I was at a loss for where to stay in Los Angeles, since the other times I've visited I stayed with friends. The Westwood on Wilshire was a great find. It's located a few blocks from the theaters,... More

I was at a loss for where to stay in Los Angeles, since the other times I've visited I stayed with friends. The Westwood on Wilshire was a great find. It's located a few blocks from the theaters, dining and shopping of Westwood/UCLA and on the main Wilshire Blvd. I've since learned from Wilshire, you can get just about anywhere in LA and possibly avoid all that horrendous (yes, it really is that bad) freeway traffic. The hotel looks small, but looks are deceiving in this case. There is a gift shop in the lobby, a restaurant that serves full breakfast or buffet and in the evenings a lounge with a full bar and menu. Both are surprisingly full, especially the lounge, with people having drinks, chatting, watching a game. There is also a fitness room, pool and free internet access (they call their one public computer a "business center," which is pretty funny). The rooms are spacious, with TV, room service and all that. The bathroom could have used a little updating, but it was stocked with amenities from Neutragena. I would suggest a room on the back side of the hotel because it's slightly up on a hill and you get a great view of the city at night. It wasn't too expensive, less than $120/night for sure when booked online. You can't find that in New York! Also, the valet service was very friendly, convenient and helpful with directions for an out-of-towner. Just watch out as that is the only slightly pricey aspect of the hotel (~20$ to park/night for guests)
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