best area around Los angeles to stay

[lssg]

I am in the process of booking a hotel in Los angeles area for after our cruise in September...I was told it is better not to stay right in LA or hollywood area...I have never been to LA so I need some recommendations for what area would it be best for a Family to stay....we probably will rent a car...Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, what area not too far out of LA... thanks for any help...

[signman]

Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Century City, are probably the nicest areas. Also consider Universal Studios area. Close in location but a little sterile.

[vjblk]

We did a weekend trip to LA last year and stayed in Santa Monica. It was not too far a drive from the airport nor to Hollywood or Beverly Hills.

 

We stayed in a wonderful hotel called the Ambrose. Not right in the thick of things in Santa Monica. We still had to drive to the main area of Santa Monica but we enjoyed the hotel. What was great was that they had free parking which is not common in most LA hotels.

 

Santa Monica has a nice pedestrian mall and of course the famed Santa Monica Pier.

 

I guess too it would depend on what you would like to do while in LA. For our Mexico cruise out of San Pedro we stayed at the Coast Long Beach hotel. Another nice hotel that you could use as a base for sightseeing. Close to the freeways that can take you anywhere in the LA area.

 

How long were you going to stay in LA?