Once Upon A Time In LaLa Land

June 29, 2005 at 9:10 AM | by juliana | Comments (0)

In this month's National Geographic Traveler, a feature article called "The Insider's Guide to Los Angeles" lists the best rooms in Los Angeles for under $200 a night.

Up first is the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel for $150 a night. If you want "retro-chic" feel, then this is the place especially since the very first Academy Awards were held here. But we already told you about that. Another interesting fact? Marilyn Monroe shot her first commercial ad on the hotel's diving board.

A downtown feel can be felt at The Millenium Biltmore Hotel which goes for about $159 a night. This old hotel (from the 1920s) features amazing architecture both on the inside and out, especially in the lobby. Rooms are small but rates are low on the weekends.

The Ambrose Hotel in Santa Monica has a "Zen-Hipster" look, which seems hard to picture, but we are guessing its similar to a lot of the other boutique hotels popping up around LA. Though the rooms cost $175 and are small, the bathrooms are big, always a plus.

The Rest Post Break

Go funky and stay at the Venice Beach House for $130 a night. While you have to share a bath, the building is worth it. Built in 1911, the building is simply a renovated ivy-covered bungalow close to the beach.

Calling all Judy Garland fans. Head for the Culver Hotel where Madame Garland used to stay since Culver City was the place for big movie studios. It's also where the Munchkins stayed while filming The Wizard of Oz and you know what kind of fun they had there. It's close to the beach and close to Beverly Hills and even better, it's cheaper than the rest at $89 a night.

Lastly, a little hotel in Beverly Hills has slowly become a hip spot for late night drinks and intimate get-togethers. The Crescent is a tiny stucco hotel one block from Rodeo and other shopping (like a Whole Foods supermarket down the street) has an outdoor living room and each room comes with an iPod mini. Of course, we know all about the ups and downs of the Crescent.

So there you go, NG's take on the LA hotel scene.

Related Stories:
· LA Biltmore Up for Sale, Again [HotelChatter]

· Could the Academy Awards Head Back to the Roosevelt [HotelChatter]

· Welcome to the Hotels California [NG Traveler]

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