Priceline Hotel: El Segundo - Manhattan Beach - Hermosa Beach - Redondo Beach

[Youdid]

Hello, I want to stay in Los Angeles too :-)

Is the area El Segundo - Manhattan Beach or Redondo beach a nice area?

I saw a PRICELINE EXPRESS deal at Priceline El Segundo 2* for 44$ (10/11/13 until 10/14/13) and on Hotwire 47$ (area El Segundo, free parking, airport shuttle, fitness center, pools, buisness center). What hotels are possible?

[Youdid]

Which areas are okay in Los Angeles? I do not wan to spend much money on it. Can you tell me something about Inglewood oder Pasadena. Is it a save area?

[Romelle]

I'm really not familiar with the greater Los Angeles area, but have visited there a few times. It is huge, and different areas are VERY different. Pasadena is quite lovely - the home of the Rose Bowl parade and a number of excellent colleges, including Caltech. I've ridden a metro train through others. On one long ride starting in Pasadena, the people on the train seemed very nice and safe. Gradually, as some got off and others got on, the feeling changed to pretty scary. Fortunately it was the middle of the day, and after we got through the rougher area things changed back to more comfortable and safe.

Click here for one web article, but by all means do some more research. I just searched on "los angeles safe areas" for the article. There were lots more.

When you've mapped out neighborhoods that seem good to you, maybe post back here for other member comments.

I'm not familiar with El Segundo or Redondo.

Romelle

[thereuare]

What is it that you're looking to do in the area? Will you have a car?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[Youdid]

Thank you Romelle.

Yes I have a car so it is not necessary to be diretly to the attractions. But I think there is a lot of traffic in Los Angeles. I only want a hotel where I can stay a few days for sightseeing. The area should be save and not too far away. Long Beach for example is too far.

[thereuare]

What is it that you're looking to do in the area?

I only want a hotel where I can stay a few days for sightseeing.

Exactly which sights/attractions do you intend to visit? With this information we can then determine which zone(s) will get you closest to where you want to be.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[Youdid]

Hollywood Sign,

Walk of fame,

Mann's Chinese Theater,

Watts Towers,

Crystal Cathedrale

maybe Malibu and Beverly Hills if there is enough time left.

[Youdid]

I read that some people stayed in Thousand Oaks. Is it far away and does it make sense to stay there?

[Romelle]

I read that some people stayed in Thousand Oaks. Is it far away and does it make sense to stay there?

From the middle of Thousand Oaks to Mann's is about a 1/2 drive in light traffic, and more like an hour in heavy. A city bus is about 2 hours.

Romelle

PS - Google maps is great for these kinds of questions.

[thereuare]

Here is a map with your points of interest... now compare this to the PRICELINE maps and determine which zone(s) you're willing to accept. (NOTE: you'll need to confirm all locations as i'm on the east cost and only obtained the location thru a google search)

Do you want to stay in the middle of all the sights, or as it appears that the Cathedral is south of the other sights, and the Chinese Theatre, Walk of Fame, and Hollywood sign or are near each other stay in that immediate area and hit the other two points of interest on a day trip outside of the city, etc, etc?

Let us know which zone(s) you're willing to accept as well as your maximum bid and minimum star rating and we'll advise accordingly.

[Youdid]

I also have google maps and I used it. But where is the adjustment "traffic"?

[Romelle]

It is just a comment in smaller print below the distance and time. Looks like this:

"In current traffic: 55 mins"

with a red dot in front of it. When I pulled your info, I happened to do it at a rush hour time. So knew roughly what "heavy traffic" might do.

There is a LOT of traffic in LA. Some of those freeways are 5 and 6 lanes each way. And they move very fast. Not random free flow like Buenos Aires, or aggressive like Dallas, or chaotic like Rome, but still a challenge. Close to the things in which you are interested is GOOD. Public transport and taxis can be good solutions, since parking is also an issue.

You've got lots of time to work out a plan and research even things like parking facilities, bus routes and taxi fares. As well as the safety issues you were wise enough to ask about in an earlier post.

Romelle

[Youdid]

HELP !!!!!!!!

Hello,

I have a problem with hotwire. I try to explain it and I hope you understand what I mean.

I tried to book a hotel in El Segundo but it does not work. System problems, borwser problems...I do not know why. I used the chat room to get an advice. They told me to try it again with different browsers. I tried it serval times (with chrome, firefox, internetexplorer...)but it did not work.

Today I saw at my credit card that hotwire charged my card with each try I had with price for the hotel in El Segundo. But I have no email that I booked something and I had no comment in my hotwire account that I booked something in El Segundo.

What can I do? Will I get my money back? It is not my mistake.

Thank you for your help.

[Romelle]

From the HOTWIRE web site:

By phone - anytime

U.S./Canada toll free

1-866-HOTWIRE (1-866-468-9473)

Outside U.S./Canada

1-417-520-1680

(toll charges apply)

Or there was a link on their web site for sending an email - I clicked on "Contact Us" to get to it.

I had one problem with HOTWIRE a while back that they were quite good about resolving.

With multiple charges for the same dates, it should be clear to them you were having a problem.

Last choice is to have your credit card company refuse the charges, but best to first do everything possible to work it out directly with Hotwire.

Romelle

PS - do make sure they understand you want to keep one of these multiple reservations. Just not all the extra ones.

[Youdid]

Thank you.

I hope I will have success.

[Romelle]

Forgot to mention - Hotwire has a process whereby you send them an email. They response with an email listing a phone number and a special number. You have some 15 minutes to use the phone number. You have to give the special number when making the call, to authorize you to actually talk to someone.

When you go through this process, you do get a real person that can help you.

Romelle