but have you even taken a look at Fodors and Frommers? Or in a different price range, howzabout Lonely Planet and Let's Go? LA is full of hotels and it's really tough to pick one, but those will give you good starting suggestions.

Please don't try and "do" LA without a rental car. Posters on other forums can get very self-righteous and almost fanatical about how it's possible to use buses and subways to get around with no problem, but I really don't see that happening. LA is a city designed for cars, period. Mass transit is an afterthought and unless you happen to be going between 2 of the few points with it, you're going to have bad luck. You also can't stand on a corner and flag a taxi, they don't cruise; you have to call to order one or jump into a line outside a hotel. And their rates ... sheesh; nothing here is near anything. Figure 45 mins for almost any drive you make. Esp. if you have a few people in your party, the cost of a car is well worth it.

You might also consider semi-apartment joints like a Residence Inn, if you want a place where you can cook some of your own meals and have some room to stretch out.