more than the Hilton in Torrance and it's a more tourist-convenient location...Of course, it's also a longer ride from the Airport (unless you're flying into Burbank) and it's a long ride down to the pier...

 

Again, you might consider splitting the two nights pre-cruise in Long Beach and the two nights post cruise in Universal City...

[cjankowski]

Thanks - I know I have been a pest with all these Hotel questions. But when you are trying to book for other people also it is hard. They do not want to spend the money for the hotel in Long Beech. We come from an area that hotels cost $60.00 - $100.00 for a 4 star. So these prices are a little high for us. The hotel is going to cost way more than the cruise. Not good.

 

We do want to be in a good area, but for driving we have decided that it does not really matter. We are planning on going to see the Hollywood sign, walk of stars, and Raodo Drive (SP? sorry). Other than that we just want to see area things and maybe do some people watching.

 

Thanks for all the wonderful help. I am sure I will have other quesions also as they others in my group have elected me to do all the pre booking and infomation gathering.

[mkringen]

Hi

 

Has anyone ever stayed there? Anyone from the area know what kind of hotel it is? We are looking to book and just wanted to make sure it was a nice hotel and worth our money.

 

Any information appricated.

 

I work right across the street from the Torrance Hilton. We have many of our work parties there. While I have not been in a room the rest of the hotel is nice. Also a friend had her wedding reception there and it was nice.

 

Michelle in SoCal

Mercury 4/7/06

[cjankowski]

okay okay

 

I know where I should stay, but the others wont give in.

 

So now I am looking at 2 places. If I were to choose the Hilton hotel. Which one would you recommend.

 

Torrance or LAX(airport one)

 

They are thinking maybe we should just stay closer to the airport.

 

This is really getting to prove to be a major obsticle for me. Starting to make the cruise not so fun anymore.

[Bruin Steve]

I guess the biggest problem you have is that you come from an area where 4-star hotels go for $60-100... :) Welcome to Los Angeles...

 

As you've discovered so far, prices vary in different areas of Los Angeles...It's a very, very large area...There are areas of town where you can't get a decent hotel for less than $300 a night, and, yes, there are areas of town where you can get a hotel for under $100...But there's generally a reason...Some of those areas are considered undesirable--for a reason...Sometimes, it's just a "bad" neighborhood...More often, it's just that the location is considered "geographically undesirable"...

 

Often, it's just too far a drive to wherever you might want to go...it's a logistical thing...

 

The real problem for most people staying in a location like Torrance is that it's just too far and too difficult for a lot of people in getting to places they want to visit...

 

But, figure if you want to stay in Torrance...or even in Long Beach...and you want to visit Hollywood...and Beverly Hills, you're just going to have to have a car and you're going to drive a bit...

 

It's really not all that bad...We locals are used to doing it...we drive everywhere...

 

For example, I live in Calabasas...If you look at a map, it's Northwest of LA, between the 101 and the 1 in the Santa Monica Mountains behind Malibu...I work in Pasadena...that's a 70 mile round trip every day...If I want to go see the Lakers or the NHL Kings, I drive all the way Downtown...I even take in a couple of Ducks Hockey games a season--and they're clear down in Anaheim!

 

As long as you are willing to drive, it really doesn't matter that much where you stay--just plan your days out carefully and don't expect to hop back to your hotel until your day is over...

 

If you stay by LAX, you are a little closer to the West Side...You're a fairly short drive to Venice Beach...Santa Monica is a little beyond that...You take Sepulveda North to Lincoln, veer left, follow it north and cut over a few blocks to Venice Beach...continue north from Venice on Ocean Avenue and you're in Santa Monica...You can easily get to Rodeo Drive/Beverly Hills by going north on La Cienega to Wilshire and turn left... (Those are the easy non-freeway routes)...

 

From Torrance, you're probably getting on the 405 to get to most places north (beware of traffic)...

 

There is very little around LAX I would recommend in the way of restaurants or nightlife, so, if you stay there, I'd plan my days to either stay in or head back to Santa Monica for dinner and only head back to the hotel when it's time to go to bed...

 

I'm not really sure about what to see or do around Torrance...it's not exactly a "destination resort"...Your right next to the Del Amo Mall--which is one of the older , larger malls in the area--so, I'm sure they have all the typical chain restaurants...Manhattan Beach is known to have some good eateries...I guess Michelle could tell you what's around there...

 

Figure if you stay at LAX, you have a 20 mile drive to Pedro to pick up the ship and a 20 mile drive back to the LAX Hilton post cruise...and your trip to and from the airport is a couple of blocks...But, then again, it is an airport hotel (check out if they charge for parking as well!...Actually, I just checked--$13 plus tax for "self-park", $17 +tax for valet)...

 

Torrance is a little more "suburban"...and it's a bit of a drive from the freeway as well...

 

But, yes, you can stay either place and it works...

 

Good luck...

[FitzLA]

From Torrance, you would just take the 10 fwy east and exit La Brea North for Hollywood attractions. Just remember that with traffic it could take in excess of an hour to get to hollywood from torrance. Its quite a frustrating drive. I have lived in Los Angeles all my life, and to drive anywhere here sucks.

 

Bruin...used to work in Calabasas and drove from Los Feliz everyday. I know how you feel....not a fun drive. Now it takes me 10 minutes to get to work and no freeways. Much better.

[cjankowski]

Again Thanks - and trust me that I have been printing out all your answers to my questions.

 

We are okay with driving and we will have a car. Going to rent it for the week. We live in a rural area and my Husband drives over 50 miles one way to work a day, and we are over 20 miles away from a food store. So driving a little ways is okay as we understand. I thought that maybe the Torrance Hilton would be okay as he kind of nows that area a little. He worked out there for about 3 weeks. He went from there to Hollywood and says it was not to bad.

 

Again thanks for the wonderful help. I really appricate it from everyone.

[GuyFromCalifornia]

Here are some comments posted about the South Bay-Torrance Hilton:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g33182-d82362-Reviews-Hilton_Torrance_Southbay-Torrance_California.html

 

I live about a mile away from the Hilton and personally I would say its a nice place, but no big shakes about it. For shopping there is Del Amo Fashion Center across the street (there is some construction going on its east side as they are doing a complete remake of that part of the mall)and the South Bay Galleria is north a couple of miles. Restaurant wise Torrance isn't the culinary capitol of the southland but I would recommend to the east a couple of miles "Aioli Restaurant & Tapas Bar" (1261 Cabrillo Ave, Torrance) or a mile to the southwest "Chez Melange" (1716 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach) - both are very nice places to eat.

 

Ditto to all the previous comments regarding the location of the hotel relative to places around Los Angeles. At any place you'll be staying at you'll be driving around. Its just part of the L.A. experience. ;)

 

Mark