Budget Travel - 13 days in Santa Monica or surrounding areas?

Anyone have good recommendation for Los Angeles (Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey preferred)?

Two rooms. 13 days. Paid for personally so a nice price is important. Preferably near Rapid transit. Clean bed. Respectable. But doesn't need to be fancy.

I hope I posted this in the right place?

Anyone have good recommendation for Los Angeles (Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey preferred)?


If you view another posting in this forum under Triprewards...

I would start there - www.triprewards.com.

This for the possibility of a free/many free nights - would take time. Just be sure to read the terms and conditions.

I have not been to this area and would defer to others as to the quality, price or location in this area.

Good luck.

Thanks. I'll check it out. But I'm running out of time. Just wondering if I have a prayer of a decent place for $60 dollar range for a 2 week stay.

Any particular chain I should look at? I'd go with Holiday Inn but it's usually at least $100 and two weeks...that's a fair bit of dough...

$60 in this area is not going to happen. Cheapest place I know is the Ramada on Washinton Blvd in Mdr. It's awful and is pending teardown, and is still between $80-$100 per night because you can walk to the beach.

All of the "cheap" brands, BW, HI are all over $100.

Just wondering if I have a prayer of a decent place for $60 dollar range for a 2 week stay.


It might be possible.

Try any of the following web sites:
www.travelnow.com
www.orbitz.com
www.travelocity.com
www.travelweb.com

After location and dates - use tab to sort by price. I found some in the $40, but I do not know how far from Santa Monica. Different web sites pull in locations from a wider area and the rate may be for a motel too far away.

I found some by LAX that is about 10 miles and under $70.

Good luck.

I am moving this to Budget Travel from "Other Hotel Programs" at the OP's request. Hopefully we have some savvy fiscally conservative travelers who can help.

Priceline is your friend.

I've been using priceline for some hotel stays recently and am very pleased with the results.

Have a look at betterbidding.com

Thanks so much for moving this!

$60 in this area is not going to happen. Cheapest place I know is the Ramada on Washinton Blvd in Mdr. It's awful and is pending teardown, and is still between $80-$100 per night because you can walk to the beach.

All of the "cheap" brands, BW, HI are all over $100.

Oh.
I thought $60ish was possible because I once managed about $63 at Furama through Expedia. Furama is closer to the airport, but it was good enough location wise. And it was really very nice for the price. But I guess it's closed now because nothing pops up for them.

Wow, got several responses while writing mine. And this while the site is experiencing db errors and slowness.


Thanks for the suggestions. I will check it out.

I was always scared to use priceline. To get stuck with something unattractive with no way out? That can hurt much for a hotel where you're committing to two weeks. Are there any special techniques to use when going to priceline.

BTW, what are the best ways to book hotels in general? I may make a side trip to Las Vegas during my stay. Can I just check out anytime (if it's not priceline)? Or will they give me a discount because of the long stay?

Is it like airlines where the earlier you book the cheaper it is?

Santa Monica tends to be pricey, but most of the rest of LA can be relatively affordable.

Hotwire/Priceline won't be bad options really.

Where are you going exactly? Just sightseeing? Need to be near a beach?

I was always scared to use priceline. To get stuck with something unattractive with no way out? That can hurt much for a hotel where you're committing to two weeks. Are there any special techniques to use when going to priceline.

BTW, what are the best ways to book hotels in general?

Is it like airlines where the earlier you book the cheaper it is?

Word up. Priceline is the only way to buy hotels unless someone else is paying. You will save way more than half, every time. PL is an acquired skill, you will get better with practice. Read everything on betterbidding.com and biddingfortravel.com . Santa Monica is expensive, try another cheaper neighborhood such as LAX Airport zone. If you are renting a car (forget about "rapid transit" in L.A.) be like me and pay $16 for your car and $40 for your hotel, every time. You won't get two weeks at a time on PL most of the time. Most of the time on PL your best deals will occur the same day or the day before.

The Santa Monica Blue Bus can get you to most places in West LA/Santa Monica (including the Getty Museum, a wonderful FREE museum). It might be possible to not rent a car....plus you might save money on parking since most places in LA charge for parking. However, I must warn you that taxis in LA are among the most expensive in the country. Not only are they expensive, but you have to call ahead for one to pick you up and sometimes the wait can be over an hour.

Thank you so much guys. Wow, $16 car? And $40 hotel? Every time? That's amazing. I already rented a car for myself (paid a lot more), but I need the rapid transit for my folks for when I'm not around. They don't drive anymore at their age.

I will try Priceline. I've been browsing those boards but it looks like a lot to take in, so if you don't mind I'll ask you for a shortcut.

Because of my potential side trip I guess I'll go for 5 days for the beginning. I'll go with LAX area for the better price. And I'll ask for 3 stars. How much should I bid for the two rooms? (I found two 3 star hotels for $69 bucks already.)

OTOH $69 plus $10 a day for internet access is perhaps better than getting a cheaper rate and no internet. I suppose there's no way to bid for a hotel w/ internet (wireless or hispeed)?

I will try Priceline. I've been browsing those boards but it looks like a lot to take in, so if you don't mind I'll ask you for a shortcut.

Because of my potential side trip I guess I'll go for 5 days for the beginning. I'll go with LAX area for the better price. And I'll ask for 3 stars. How much should I bid for the two rooms? (I found two 3 star hotels for $69 bucks already.)

5 days should give you a much better chance of getting a run than two solid weeks.

LAX is a good zone for 3 star and 4 star hotels. The 2.5 star hotels in the area have also recieved good reviews and because you have a car they are accessible without a shuttle bus. Be aware that you will have to pay for parking at some of the hotels and that rates are about $13 a day. I wouldn't bid 2 star as some of the hotels seem a little rough.

The woman who runs biddingfortravel.com is very clued up on how the get the best from priceline and could provide a better strategy for you than I could. I've not spent as much time on betterbidding.com but the chap there also seems to know what he's talking about. Both have affiliate links which won't cost you anything but mean they get a couple of bucks from Priceline for helping you out.

If you don't want to do that... those boards have been showing LAX 3 star wins in the region of $43 to $57 + tax so $43 seems like a good starting point.

1. 2.5* PL hotels are usually better than 3* PL hotels and are more likely to have free parking and free internet. Nearly all hotels have at least pay internet.

2. Disregard the person from Boston who told you to take the bus. Dude, you need a car in L.A.

1. 2.5* PL hotels are usually better than 3* PL hotels and are more likely to have free parking and free internet. Nearly all hotels have at least pay internet.

2. Disregard the person from Boston who told you to take the bus. Dude, you need a car in L.A.

This is also my understanding. Don't go below 2.5* though, some of the 2* have poor reviews.

1. 2.5* PL hotels are usually better than 3* PL hotels and are more likely to have free parking and free internet. Nearly all hotels have at least pay internet.

Really? That's cool, heheh. I guess you're say "2.5* PL hotels are usually better than 3* PL hotels" BECAUSE they "are more likely to have free parking and free internet"?? Or is there another reason as well?

How about 4 star hotels? Getting such good rates, I wouldn't mind paying a bit more so my folks can stay @ a 4 star.

2. Disregard the person from Boston who told you to take the bus. Dude, you need a car in L.A.

Absolutely. I got a car from Alamo. (you may have missed an earlier post where I mentioned the bus was for my folks when I'll be elsewhere and can't drive them). Their rates are always quite decent and the cars quite good.

Maybe I'll try Priceline one time for the car. I'm scared that I'd wind up with a car from Fox Rental though? The experience with them was not good. If they can find an excuse to charge you for something they will and they'll be ballbusters about it.

Thanks for everything guys. I made a booking. I'm sure I could have done better bidding at Priceline, and for myself I'd have done it, but since I'm with my elderly parents I thought certainty is more important than saving a hundred bucks. You guys were a great help!

Just for the record, Priceline will only give you a Hertz, Avis, National, Alamo or Budget rent-a-car.

Just for the record, Priceline will only give you a Hertz, Avis, National, Alamo or Budget rent-a-car.
Awesome. I will definitely start to use priceline in the future.