Cheap, decent motels in LA?

I'm shopping for lodging for three people for six August nights in LA...I don't know LA well enough to prefer one area over another, except that'd be nice to be relatively crime-free, yet near something cool. We'll be seeing several things in the area of the The Los Angeles County Museum of Art so maybe its wise to be nearby? Or maybe a motel in a cluster of googie stuff? Is there such a place to stay near Tiki Ti?

For much of this time, I'll be splitting the bill with two other people, although I'll be by myself the night of the 9th, so cost is an issue. We'll have a rental car most of the time (I won't have it on the 9th) so we can drive about a bit. I'm sure LA folks get asked this with some regularity, but...any advice?

I reccommend the pacific sands motel in santa monica across from the pier....it's a vintage 50's throw-back. clean, and has a pool. steps from the ocean....I always used to stay here in the 90's when I came out to L.A. It was cheap too but that may have changed with time,,,If you want to be near the lava lounge and a short cab ride from tiki ti, check out the motel 6 off hollywood boulevard. I belive the name of the street it's on starts with a "W", it's about 5 blks from the chinese theater and it's across the street from the big fredrick's of hollywood store. it's also about 3 blks(?) from la brea which lava lounge is on. It's affordable and also clean with parking on premises if you need (so does pacific sands.) If you stay at this motel 6 , just up in the hill behind it is a giant chinese pagoda replica, built for some star in the 40's It's a huge place not alot of people I know know about but now it's a full fledged restaurant, complete with open courtyard dining and a 360 degree view of hollywood and century city....the tropical drinks there are very good. The name of course escapes me but it was definately something asian...also steps away is my favorite local dive, boardners...seen in many films, it's a beer and shot joint with good bar food...on the next blk over from there is Micellis Italian restaurant...great atmosphere complete with an old crooner beltin' out tunes on the piano in the corner while you dine. The place is old hollywood and not to be missed.....enjoy!!

I recommend the Farmer's Daughter Motel.
It's mid-City on Fairfax & 3rd, across from the Grove and Farmer's Market, 2 delightful al fresco dinning, drinking and shopping places. It is walking distance from King Tut at LACMA. The motel recently has been completely remodeled.

http://farmersdaughterhotel.com/start.htm

These two are near to the Purple Orchid (and therefore not too far away from the beach)

Hacienda Hotel
$69 plus tax
525 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
(310) 615-0015

Hilton Hotel
$99 for the family room, sleeps four!
2100 E. Mariposa
(310) 726-0100

On 2005-07-25 10:19, Tipsy McStagger wrote:
If you stay at this motel 6 , just up in the hill behind it is a giant chinese pagoda replica, built for some star in the 40's It's a huge place not alot of people I know know about but now it's a full fledged restaurant, complete with open courtyard dining and a 360 degree view of hollywood and century city....the tropical drinks there are very good. The name of course escapes me but it was definately something asian...

Yamashiro's.
The Hollywood Hills Hotel might also be the move.

Here is the website for both:
http://www.hollywoodhillshotel.com/hhh/dining.html

The Saharan is a classic Hollywood Hotel, midway between Tiki Ti and the Lava Lounge. It may prove to be the most cost effective.

http://www.saharanhollywood.com/

Definitely the Beverly Laurel off of Fairfax. Retro,
( real, not faux ) has Swingers restaurant attached - GREAT!. Blocks from the Farmer's Market. Once only blocks away from the Tahiti restaurant ( see Tiki Road Trip ) but that has since changed ownership. Beautiful courtyard with pool. Very reasonable.

Happy Travels

I highly recommend the Beverly Laurel as well. Not far from the Farmer's Market, LACMA, and Lava lounge. It's about $80-90 a night but the pool is nice and Swingers cafe has good food and is open late.

Some of the neighborhoods in Hollywood are not so great, but if you want to be within walking distance of the Tiki Ti check out the Travelodge on Vermont. It's strictly bare bones and not very quiet but it's clean. Up Vermont a little ways is the Dresden Room that someone mentioned in an earlier post but forgot the name.

Another favorite of mine is the Glen Capri Motel on San Fernando Rd. on the border of Burbank and Glendale. It's clean and cheap with somewhat fancy rooms for the price and has a great neon sign. It's close to the Burbank airport which is my preferred airport into LA, for convenience and proximity.

I've heard good things about the Farmer's Daughter and the Best Western Holywood Hills though both are a little over a $100 a night usually, while the others I mentioned are under $100, and you said "cheap".

Thanks to all. We haven't chosen a place yet, but we have some fine leads, thanks to you. We'll figure it out along the way (Rt66 from Joplin, MO to LA).

Tipsy, Thanks! The motel 6 was a winner at $69 plus tax per night for three of us; I'd recommend it to anyone visiting LA as a good central headquarters. It was clean, efficient, had free parking a block away and was located close enough to a subway stop to be quite a logistic success. I loved Micellis Italian restaurant; also Musso and Franks and the Pig N' Whistle were photogenic though I ate at neither of them. Being a half-block off the walk of fame made it convenient to buy cheap touristy souvenirs for the folks at home. There was also relatively cheap food nearby and a small store that stayed open very late for misc stuff.