<p>Thanks, littlemother. I tried priceline but it didn't like my bid. I am still shopping this around. Sigh......</p>
<p>Jym </p>
<p>I would not stress about beach nearness if I was you. It is March 3, and the liklihood of true "beach weather" is iffy at best. Could easily rain. If it's a great beach day, go to Malibu-- a bit further out (extra ~30 minutes beyond Santa Monica) but good beaches.</p>
<p>South Bay (Manhattan Beach, Redondo, etc) is not quaint or charming but it is a really decent staging area for all you want to see and there is a good commercial strip there. In that area I have stayed at the Radisson (not by a beach, in an industrial park) and it was comfortable.</p>
<p>If you stay near LAX/Santa Monica, for a cheap yummy meal eat at Versailles (Pronounced spanish style, "ver-sye-yes"; it's cuban food) on Venice Blvd near Motor. Roast chicken, beans & rice, plantains; very casual, simple & incredibly good. There is a soul food cafe right near USC with lines out the door but I am having a senior moment and can't remember the name.</p>
<p>Westwood, Santa Monica & Venice, Sunset Strip, Hollywood Blvd, and Beverly Hills would all be good hanging around prospects. Are there any hotels giving you points in the Miracle Mile area or in Hancock Park? If so, that is not a bad central location for access to the places you want to see, though in and of itself is not really a happening area.</p>
<p>For your boys check into who might be playing music or doing comedy on the Sunset Strip. Staying in that area can be fun too, with easy access to Beverly Hills and plenty to do in the immediate neighborhood. See if there's a Laker's game or something else you can get tickets for. Universal Studios tour may leave older kids cold unless they are truly movie-obsessed.</p>
<p>IMO LACMA is a great museum venue. The Getty on the 405 is MUCH bigger than the Getty in Malibu although the Malibu Getty, a former mansion, is so charming and beautiful.</p>
<p>appstressin's ideas are great for a groovier version of your trip. Maybe one night at the standard or the W? I stayed at the W and it was HEAVENLY. There is a spa there. MMMMMMmmm. Prices to match. </p>
<p>Have a fun trip!!</p>
<p>Jym626- In Manhattan Beach (but not quite near the beach) is a Marriot suite type hotel. It is on Sepulveda or PCP. You would have fairly easy freeway access via Rosecrans. It is near shopping and a really short drive to the beach. You could probably walk. The street is busy but it is better then El Segundo.
I think there is also a Marriot Courtyard on Sepulveda in Torrance. Just a few minutes further down the 405 then El Segundo. I think there is also one on the Torrance/Carson border that is right next to the freeway. From that one you could get right on the Harbor freeway and be at USC in 20 minutes.
My grew up in the South Bay and we visit family often. I know with kids it is so much cheaper to not pay for 2 hotel rooms. And 4 in one room gets old after one night.</p>
<p>The Manhattan Beach Marriot on Sepulveda is a Residence Inn.</p>
<p>OK-- educate me. What are the parameters of the Miracle Mile and Hancock.</p>
<p>Problem with using points is that the hotels are higher "categories", and eat up points quickly. We dont have enough for 4 days at any one chain, so will have to pay the balance, which can get expensive. If possible, we'd like a suites arrangement so we can spread out. I am looking at some Residence Inns. I'll reck the one you mentioned. Thanks!</p>
<p>I don't know the parameters of Miracle Mile. I know Hancock park is midway between downtown and Santa Monica.
Try to see if you can get the Courtyard in Century City.</p>
<p>mom60- Tripadvisor and Yahoo travel have mixed things to say about the Courtyard Century City. Have you stayed there?</p>
<p>The Courtyard by Marriott in Old Town Pasadena is only a category 3. It's really a convenient location & my kids loved that it was within walking distance of the bookstore. There's also a lot of shopping within walking distance. You can even take a long walk to a grocery store (Ralph's). It's about a 20 minute or so drive to USC & not far from Huntington Library, which has fabulous afternoon teas.</p>
<p>I haven't. I was just going off the map. The location is good for getting to the 10 freeway and the Century City mall is a good place to eat or catch a movie. Plus your still close enough to go to Santa Monica for dinner or a walk.
We have stayed at several places in Redondo, Long Beach and Torrance. </p>
<p>I don't know the Pasadena area but I think they have a nice area to walk downtown. My youngest just stopped there on her way home from a sports tournament and ate at a old place called Burgers and Pies that she loved.</p>
<p>I've stayed at the Residence Inn in Torrance - it's fine. I worked in Torrance and it is not a bad area. I would choose Torrance, Redondo, Hermosa, or Manhattan Beach over El Segundo.
I am a beach person so would prefer that area to Pasadena ( although Pasadena has it's own charms, just my preference).
Another interesting site off the beaten path - Wayfarer's Chapel. It is a short drive from the South Bay area and a beautiful site. A glass church designed by Lloyd Wright ( not Frank Lloyd) that overlooks ocean cliffs. Gorgeous ( I am partial because I got married there LOL ) It is open to visitors every day.</p>
<p>I am narrowing things down, but strill chasing my tail a bit. I stumbled into a quaint loking place in Venice Beach- Has anyone stayed at the Inn at Venice Beach (formerly the Mansion). It was renamed and renovated about 9 yrs ago, Its funky looking, which might appeal to my boys, and its a block from Venice Beach. Anyone have any experience with it? <a href="http://www.innatvenicebeach.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.innatvenicebeach.com/</a>
I think its now between this and the Residence Inn Manhattan Beach (where we can get 2 1/2 days on points-- will pay the difference).</p>
<p>Did you look at the other properties managed by the inn at venice beach. The Jamaica Bay Inn is a great location. You can walk to Venice boardwalk but have a view of Marina Del Rey. The inn is at the far south tip of Venice beach with I prefer. It is a good location. Does it have parking?
I do think that the Residence Inn in Manhattan is a really good location. Your boys can walk down to the beach part of Manhattan and it is pretty cool with lots of young people. It is downhill to the beach, uphill back to the motel. Manhattan Beach is cleaner.
You can't go wrong with either location.</p>
<p>That's one of the places I mentioned before. I stayed there 2 years ago with my teens. They loved being able to walk right down to Venice Beach yet it's not in a seedy area of Venice Beach. There is garage parking and a really nice breakfast in the courtyard. We really enjoyed it. It's kind of funky and quaint, but nice. The security was very good as well.</p>
<p>The Inn looks great and the reviews good. Sounds like a nice place for a weekend away from home.</p>
<p>PAmom-
Sorry I didn't give you credit for the "find". The inn looks cute. My h asked if it had a workout/exercise room. I said "yeah- you run on the beach" (which is fine with him!). The Venice inn has parking, but they charge (PAmom- do you know how much?).
Mom60-
Which inn are you referring to that is at the south tip of Venice bech?Venice or Jamaica bay?</p>
<p>I like the idea of the Venice Beach Inn. If it were me, I'd rather spend the few days that I have in the L.A. area staying in a place that is part of the storied fabric of Los Angeles rather than the Residence Inn in a bedroom community miles away from L.A. Kind of depends on the atmosphere you prefer. </p>
<p>Venice Beach Inn: funky digs in an edgy urban-beach location an easy drive from the shopping-restaurants-fun-to-walk streets of Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey or a bit further, Beverly Hills or the Westwood neighborhood by UCLA. You will see and experience a lot of L.A. driving surface streets in your comings and goings. </p>
<p>Residence Inn in MB: cookie-cutter type corporate digs but in a pretty beach community, which though charming in its way, is not L.A. at all; it's an upscale bedroom community which attracts a lot of families looking for its fabulous public schools. The beach location is nice, but it will add another 20-25-30 minutes to your travel time coming home from your adventures in L.A. (depending on how slow the traffic crawl is) and you will ride on the freeway a lot and there's nothing special about the views, believe me. </p>
<p>If you stay in VB, though, ask the inn staff for the safety tips you'd ask as a newbie in any big city you're visiting --- if there are any warnings about where and when someone shouldn't walk the beach or any places specifically to avoid particularly at night. You don't want to stop at the one burger joint known to be a gang hangout.</p>
<p>jym626 - I wasn't sure if you knew it was the same place - just wanted to let you know that was the onethat I had said my kids enjoyed. Sorry if it sounded snotty - sometimes happens unintentionally in this type of forum.
I don't remember how much parking was - it must not have been too bad or it would probably stick out in my mind. LOL I do remember it was a tiny garage with kind of tight spots so hopefully you won't be driving anything too large.
Jazzymom has some great advice -you're going to have so many ideas for things to do you'll have to extend your stay LOL</p>
<p>PAmom-
I didn't think you were snotty at all! Sorry if it sounded like I did. You deserve the credit for the hotel reccs!!! I am just getting way too detailed about this and am feeling like I am losing perspective. Of the 3 you mentioned, The Venice Inn, Jamaica Bay Inn and Holiday inn Select, which was the most comfortable? Also, I am horribly allergic to cigarette smoke, so would prefer a non-smoking facility, if possible.</p>
<p>Jazzymom-
You are very right about the extremely different "feels" of the 2 communities. I think the "funkiness" of Venice would be fun, but I was hoping to be able to use some hotel points (since we just paid for that xmas cruise we took with the boys!) and I think we really need either a suite room or 2 rooms, as 4 nights in one room with 2 beds could get quite challenging. That said, the costs rise if we go for 2 rooms, which is what sent me towards the suites rooms (and the oppty to use Marriott or Hyatt points). I think I'll use the Hilton points for the hotel on Mon nite in the Pomona area.<br>
Everyone has been so helpful. I have a much better "feel" for the area-- now I just have to figure out what to do!</p>
<p>Trip Advisor website has some good things to say about the Inn at Venice Beach and has some candid photos..Link below. </p>
<p>ebeee-
I love tripadvisor- thats where I "found" the hotel (before I realized PA Mom had already turned me onto it!</p>