Decent hotels near LAX/UCLA or neighborhood
May 28, 2018, 8:03 am
#31
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May 28, 2018, 8:37 am
#32
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Check out this one, the Bel Air Tree House. For August I'm seeing $255 refundable, $197 non-refundable. 1.5 Miles from the northern end of UCLA. Occasionally Beverly Glen can get traffic during rush hour, but not the worst traffic LA has to offer. Looks more like a B&B than a hotel/motel, but it just might fit the OP's needs.
I've never been... never even noticed it driving on Beverly Glen, but the reviews are great, and the photos look pretty good to me also
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-bel-air...se-los-angeles
I've never been... never even noticed it driving on Beverly Glen, but the reviews are great, and the photos look pretty good to me also
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-bel-air...se-los-angeles
May 28, 2018, 11:01 am
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,406
I know you asked for a hotel, but for a two week stay I would consider looking for apartments on airbnb or vrbo. Classes don't start until September so I would think there would be a surplus of off-campus apartments available, probably some with parking and/or walking distance to campus. I live a few miles north of UCLA and my kids have gone to summer camp there. It can take 15 minutes to get to/from campus or it can take over an hour. I'd stay as close as possible!
Incidentally, I am looking for 2 nights stay at the moment.
Thanks for telling me about vrbo - wonder why I didn't know of AirBnB competitor!
Prices will either be more expensive, cheaper, or the same. It's hard to predict. 
Also, another person suggested looking into the on-campus hotel at UCLA. If you have some actual connection to UCLA (you are an alum, or your kid is attending, or something like that), check it out. The location would obviously be superb for visiting the campus.
Also, another person suggested looking into the on-campus hotel at UCLA. If you have some actual connection to UCLA (you are an alum, or your kid is attending, or something like that), check it out. The location would obviously be superb for visiting the campus.
Last edited by TWA884; May 28, 2018 at 11:21 am Reason: Merge consecutive posts by the same member; please use the multi-quote function
May 28, 2018, 6:14 pm
#34
Join Date: Aug 2011
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Oh sorry, I thought it was two weeks, which could be quite expensive in a hotel in this area. The savings won't be quite as much for a two night stay, but it's still worth a look.
May 29, 2018, 2:14 pm
#35
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If you don't want to stay somewhere far and drive, then there is really not much choice besides paying $200+ a night for a hotel in West LA or Santa Monica. There is a general shortage of hotel rooms on this side of town due to Century City Plaza being under renovation. August is also high travel season so you are not going to catch a break by waiting for some last minute deal.
If you are willing to use a bus to get to/from UCLA, your have a couple more options near Culver City or Marina del Rey. But they are not likely to be cheap either.
If you are willing to use a bus to get to/from UCLA, your have a couple more options near Culver City or Marina del Rey. But they are not likely to be cheap either.
May 31, 2018, 3:00 pm
#36
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If you don't want to stay somewhere far and drive, then there is really not much choice besides paying $200+ a night for a hotel in West LA or Santa Monica. There is a general shortage of hotel rooms on this side of town due to Century City Plaza being under renovation. August is also high travel season so you are not going to catch a break by waiting for some last minute deal.
Jun 4, 2018, 8:06 pm
#37
Join Date: Jun 2004
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Honestly, traffic from Santa Monica can cost you so much in time and sanity (4pm on Santa Monica Blvd? Ridiculous!) that if you can afford to, it is worth staying closer. Have you ever seen the 10 freeway Yelp page? (The 10 goes from Santa Monica through West LA/southern border of Westwood to downtown.)
I recommend the W or Hilgard House Hotel, or checking out the Beverly Hills Plaza Hotel or Hotel Palomar. You might also look into the Beverly Hilton. All of these are, I think, in reasonable distance.
The W used to be the Westwood Marquis hotel which was rather pleasant. It looked like a Four Seasons hotel in many respects - light and airy, beautiful greenery, fabulous brunches, and so on. Neil Simon used to brunch there.
Then, Starwood acquired the property and kept the ivy crawling up the side of the building but in an effort to attract a younger crowd, Starwood changed everything else. No longer light and airy, it was dark and with heavy techno music in its first years. The pool area developed into a hot nightclub that was packed every weekend. Now, the property has mellowed some. Still the W, it is no longer dark with heavy techno music. Now that the hotel seems to have dropped its focus on only the trendy youth, there is light again in the lobby and the pool area is a lovely place to enjoy what I think is a delicious breakfast. If you have status with Starwood and are upgraded, you might enjoy your suite.
The Hilgard House, as noted here, is indeed much less expensive. It is an older property that has not changed much over many years in terms of decor. There is nothing terribly stylish about this place, in my opinion, but you will have a decent night's sleep, a basic breakfast (store-bought pastries, juice, etc.), a very close location, parking, and for the most part, responsive staff. This is the sort of property that is fine as long as you do not set your expectations to that of the W, but have the expectation that it is an older property and that the staff generally do the best with what they have to work with. The Hilgard House Hotel is less $ because it is not the W hotel. They do offer a UCLA parents rate and if you are going for medical purposes at UCLA, the Hilgard House Hotel generally offers a "UCLA hospital" rate (even if you are only going to the outpatient clinics).
Speaking of the UCLA hospital, if you are going for any medical purpose, you might try out the Tiverton House. They are literally just behind Hilgard House Hotel (also in the village). It is lodging only for patients and families that are in town for medical purposes at the UCLA hospital. I believe they work with the Ronald McDonald house for some of their support, but their lodging is for all ages, not just families of children.
One advantage to all three of these properties (in addition to the W and Hilgard House both being bed-bug free in my experience - I have not stayed at the Tiverton House) is that they are actually in the village. Note that there is Westwood (a larger area which includes south of Wilshire) and there is Westwood Village which is a subset of Westwood - and it is in the village where you will find UCLA (the village is only north of Wilshire). All of this to say that staying in the village means that once you are there, everything is completely walkable. While Westwood village is not quite the hot spot that it once was 20 years ago, it is still a perfectly enjoyable little college town to walk in the evenings with some fun restaurants and some shops. Depending on what you plan to do and what your purpose is in Los Angeles, if you are not looking to "see L.A." including everything from Hollywood to Santa Monica, Pasadena to Anaheim (which is not actually L.A.), and if you are in the Westwood area for a local purpose, I highly recommend ditching your car once you are there and embracing the little area where you will be planted for a few days. Go see a play at the Geffen Playhouse, tour the Armand Hammer museum, eat at a village restaurant, take in a film at the old Bruin or Fox theaters where going to the movies feels a bit like "going to the theatre," or eat an ice-cream-cookie sandwich at Diddy Riese. If you are feeling adventurous, take a short walk south of Wilshire into little Persia for some Persian food, or if you must drive your car, go closeby into Japantown (on Sawtelle) for some excellent sushi. My point is that there are interesting and unique experiences near Westwood and you do not need to go to or stay in Beverly Hills or Hollywood or Santa Monica to have a fulfilling trip.
I recommend the W or Hilgard House Hotel, or checking out the Beverly Hills Plaza Hotel or Hotel Palomar. You might also look into the Beverly Hilton. All of these are, I think, in reasonable distance.
The W used to be the Westwood Marquis hotel which was rather pleasant. It looked like a Four Seasons hotel in many respects - light and airy, beautiful greenery, fabulous brunches, and so on. Neil Simon used to brunch there.
Then, Starwood acquired the property and kept the ivy crawling up the side of the building but in an effort to attract a younger crowd, Starwood changed everything else. No longer light and airy, it was dark and with heavy techno music in its first years. The pool area developed into a hot nightclub that was packed every weekend. Now, the property has mellowed some. Still the W, it is no longer dark with heavy techno music. Now that the hotel seems to have dropped its focus on only the trendy youth, there is light again in the lobby and the pool area is a lovely place to enjoy what I think is a delicious breakfast. If you have status with Starwood and are upgraded, you might enjoy your suite.
The Hilgard House, as noted here, is indeed much less expensive. It is an older property that has not changed much over many years in terms of decor. There is nothing terribly stylish about this place, in my opinion, but you will have a decent night's sleep, a basic breakfast (store-bought pastries, juice, etc.), a very close location, parking, and for the most part, responsive staff. This is the sort of property that is fine as long as you do not set your expectations to that of the W, but have the expectation that it is an older property and that the staff generally do the best with what they have to work with. The Hilgard House Hotel is less $ because it is not the W hotel. They do offer a UCLA parents rate and if you are going for medical purposes at UCLA, the Hilgard House Hotel generally offers a "UCLA hospital" rate (even if you are only going to the outpatient clinics).
Speaking of the UCLA hospital, if you are going for any medical purpose, you might try out the Tiverton House. They are literally just behind Hilgard House Hotel (also in the village). It is lodging only for patients and families that are in town for medical purposes at the UCLA hospital. I believe they work with the Ronald McDonald house for some of their support, but their lodging is for all ages, not just families of children.
One advantage to all three of these properties (in addition to the W and Hilgard House both being bed-bug free in my experience - I have not stayed at the Tiverton House) is that they are actually in the village. Note that there is Westwood (a larger area which includes south of Wilshire) and there is Westwood Village which is a subset of Westwood - and it is in the village where you will find UCLA (the village is only north of Wilshire). All of this to say that staying in the village means that once you are there, everything is completely walkable. While Westwood village is not quite the hot spot that it once was 20 years ago, it is still a perfectly enjoyable little college town to walk in the evenings with some fun restaurants and some shops. Depending on what you plan to do and what your purpose is in Los Angeles, if you are not looking to "see L.A." including everything from Hollywood to Santa Monica, Pasadena to Anaheim (which is not actually L.A.), and if you are in the Westwood area for a local purpose, I highly recommend ditching your car once you are there and embracing the little area where you will be planted for a few days. Go see a play at the Geffen Playhouse, tour the Armand Hammer museum, eat at a village restaurant, take in a film at the old Bruin or Fox theaters where going to the movies feels a bit like "going to the theatre," or eat an ice-cream-cookie sandwich at Diddy Riese. If you are feeling adventurous, take a short walk south of Wilshire into little Persia for some Persian food, or if you must drive your car, go closeby into Japantown (on Sawtelle) for some excellent sushi. My point is that there are interesting and unique experiences near Westwood and you do not need to go to or stay in Beverly Hills or Hollywood or Santa Monica to have a fulfilling trip.
Last edited by sinfonia; Jun 4, 2018 at 9:14 pm Reason: Additions
Jun 4, 2018, 9:09 pm
#38
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The Travelodge seems to be in a generally safe/uneventful area. I have no idea about how full they get and do not know anything about it other than I have never seen anything unsafe when I have driven past that area. In terms of traffic, you only have to take Westwood Blvd up to north of Wilshire from there, so it would not be as bad as Santa Monica, but be prepared that even Westwood Blvd can get pretty busy at traffic hours.
Jun 5, 2018, 12:22 am
#39
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I put my parents up several times per year in the area and have usually been able to find decent sales at one of the Pacifica Group Hotels around the Marina (i.e. sub $200 rates). But it looks like in August they are much higher even with a current 20% off sale - seems to be the same for most of the other hotels I have found deals at in the past (i.e Hampton Inn Santa Monica, Ambrose, Culver Hotel, 4 Points Culver City). I searched in the area for a few dates in August and seems the most affordable options are the Travelodge Culver City as mentioned along with the nearby Ramada Culver City and then the Best Western Royal Palace Inn & Suites which is a couple minutes further north/closer to UCLA up Sepulveda. The Holiday Inn Express is also sub $200 but barely - also the reviews say it has noise issues.
The Ramada seems to have ok reviews, but it is located right next to two other motels that are a bit lower on the food chain - I would probably avoid that specific row of lodging.
The Travelodge is close to the Ramada but has separation from the other area so should be fine. I actually lived around the corner from it for 14 months and the area is safe enough, though you may hear an occasional police helicopter fly overhead which is par for the course in parts of LA. The Travelodge also has a nice little diner in it called the Metro Cafe and several food options within a couple blocks.
Best Western is a little closer to UCLA but generally you can get into Westwood from the south without too much of an issue - so I would consider all these hotels ok for driving to UCLA.
If you are really on a budget but want to get a class above these options, I would consider studying the LA hotel lists on one of the bid tracking sites for the Brentwood - Westwood and Culver City zones, and maybe even Venice-Santa Monica and LAX zones as well, and priceline something for two nights. I think there is a decent chance you get a 3* or even 4* near the airport in the low 100s and perhaps in Westwood proper for $200ish.
The Ramada seems to have ok reviews, but it is located right next to two other motels that are a bit lower on the food chain - I would probably avoid that specific row of lodging.
The Travelodge is close to the Ramada but has separation from the other area so should be fine. I actually lived around the corner from it for 14 months and the area is safe enough, though you may hear an occasional police helicopter fly overhead which is par for the course in parts of LA. The Travelodge also has a nice little diner in it called the Metro Cafe and several food options within a couple blocks.
Best Western is a little closer to UCLA but generally you can get into Westwood from the south without too much of an issue - so I would consider all these hotels ok for driving to UCLA.
If you are really on a budget but want to get a class above these options, I would consider studying the LA hotel lists on one of the bid tracking sites for the Brentwood - Westwood and Culver City zones, and maybe even Venice-Santa Monica and LAX zones as well, and priceline something for two nights. I think there is a decent chance you get a 3* or even 4* near the airport in the low 100s and perhaps in Westwood proper for $200ish.
Last edited by dbuckho; Jun 5, 2018 at 12:28 am
Jun 11, 2018, 10:08 pm
#40
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You can also try the Claremont Hotel in Westwood Village (on Tiverton).
Jun 12, 2018, 1:32 am
#41
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You can also try the Claremont Hotel in Westwood Village (on Tiverton).
David
Jun 13, 2018, 12:02 am
#42
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In any case, it might be worth phoning them to double check on availability.