Los Angeles Travel Forum

Need to book a hotel in late September for 1 night prior to our cruise out of San Pedro. We will be using our choice hotel rewards and have narrowed it down to Manhattan Beach or Long Beach. Really would like some opinions. Here are the 2 options.

Manhattan Beach Comfort Inn:
Free LAX airport shuttle service available seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Free continental breakfast
Free coffee
Outdoor heated pool and hot tub
Dry-heat sauna
11.9 miles from San Pedro
Not sure what to do in Mnahattan Beach but it could save the cab fare since there is a free shuttle from LAX.

Long Beach Comfort Inn & Suites:

Free Comfort Sunshine® Breakfast
Free wireless high-speed Internet access
Free local calls
The hotel also features Mediterranean-style architecture and beautifully landscaped grounds with a private courtyard, sunning area and large outdoor pool. Enjoy a workout in our exercise room.
7.4 miles from San Pedro
downside here is the cab fare to Long Beach then to San Pedro.
upside is I know a ew things to do.

All opinions are welcome and appreciated.
Thanks Joyce

Manhattan Beach is much more beautiful and quiet. Long Beach is much more industrial and a bigger place.

Thanks G! What is there to do in Manhatan Beach in late September?
We will arrive mid afternoon.

Mahattan Beach, Redondo Beach and some other beaches ;-) form a string of communities along the coast that used to be independent of the L.A. sprawl, as you will see from the change in architecture when you get there. In addition to the beach itself, there is a long string of bars and restaurants interspersed with other buildings near the beach, so I am guessing that wherever you are isn't too far from an area you can walk around in and have dinner.

As the hotel website notes: "This Manhattan Beach, CA hotel is in the heart of the city and within walking distance from the Manhattan Beach Pier and Manhattan Village shopping center." See http://www.comfortinn.com/ires/en-US/html/HotelInfo?hotel=CA306&sid=RNkzi.ttHqmgGOA.7

Yep, in looking at the map to remind me of the neighborhood, the hotel is on Sepulveda (US 1 or 'PCH' as the locals know it - the Pacific Coast Highway), which is a busy 4 - 6 lane road, but which sort of separates the beach communities from the rest of LA (G, I know this is an oversimplification - work with me! ;-) ). So, from PCH, the beach is less than a mile to the west - indeed easily walkable as the hotel website says - and Manhattan Village (shopping center) is just to the north.

In your place, I'd plan on getting to the hotel, unpacking, then heading west for a stroll through the very pleasant neighborhood till you hit the beach, go to the pier, walk up and down some, then eat at any of beaucoups of restaurants in the area before returning to the hotel on PCH. Should be a fine, relaxing evening...

Bill (formerly of Torrance, which is not as nice as Manhattan Beach for tourists ;-) )

P.S., I agree with G that Manhattan Beach would lead to a more pleasant evening than Long Beach...

Definitely agree with the others about staying in Manhattan Beach, unless your cruise leaves ridiculously early in the morning. You'd enjoy yourself a lot more in Manhattan Beach than Long Beach, especially without a car. Haven't stayed at the hotel itself, but Manhattan Beach is my favorite LA beach and one of my favorite parts of the LA area.
Enjoy.

You can stroll, bike, enjoy the beach, window shop, eat in restaurants - September is GREAT weather. You can visit hermosa and redondo..it's a classic southern california beach town with a pier and strand bike, running path.