I'm not sure if it is the right place to post, but I hope it is.
We're planning a family trip (2 small kids) around California + national parks.
We're arriving to LAX and will spend first night in LA. Which hotel would you recommend? We'll be jet-lagged so would appreciate something interesting just near the hotel.
I was thinking about IC but it looks like it is too far away. HIX is just near the Kodak but I'm not sure I'd like the HIX. Andaz West Hollywood? Something else? (preferrably Hilton, IC or Hyatt chains as I have top status there)

Then we'll move to San Diego. First we'll visit Legoland. Is it ok to stay in San Diego or the travel will take a lot? If I should choose Carlsbad - which hotel?
Then we're planning to spend 2-3 nights in San Diego (Seaworld, Zoo, maybe beaches). Which hotel would you recommend?
We'll be renting a car.

Thanks in advance

Probably better to ask in the hotels forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hotel-programs-389/

Although I must say that West Hollywood is a looong way from LAX

If you're not planning on doing anything in LA then stay close to LAX, the Hyatt is pretty good and then you can pick up your rental the next day and take a leisurely trip down the 405/5 to San Diego. If your planning to do Seaworld from San Diego then doing Legoland from SD is fine too.

Hey,
You should entertain the nugget idea because he explained you right that it will also help you for your sea mode

Please follow the thread as it moves to the Travel->California forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

Try perusing BetterBidding.com and BiddingforTravel.com for info on hotels near LAX. They tend to be the cheapest due to inventory amounts for the LA area via Priceline bidding. Hotwire if you don't feel like learning the bidding system.

I used to get annoyed when someone would answer a question such as the OP with "do a search" rather than answering the question. But in this case, I have to say I would do the same thing.

First of all, there are numerous threads about hotels at LAX and San Diego proper as well as the north San Diego county. Second, hotels are a much more personal decision than, say, airlines because they are so very different from each other in both cost and style.

Many of the threads here have detailed discussions about the hotels that would allow the OP to make that personal decision. These threads are in various places -
1) The Los Angeles forum
2) This forum - the California forum
3) Individual hotel brand forums - Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, etc.

TO repeat all of this information would really be impossible. So my suggestion is that you stay on FT, go to each of these Forums, click on Search, and enter keywords such as airport hotel, San Diego hotel, Legoland, Carlsbad, etc. I think you will find more than enough information to fit people's experiences into your own personal preferences.

Since there are many hotels, let's try to narrow the search. Do you belong to any hotel programs? What are you looking for in a hotel?

Thanks all for the replies.
I certainly understand that searching would help, the only problem is - I've already done that and now I'm even more confused, as almost every property has pros and cons.
With regards to loyalty programmes - as I said I'd prefer to stay at IHG, Hyatt or Hilton as I'm top level with these programmes. And I really don't know if it is better to go to Andaz WeHo, IC or just HIX but near the walk of fame.
The same question about San Diego - Andaz (but it's got not the best reviews) or what?
I'd like to have a hotel with good hot breakfast (for children), spacious rooms, good location without traffic problems on the way to/from, and ideally it would have something 'special'. I perfectly understand that's almost impossible to find something ideal, but...
The price is not the limiting factor as long as it stays reasonable (i.e. <$350).
Thx

For LAX go to the Hilton Garden Inn. It is close by in El Segundo and has a free shuttle if you don't want to deal with the car the night you arrive. There is no need to go into LA proper. If you want to see Hollywood, you can drive there the next day, or better get it on the way back.

You can stay at the Hilton Garden Inn for Carlsbad for Legoland, but I wouldn't want to do it for just one night. I'd go on into Downtown San Diego. The Andaz is NOT what you want with 2 small children, it is in the middle of the Gaslamp and has a hip, hot rooftop pool that rocks until the wee hours.

Look at the Grand Hyatt Manchester on the bay or the Hilton Bayfront. Both are downtown but out of the noise zone of the Gaslamp.

If you have more questions, ask.

What about Hyatt Regency La Jolla or Mission Bay?
Indigo - it's also noisy, am I right?

The Hyatt Regency La Jolla and Mission Bay are totally different types of hotels. La Jolla is primarily a business-type hotel, east of the freeway and not even in La Jolla Village or near the ocean. It is also quite a distance from any of the San Diego attractions. Mission Bay is on the water with a setting and design that appeals to vacation travelers as well as business travelers and has much more of a resort feel to it. It is also much closer to the San Diego attractions such as Sea World and Balboa Park.

Just look at the photos of the hotels and their map locations at the hotel websites themselves. The differences will quite obvious.

http://lajolla.hyatt.com
http://missionbay.hyatt.com

-- url fixed thanks to TWA884 ---


Also, if you are not concerned about cost, at LAX I would be more inclined to stay at the Hilton or Embassy Suites.

That's not the hotel's website, this one is (your link was missing a dot):

http://missionbay.hyatt.com/

The Indigo is nice, but not really a family hotel.

The attraction of the Grand Hyatt and Hilton Bayfront is the accessibility to the Downtown sights and restaurants and that you can walk to a lot of good restaurants or hop on the trolley and go to Little Italy or Old Town or ride the ferry to Coronado.

The Hyatt MB you have to drive every place and I find the views downtown more compelling.

A short feedback after the trip.
We really liked Andaz West Hollywood. And it only took 20 min from LAX. It's way better (at least my experience) than the airport hotels (we've also stayed in CP on the way back - and it can't be compared even close)
Manchester San Diego is a realyy big hotel, so I'm not sure that it was the best choice for the family. And the confirmed Diamond upgrade was not very impressive - just 2 connecting rooms on the middle floor in the old building. At the same moment we visited Hyatt Mission Bay and I was not very impressed also, probably I'd choose Manchester over it (and if you take price into consideration... Manchester was twice cheaper!)
So maybe we should go for Andaz here too? We'll try it next time