West Coast USA

ferf1223

Kered wrote: »

As I mentioned in a previous post, I found it cheaper not to book hotels in advance and I saved a lot of cash by just turning up at a motel and checking in.

In general I agree it can be cheaper...potentially more stressful but so long as dates don't correspond with big holidays/events in the given cities...and so long as people aren't too fussy about where they end up - for those nights that the options aren't ideal.

Except Vegas...turning up in Vegas without a hotel room is potentially a disaster waiting to happen.

MariaC

tarkytarks wrote: »

We loved the MGM signature - if you haven't already booked with a non-refundable deposit then keep an eye on the prices - I saved money by watching the price and cancelling / re-booking as the price dropped. We got upgraded to a suite just by me asking for a balcony in the room too!

We will defo be keeping eyes peeled for deals as Oct draws closer!

Will also be contacting The Sig before we arrive as we have family staying too, across four rooms incl ours (will probably be more soon....) and we want to make sure we are all at least in the same Tower (or if poss. on the same floor)

As far as I am aware The Signature is all Suites but well done on getting the upgrade to suite with balcony

tarkytarks

MariaC wrote: »

We will defo be keeping eyes peeled for deals as Oct draws closer!

Will also be contacting The Sig before we arrive as we have family staying too, across four rooms incl ours (will probably be more soon....) and we want to make sure we are all at least in the same Tower (or if poss. on the same floor)

As far as I am aware The Signature is all Suites but well done on getting the upgrade to suite with balcony

They have rooms where everything is all in the same room - the upgrade was to a 1 bedroom flat type suite. Every set of 2 "rooms" there had like a front door - most of these were just open and you go into your room from the entrance bit - you could ask the sig for 2 sets of these rooms together next to each other so you just lock the main entrance door instead. Gah, this prob doesn't make much sense, I'm sure someone else can explain it or you will see what I'm trying to say when you get there

MariaC

tarkytarks wrote: »

They have rooms where everything is all in the same room - the upgrade was to a 1 bedroom flat type suite. Every set of 2 "rooms" there had like a front door - most of these were just open and you go into your room from the entrance bit - you could ask the sig for 2 sets of these rooms together next to each other so you just lock the main entrance door instead. Gah, this prob doesn't make much sense, I'm sure someone else can explain it or you will see what I'm trying to say when you get there

I think I understand what you mean ... i have done quite a bit of research; seen floor plans etc so I think I get the general idea.... found this CLICKY
Thank for the help!

Zazie

In Carmel http://www.carmelcomfortinn.com/ is a good budget option in what is an expensive area. Cheaper if you can avoid weekends all along the coast.
We also stayed at Moonstone Landing in Cambria. Right opposite the beach.
The coast gets very booked up, especially at weekends, so I would always book that in advance.

MariaC

Zazie wrote: »

In Carmel http://www.carmelcomfortinn.com/ is a good budget option in what is an expensive area. Cheaper if you can avoid weekends all along the coast.
We also stayed at Moonstone Landing in Cambria. Right opposite the beach.
The coast gets very booked up, especially at weekends, so I would always book that in advance.

Not sure about the Comfort Inn - but I thing we'll keep it in mind
We have been looking at Moonstone Landing in Cambria - looks nice.

Vikki_74

In case it's of any interest/use to anyone, just thought I would post the itinerary of our trip last September-October and the hotels we used. Prices listed are per room per night including taxes, any booking fees etc.

1 night SF Airport - Embassy Suites Burlingame ($79.20 inc breakfast & free shuttle to/from the airport, booked through Priceline)

3 nights South Lake Tahoe - 1 night Best Western Timber Cove Lodge ($109.99 inc breakfast, booked direct) + 2 nights Deerfield Lodge ($287.90 inc breakfast, booked direct - the nights before & after our wedding :j hence the splurge!)

3 nights San Francisco - Holiday Inn Fishermans Wharf ($89.18, booked through Hotwire)

1 night Monterey - Best Western De Anza Inn ($109.99 inc breakfast, booked direct)

1 night Pismo Beach - SeaCrest Resort ($127.19 inc breakfast, booked through hotels.com which avoided the 2 night minimum required if booked direct with the hotel over a weekend)

1 night Marina Del Rey (near Santa Monica) - Mariott Marina Del Rey ($118.93, booked through Priceline)

3 nights San Diego - Best Western Island Palms ($156.47 inc breakfast, booked direct but with an offer/discount code from Trip Advisor)

4 nights Pasadena (near LA) - Sheraton Pasadena ($73.81, booked through Priceline - got a free breakfast our first morning as we mentioned we were on honeymoon )

4 nights Las Vegas - MGM Grand ($62.72, Bungalow King Suite, booked direct)

For anyone wondering why we did a slightly weird loop for part of the trip (staying one night near Santa Monica, then going down to San Diego, then back up to Pasadena), it was because we wanted to go to Six Flags which was only open at the weekend and this was the only way to fit it in! Wouldn't bother again - they had some pretty cool rollercoasters there but the place was really run down (I believe the company has been struggling financially for quite a while) and not worth going out of our way for. We're used to Disney-quality theme parks in the US and it was quite a shock going somewhere you had to pass through metal detectors to get in!!

red_pad

Me and the soon to be wife are going next May for our 1st year anniversary so will be keeping an eye on this thread:money:

Our basic plan is.

Fly MAN to Charlotte

Stay 4 nights with friends

Fly to Las Vegas

2 nights in Vegas at PH or similar.

Pick up rental car and drive to Grand Canyon. Stay overnight there, watch sunrise on our anniversary:j

Drive back to Vegas for another 2 nights, somewhere more plush than before.

Drive to LA. 2 nights there staying around Brentwood.

Drive up the Pacific Highway. Stay overnight somewhere about halfway up. This is where I'll need some help;)

4 nights in San Francisco then fly back to Manchester.

I did a similar trip with mates a few years ago but used an RV. Was fun but too much driving (we drove from SF to Vegas that time aswell and Yosemite was closed)

jackieblack

Vikki_74 wrote: »

we wanted to go to Six Flags which was only open at the weekend and this was the only way to fit it in! Wouldn't bother again - they had some pretty cool rollercoasters there but the place was really run down (I believe the company has been struggling financially for quite a while) and not worth going out of our way for. We're used to Disney-quality theme parks in the US and it was quite a shock going somewhere you had to pass through metal detectors to get in!!

I agree, DD & DH are rollercoaster nuts and loved all the rides, but there was absolutely nothing to interest me (I don't do rollercoasters ).
Very different kind of park to the Disney Parks, despite the attempted Warner Brothers theming.
and the worst bit? " Have a Six Flags Day!"