GentleGiant

Looking for suggestions near Santa Monica for July for a week.

Sure, I can pay top dollar to stay in Santa Monica, but can save $150 a night by staying 5 miles out at DoubleTree Westside.

However not sure how easy it is to get to Santa Monica each day.

Any suggestions from anyone who knows about transport etc.

Will I need a car if not staying actually in Santa Monica?

What is it like to drive there from a hotel outside ?

Thanks

Colin

The new light rail extension to Santa Monica opens on May 20 2016.
Details at http://thesource.metro.net/2016/02/2...ase-2-opening/.

If you decide to not stay in Santa Monica, then the downtown LA Hilton Checkers becomes a valid option that allows you to not have to have a car.

GentleGiant

Thanks. I'll look at the route.

Checkers is almost as dear, unless it is a cracker of a hotel.

Maybe alternatives on the route.

Chang11

Checkers is in an area I would not walk around after dark, regarding not having a car.

smmrfld

Lots of people walking around that area at night...no reason to avoid at all. Have stayed there, and walked to numerous nearby locations, frequently.

GentleGiant

Thanks.

Maybe one to avoid?

I was looking at the doubletree at Westside, but not sure how I would get to Santa Monica without a car - sounds like I might need a cab each day.

That is coming in at around $150 a night whereas the doubletree in Santa Monica is another $100 a night.

Cymro

Easy by car, though traffic in LA can be bad. Must admit that I don't do LA public transport, though the light rail is good for short distances (but the city is just too big to cope with frequent stops!)

GentleGiant

Thanks.

I guess by the time I have paid for parking for the day in Santa Monica, I might as well pay for the hotel LOL

SS255

Here's a map which includes the stops on the light rail extension to Santa Monica:

http://media.metro.net/riding_metro/...nstruction.pdf

The closest stop to the Doubletree would be the Palms stop.

This hotel is also close to downtown Culver City, which is probably worth seeing for historical purposes (especially if you're a movie buff), and you can walk to the Culver City light rail station if you want to head straight to Santa Monica (or vice versa).

Cymro

Parking on the beach in Santa Monica is pretty cheap - not sure what it would run overnight though.

flyou10

My coworker & I will begin to spend a lot of time in Ontario. We fly our boss into the ONT airport then sit around for a week. What is a great hotel or area to stay at? We don't mind driving, even up to an hour away. We like a good hotel with things to do within walking distance. We do have a car, and any HHonors property. Downtown LA? Anaheim? Claremont? Etc.

Thanks for the suggestions! We don't know the area at all.

brodielayne

Sitting around for a week? Might as well do it on a beach and you have numerous options within 1 hour of ONT, especially once you figure out the traffic patterns. Take the 10W-71S via Fairplex south, to the 91W. Pay the small toll on the 241 towards the beaches and grab a place somewhere in Orange County.

If you are younger you might enjoy either Claremont or Fullerton as they are college towns and offer plenty of night time options.

writerguyfl

If you're looking to stay closer to ONT, I'd say that the DoubleTree Claremont is a better location than the DoubleTree ONT. In Claremont, you can walk across the parking lot to Trader Joes, Buca Di Beppo, and one or two other restaurants. If you're into that sort of thing, you can also go ghost hunting at the adjacent Griswold's Old School House:

http://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/gr...-school-house/

Claremont's "downtown" area is known as the Village. It's about a mile from the DoubleTree Claremont. There are shops, lots of non-chain restaurants, and a 5-screen art house cinema. My aunt says they do community events, too. Although, I think that's mostly on weekend nights.

http://thevillageclaremont.com/

Need

I live 10 min from ONT, and if you have a week and you don't have to drive back to Ontario every day for work, I would not stay in the area. There is not much to do around (other than shopping and eating) and it is going to be HOT in the summer. I would stay near the coast where it would be 70's 80's instead of 90's 100's at the inland empire. I work at the beach. When I leave work, it would be in the 70's.. and 2 hours in traffic later when I got home.. it would be in the 90's.

Now if you have to go back to work everyday near Ontario, then I would not consider anywhere further than 20 to 30 miles unless you want to spend hours and hours in traffic. Claremont is nice. I had my relatives stayed at the DT there before and I love the village. If you want to stay in Ontario, I would not stay at the DT. The HGI or Homewood Suite are at a much better location near the Ontario Mills and all the restaurants. I had my relatives stay there too before and they loved it.

flyou10

Thanks everyone! We only stay in ONT if we are staying for 1 night. Claremont & Huntington Beach both sound like interesting options to try out. I am also curious about downtown & Pasadena.

No, we do not have to drive back everyday.