Safe lodging near Los Angeles Union Amtrak Station for 1 night.

[forkim]

Thought I had this figured out but husband wants more options. So 6 of us arriving in LA on 3/16/07 early morning. We leave on a Princess cruise on 3/17/07. We have amtrak coach to get us from union staion on 3/17 to San Pedro.

We preferre not to rent a car and first choice would be to find a hotel that will provide transportation from Union Station to a hotel and then back to union station the following morning for us to catch our motorcoach.

But husband has read lots of bad stuff about the area around union station not being very safe. Has anyone stayed near Union Station??? Is it safe?? We will be traveling with our 2 teen daughters and older son and his fiance.

We are trying decide IF we should drop the motorcoach from US on 3/17 and instead find a hotel in the San Pedro area and go straight to San Pedro.

Im just really confused.... We had at first thought about staying at the Days Inn near Union Station but have heard more bad then good about the hotel.

Or if we have to end up renting a car near US on the morning of the 16th IS there someplace near the Princess cruise dock that we can drop the car at.

We plan to use a shuttle to get us to LAX after the cruise.

 

[TransAtlantic]

The area around the station is really not bad - I've walked around late at night many times there, and you'll find families out for a stroll in the Olvera Street area, especially on weekends and during Catholic holidays, late into the evening. There's not a lot going on usually, so it may look deserted, but it's NOT unsafe. The Days Inn is now back to its prior name of the Metro Plaza Hotel - they don't have the highest of standards (especially in that all the beds on the northern-hallway wing of the hotel are VERY hard), but the bathrooms are clean and the place is comparatively cheap.

By contrast, San Pedro - ESPECIALLY near the port area - is VERY dangerous at night, and decent hotels or motels are few and far between. Long Beach isn't far, and you have some more options there, but it's still more of a dicey area than where Union Station is (on the edge of Chinatown). If you want to splurge, you might try the New Otani hotel in Little Tokyo, just south of the station; they do have a shuttle, and Little Tokyo can be nice, but again, not cheap.

Other hotels not far from the station (either with a shuttle, or a cheap cab ride away) include the Bonaveture, the Sheraton, the Radisson, and (if you want to get really trendy about it) the downtown Standard Hotel.

(Just FYI, the Metro Plaza is the official crew hotel in L.A. for both Amtrak and Metrolink)

 

[daveyb99]

I would grab a shuttle or taxi from Union Station and stay at one of the fine hotels near LAX (Embassy Suites, Doubletree, Hilton - all reasonably priced).

Then, use the Princess Cruises land transfer to/from LAX-to-Pier.

Why jack around with a rent car. Let someone else do the driving (especially in LA !!!).

 

[forkim]

Well we already have the amtrak motorcoach the following morning from Union Station to the port.

Figured it would be a hassle to drop it from our reservations. But would consider dropping it IF we can find a better deal.

The motorcoach with amtrack is creating a problem for us:

They will only allow TWO bags per person where as the cruise line will allow THREE bags. Since we are taking amtrak out and then have the 7 day cruise, Im sure we might have a problem getting everything in TWO bags each. We have TWO teenage daughters going on this trip and I think the pack almost every piece of clothing they have along with shoes. We will be flyinh home and need to figure out transportation after the cruise LAX.

 

[MrFSS]

They will only allow TWO bags per person where as the cruise line will allow THREE bags. Since we are taking Amtrak out and then have the 7 day cruise, I'm sure we might have a problem getting everything in TWO bags each. We have TWO teenage daughters going on this trip and I think the pack almost every piece of clothing they have along with shoes. We will be flying home and need to figure out transportation after the cruise LAX.

My wife and I travel quite a bit. We just returned from a two week cruise and only took one bag each. We learned a long time ago - you don't use all that stuff. Get everything out you think you want to take, and then pack half of it. Now, teenage daughters - that's a different story! :lol: :lol:

 

[daveyb99]

Having been on many cruises, you can do two bags per person. You will not need as much as you might think. As for the girls, tell them "ONLY TWO", and make them adapt :lol: .

Your decision is now which one is convenient.

If it were me (and depending on train arrival) -- shuttle to and drop the bags at the hotel near LAX, lots of rent car lots there, check the internet for the best one-day rate, rent a car, go visit the Tar Pits, the Walk Of Fame, Santa Monica Pier, have a nice dinner, pay some $$$ to refill the tank, have a good night sleep, grab the Princess Shuttle to the port the next morning.

 

[gswager]

There's a taxi or more waiting in front of LA Union Station because it's a very busy station. Like others say, there's Days Inn few blocks. If you want to look for more options, use www.hotels.com or similiar websites to search for hotels around LA Union Station. Here's the info from hotels.com.

In case you decide to use hotel at LA airport area, there's a FlyAway bus that use non-stop direct route between the airport and train station. It's a very nice and easy ride.

It should have a transportation between the cruise ship port and airport. Check on the cruise ship website for transportation.

LA has a very good public transportation and the website is www.mta.net.

 

[forkim]

OK thanks all

So we will tell the girls TWO bags only from KC to LA.

Guess we will keep the motorcoach transportation with Amtrack from US to the Port the following morning after we arive.

With us keeping transportation with Union Station it would be best to find lodging near the station for the one night due to us having to ready to board the motorcoah the following morning by 9:40 a.m.

Sounds like we will be able to get a taxi to a hotel if needed... Maybe we will find a hotel that has a shuttle service to and from Union Station.

How likely is it that a hotel will let us check in early on the day we arrive?? We get in around 8 a.m.

 

[daveyb99]

How likely is it that a hotel will let us check in early on the day we arrive?? We get in around 8 a.m.

Not likely at all. When you decide on a hotel, call the front desk the day before to see what they might accomodate, but I would not count on anything before noon. And depending on the hotel, they may not even have a luggage room to store your bags until check-in. Choose carefully.

Also, I would rethink the Amtrak bus. Consider this: if the train is late, will Amtrak hold that bus. If so, you could be standing around US for hours. The bus port-to-US is fine, but you NEVER want to be late to the ship !!!!

 

[gswager]

How likely is it that a hotel will let us check in early on the day we arrive?? We get in around 8 a.m.

Not likely at all. When you decide on a hotel, call the front desk the day before to see what they might accomodate, but I would not count on anything before noon. And depending on the hotel, they may not even have a luggage room to store your bags until check-in. Choose carefully.

Also, I would rethink the Amtrak bus. Consider this: if the train is late, will Amtrak hold that bus. If so, you could be standing around US for hours. The bus port-to-US is fine, but you NEVER want to be late to the ship !!!!

Even if you're late from KC to LA, you did the right thing by booking the next day bus from LA to the port. The Southwest Chief that you'll be riding on is the best on-time performance.

As for the hotel, the best way is to call your hotel to see if they'll accomodate your baggage. Just call to be safe.

 

[DaveKCMO]

OK thanks allSo we will tell the girls TWO bags only from KC to LA.

i would love to hear about your trip! i'm taking the KC-LAX portion soon, too!