<p>We will be visiting USC in April. We know the area around USC is problematic, but going to a hotel too far away is an issue also, given LA traffic.</p>
<p>Does anyone know a decent hotel close enough to USC, so that we could drive from the hotel to USC and get there by 8:30 in the morning without fighting LA traffic at 7:00 am ? </p>
<p>Thanks a lot !</p>
<p>We always stay at the Downtown Marriott at 333 S. Figueroa Street. Nice hotel; decent food; and 10 mintues from campus on surface streets. No need to go on a freeway although you can if you want.</p>
<p>We stayed at the Radisson. Nothing fancy but nice staff and we could walk across the street.</p>
<p>Thank you both very much - this was really helpful information!
Hayden</p>
<p>The Bonaventure is a huge convention hotel, so you might get pretty good rates there if they don't have anything booked. But, it is really impersonal, and I too, prefer the Marriott downtown. The Holiday Inn is real cheap, but you get what you pay for... :)</p>
<p>if you want to go to a high carb, high fat breakfast that only C-mudge would love, make sure you check out The Pantry on Figueroa (~9th street) -- open 24 hours.</p>
<p>High carb, high fat breakfasts ! Wow, that's my idea of heaven. The Pantry is now on our itinerary, bluebayou. Thanks.</p>
<p>Yes the Pantry. Do they still serve a huge bowl of vegies at dinner time?
Also how about checking out Tommies (sp?-it's been so long and so many immitators).</p>
<p>Given LA traffic and the way some freak over it (unjustified but real, imo), I'd stay at either the Radisson or the Marriott...just because you're on the right street, directions are simple, and you can't get lost. </p>
<p>I like the Bonaventure...stayed there on my wedding night...but navigating the grid of downtown streets, many of which are one-way and which are not orgthogonal [square] to the rest of the LA street grid, gives even <em>me</em> a moment's pause if I'm driving somewhere other than a well-established route, e.g., the Music Center or the Ahmanson Theater.</p>
<p>we stayed at the omni about 2 miles from the school. it was very very easy to get to the school quickly, without having to drive through any bad areas. if you talk to the people at the USC admissions office, they can give you the number for the Student Travel Association. if you call STA and say you are visiting, they can give you the same rate at the omni as you would pay at the radisson.</p>
<p>Stay at the Radisson, you can't beat the convenience. If your child decides to go to USC you can try other hotels for yourself on your later visits. Then again, if you don't mind driving, forget convenience and stay at the Hotel Bel Air , have a mini-vacation, and experience LA gridlock firsthand as you try to get downtown to USC.</p>
<p>Hotel Bel Air to USC? "Can't get there from he'ah." You have several choices of routes, none of them good. I'd probably take Sunset to Robertson, drop down to the Santa Monica Freeway, take it East to the 110 South, get off at King Blvd. or thereabouts, plopping right out onto Figueroa Blvd.</p>
<p>The Hotel Bel Air is much more proximate to another university.</p>
<p>If you really want Tommies you need to head into Van Nuys, they've got the best one out there... Also just a bit of a note to those of you who are out of town and don't know LA that well... Just be somewhat aware that USC is not in the best of areas... Be aware of your surroundings while you're down there... Also if you're out here in time, while you're in the area you should go check out Body Works, it's going on at the Science Center which is located right by the university.</p>
<p>yes, but the Rampart Tommies has so much scenery.</p>
<p>Also if you're out here in time, while you're in the area you should go check out Body Works, it's going on at the Science Center which is located right by the university.</p>
<p>-I went to the CA Science Center. Some of the bodies in there are unbelievable..the one w/ the wings, the pregnant one, there are ones on bicycles, etc..It's no ordinary exhibit</p>
<p>besides the Pantry a great place to eat that is classic LA is Philppes
It is right near Union Station, Olvera Street (the birthplace of LA), and Chinatown. It is a fun area to explore and very inexpensive. You can catch the subway (yes a subway) into Hollywood from Union Station.<br>
Website: <a href="http://www.philippes.com%5B/url%5D">www.philippes.com</a></p>