LA on points for 3 days

Old Dec 1, 2015, 11:17 am
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LA on points for 3 days

I've searched previous threads but couldn't find anything useful. I'm planning to spend 3 nights in January in LA. Will rent a car and drive around. Any recommendation for IHG property on points? The best rating on Tripadvisor has HIX North Hollywood Burbank (30.000 points) but I'm not sure about location? Reading from reviews IC seem that doesn't justify 50.000 points.
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Old Dec 1, 2015, 12:01 pm
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If that's the property I'm thinking of in Hollywood, it's a Suites where the manager told me a couple of years ago "We always to upgrade elites wherever possible." 30K a night there would be worth it to me.
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Old Dec 1, 2015, 9:39 pm
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I've stayed here, with a rental car it's a pretty good location for Hollywood, Glendale/Burbank, and Pasadena. Alternatively, you can walk to the nearby Metro red line station and travel that way. I've typically found some good rates using AAA or other discount programs so 30k points per night might not be a "great" exchange of value.
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Old Dec 2, 2015, 7:41 am
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Personally as someone who lived there, I would not choose Burbank as a location. The traffic going back and forth over the hills would be tough. Location-wise I would choose the Century City HIX. I got a great upgrade to a huge duplex suite when I stayed there and it gives you easy access to the 405 and 10 freeways. It's not far from the IC.

If your tourist interests are further south, I like the CP San Pedro and the HI Long Beach. Free parking at those properties and always a suite at the CP.
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Old Dec 2, 2015, 11:31 am
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I don't much like LA as a city and if it were me I'd book into the CP Redondo Beach and travel from there
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 12:38 pm
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I stayed at North Hollywood location before, it's one of the newer properties and the location is fine for me actually, as we were partying in Hollywood. 30,000 is fine if the location works for you. I would say the Hollywood location has new paint sheet etc so I enjoyed that, good staff service as well.

IC is 50,000 points, including tesla ride within 1.5 mile radius from century city, can be a good option if you don't mind the $38 valet parking fee per 24 hours. I also got a 20% off meal coupon that the restaurant honored.

If you are coming in from SF, I recommend the simi valley HIX, I got it for 15,000 in December and it was lovely. Long beach also has some good deals on HI properties.
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 3:14 pm
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I really liked the Hollywood location and the rooms were huge. They upgraded us to a suite and it was really nice to have all of the space even though there were only 2 of us. Plus it felt nice and clean after a day out doing the touristy stuff and coming back feeling kind of grimy. the service there was excellent as well.
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Old Dec 10, 2015, 6:34 am
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Originally Posted by justaagirl
I stayed at North Hollywood location before, it's one of the newer properties and the location is fine for me actually, as we were partying in Hollywood. 30,000 is fine if the location works for you. I would say the Hollywood location has new paint sheet etc so I enjoyed that, good staff service as well.

IC is 50,000 points, including tesla ride within 1.5 mile radius from century city, can be a good option if you don't mind the $38 valet parking fee per 24 hours. I also got a 20% off meal coupon that the restaurant honored.

If you are coming in from SF, I recommend the simi valley HIX, I got it for 15,000 in December and it was lovely. Long beach also has some good deals on HI properties.
How far would be Sirni Valley form downtown LA? How long takes driving?
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Old Dec 10, 2015, 6:36 am
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Originally Posted by ladyjaneMN
I really liked the Hollywood location and the rooms were huge. They upgraded us to a suite and it was really nice to have all of the space even though there were only 2 of us. Plus it felt nice and clean after a day out doing the touristy stuff and coming back feeling kind of grimy. the service there was excellent as well.
You think on North Hollywood or Hollywood walk of Fame location?
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Old Dec 10, 2015, 9:47 am
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Simi Valley is an hour from Santa Monica, it's best to stay here on your way driving in from Northern California en-route
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Old Dec 10, 2015, 10:08 am
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Los Angeles is a big city with lots of traffic. I live in Westwood near UCLA and Century City. It can take me an hour at times to get to Downtown Los Angeles (15 minutes with no traffic), Hollywood as much as 45 minutes (20 minutes on surface streets with no traffic), 45 minutes to Torrance (South Bay - 20 minutes without traffic), an hour to Long Beach (30 minutes with no traffic).

Most of the Los Angeles County tourist stuff is west of Downtown Los Angeles (Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Hollywood, beaches, museums etc.). Pick a hotel from Downtown Los Angeles and west and forget the San Fernando Valley (Burbank). Just too much traffic to get to/from there at peak times (even weekends). I actually have friends who rarely travel from the SFV to the basin because of the traffic. I won't go at certain times to the SFV because of the traffic, either.

Century City is great & central but if cost is a factor, I'd pick the LAX area. Close to the beaches and not all that far to Beverly Hills, Hollywood (to the north and east) or Long Beach to the south. Traffic on the 405 in the morning northbound and in the afternoon & early evening southbound can be a real b*tch, though but one way or another, you will run into traffic.
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Old Dec 28, 2015, 11:11 am
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I'm currently booked into the IC Century City April 11th-14th. We are spending a day at Universal and a day in the Hollywood area.

Is this a good choice, or would somewhere else be better. Currently IHG Spire.
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Old Dec 28, 2015, 12:01 pm
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Originally Posted by rknight20772
I'm currently booked into the IC Century City April 11th-14th. We are spending a day at Universal and a day in the Hollywood area.

Is this a good choice, or would somewhere else be better. Currently IHG Spire.
Well the IC is the best overall IHG hotel in Southern California. But be advised that it has valet only parking that is a bit expensive. And there are HI's that are closer to Universal and Hollywood if lessening the time in the car is important to you. But if having the best hotel room, gym, spa, etc. is important, I would stay with the IC.
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Old Dec 28, 2015, 2:19 pm
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Originally Posted by rknight20772
I'm currently booked into the IC Century City April 11th-14th. We are spending a day at Universal and a day in the Hollywood area.

Is this a good choice, or would somewhere else be better. Currently IHG Spire.
My thoughts about the location are mixed. There isn't a lot right around the hotel --- sort of a sterile mid-rise area. But it's well located to get to places you want to go. It's not a place where you're going to walk to a cool burger joint or bar a block away.

But here's why I come back to the IC Century City. They have these very cool terrace rooms on the top of the 5 stepped towers. The terraces are huge with great views. Some of these rooms are one bedroom suites and some are studios, and the studios with terraces are only one booking category up from a regular room. The studio rooms themselves are smaller than a regular room, but the terrace makes up for it. You can see an aerial in birds eye view on Bing Maps: http://binged.it/1R46Y1F The hotel doesn't have good photos of these rooms, but if you go to the IC Century City page on Tripadvisor, there are some traveler photos under "View from Room." Some of them look down into the Fox Studio lot, which is kind of fun.

I've stayed at the IC on both an IC Ambassador BOGO weekend certificate and on points. I emailed the hotel ahead of time and asked about getting a terrace studio. (A friend had clued me into these rooms before my first stay.) On the BOGO stay, they told me what to book to be upgraded to a terrace. On points, they offered to do a day of arrival upgrade space available (which is an Ambassador benefit) or pay a modest differential to confirm a terrace room. (Both times I've gone with the latter, because I love the terrace rooms.) I haven't stayed there in a year, so policies could have changed. But their reservations and guest relations people have always been very accommodating. Spire probably won't get you a comp upgrade, so email and ask what would be the additional cost on points. Who knows, they may just upgrade you.

If you're traveling with kids, though, note that the studio terrace rooms only have a king bed. I don't think there are any with two doubles, and the size and shape of the rooms isn't amenable to a roll away.
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Old Dec 28, 2015, 4:30 pm
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I'll echo what CalItalian wrote above. (BTW, fellow (former) Westwooder here. 90025!) Los Angeles is a huge, sprawling city. It is strongly recommended that you plan a hotel convenient to the places you wish to visit rather than trying to find the best possible deal across a wide and diverse geographic area. If not then whatever value you find in saving on hotel costs you will expend in time and frustration sitting in traffic for several extra hours each day! Tell us a bit more about what you're planning to do in L.A. so we can offer the best guidance.
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