Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [132]
Ayres Hotel (Map; 310-536-0400, 800-675-3550; 14400 Hindry Ave, Manhattan Beach; r $150-200, ste 210-290; wi-fi) With its repro tapestries, crystal chandeliers and baroque furniture, this 173-room property pulls off Disneyfied old-European charm quite well, despite sitting right next to the 405 Fwy (windows are soundproofed). It’s completely smoke-free and rates include a generous breakfast.
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Dockside Boat & Bed (Map; 562-436-3111, 800-436-2574; www.boatandbed.com; Rainbow Harbor, Dock 5, 316 E Shoreline Dr; r incl tax & breakfast $210-300, extra person $25; wi-fi) Salty types with a sense of romance love this floating hostelry. Let yourself be rocked to sleep by the waves aboard your own private yacht with retro ’70s charm, galley kitchens and high-tech entertainment centers. Boats are moored right along the newly expanded waterfront fun zone in downtown Long Beach, so expect some noise. Breakfast is delivered to your vessel. Parking is $12.
Beachrunners’ Inn (Map; 562-856-0202, 866-221-0001; www.beacherunnersinn.com; 231 Kennebec Ave; r $100-130; ) With easy access to the beach, Downtown and Belmont Shore, this 1913 Craftsman B&B makes a great base of operation. Rooms won’t fit a ton of luggage but the bold colors and uncluttered furnishing make a refreshing departure from Victorian frilliness. Wind down at the end of the day with a dip in the Jacuzzi or a drink and a chat with the caring owners in the garden.
Downtown Los Angeles
Culture vultures, ethno-fans and urban adventurers will be in heaven in Downtown LA, whose face is changing at lightning speed. Streets are still quite deserted and sketchy after dark, so don’t expect to be walking to dinner.
BUDGET
Stillwell Hotel (Map; 213-627-1151, 800-553-4774; www.stillwellhotel.com; 838 S Grand Ave; r $50-90, child under 11 free; wi-fi) OK, OK, so this place is not for everybody. It’s old, smells funny (partly because of age, partly because of the Indian restaurant downstairs) and may not be the cleanest, but come on, at these prices, what do you expect? It’s close to LA Live and Staples Center and the cool noir bar serves cold beers. Parking costs $6.
Ritz Milner Hotel (Map; 213-627-6981, 800-827-0411; www.milner-hotels.com; 813 S Flower St; r incl breakfast $80-130; ) ‘A bed and a bath for a buck and a half’ was the advertising slogan of this mini-chain, family-owned since 1918. The tab still ain’t steep, but neither do you get the ‘Ritz’. Still, the entire place has had a fairly recent date with a paint bucket and a designer, so it’s definitely a solid, central and safe cheapie choice with a cool retro pub downstairs. Parking costs $9.
MIDRANGE
Inn at 657 (Map; 213-741-2200, 800-347-7512; www.patsysinn657.com; 657 W 23rd St; r incl breakfast $125-200; wi-fi) Eclectic, well-tended gardens embrace this heritage inn run by the personable Patsy, who’s famous for her scrumptious breakfasts that’ll easily tide you through to the afternoon. Rooms are uncluttered and comfortable and the neighborhood is dotted with classic old Craftsmen mansions. Alas, the nearby freeway and paucity of restaurants within walking-distance puts a damper on the location.
Figueroa Hotel (Map; 213-627-8971, 800-421-9092; www.figueroahotel.com; 939 S Figueroa St; r $134-174, ste $195-245; ) It’s hard not to be charmed by this rambling oasis a mere basketball toss from LA Live and the Staples Center. A Spanish-style lobby segues smoothly to a bougainvillea- and cactus-laden poolside garden where guests and locals mingle at the Veranda Bar. The Moroccan-themed rooms make you feel like a pasha but vary in size and configuration and are pretty skimpy in the amenities department. Parking costs $8.
Standard Downtown LA (Map; 213-892-8080; www.standardhotel.com; 550 S Flower St; r from $140; ) This design-savvy hotel in a converted oil-company building appeals to a young, hip and shag-happy crowd, so don’t come here with kids or to get a solid night’s sleep (the upper floors are quieter). Rooms are mod and minimalist, but the platform beds and peek-through showers