Where to stay in LA, near LAX or near Woodland Hills?

[JJ97]

I have to go to LA on business and plan to play Poker Wednesday night. I'm flying into LAX and my client is in Woodland Hills.

If I pick a hotel based upon closeness to a poker room do I stay closer to LAX or closer to Woodland Hills?

Any thoughts?

Thanks
JJ

LAX. Woodland Hills would put you 45 minutes north down the 405 in the Valley, which could be upwards of 1.5 - 2 hours away from the nearest LA Poker Room if traffic is really bad during peak hours, especially with construction on the 405 right now.

Staying at LAX would put you right down the street from Hollywood Park, near Hustler and much closer to the Bike and Commerce than would staying in Woodland Hills.

[Bulbarainey]

stay near LAX, but if u end up in woodland hills avoid driving on the freeways from 3-7pm

[sternroolz]

Make sure your hotel room is WEST of the 405.

Inglewood is crap and often gang members, pimps, etc stay in the motels near Hollywood Park. I shake my head everytime I see some young caucasian couple walking down Century from HP to their hotel room because they liked the cheap rooms and though it would be safe to do this.

I shake my head when I see some black couples doing the same.

Century Blvd at night east to Prarie and west to La Cienega is pretty much nothing but prostitution and drugs. Not so much gang activity.

Hollywood Park is located right at Century and Prarie.

It can get a bit rough for those staying at the cheap motels to get what they think is a sweet deal due to being geographically unaware. But this is a known problem that local law enforcement is well aware of and they do their best to keep a watchful eye on those who stick out like a sore thumb strolling down Century. It also helps that the area from Prarie/Century to La Cienega/Century receives multi-agency coverage from three different agencies (LA County Sheriff's Lennox Station, Inglewood PD, and Airport PD). This still does not mean I would recommend staying at any of the trick-turning motels though. As an earlier poster mentioned, stay at one of the hotels WEST of La Cienega/405. Which range from Motel 6/Howard Johnson setups to Crowne Plaza/Hilton setups. This will put you down the street from Hollywood Park and a short trip down the 405 South and east down Redondo Beach to Hustler.

[lastsamurai]

LAX.
Please dont go to Hollywood park... unless you want somebody to follow you home and mug you.

Hustler is only 7 more mins away. They have a good 15-30 game there. Commerce and bike ...about 20 mins w/o traffic.

[JJ97]

Are Commerce and the Bike really only 20 minutes from LAX? I've been to Commerce twice and really liked it. I wasn't driving either time and don't really know LA very well, but my impression was that they were further from LAX?

Based upon the threads above, I'm leaning towards the Hustler, but might consider Commerce or the Bike.

I would probably be leaving my hotel around 7pm. What would traffic be like if I try Commerce or the Bike?

Thanks again guys.

JJ

[hobbsmann]

The bike is like 15 min and commerce 20-25 min with no traffic. The last part is the kicker.

[hobbsmann]

To get to the bike from LAX you take the 105 to the 710 and both of those freeways are actually pretty good anytime of the day as far as traffic goes. Commerce is off the 5 (albeit only a couple of stops) but you take the 105 and 710 most of the way there. So basically leaving at 7pm shouldn't be a problem.

[sternroolz]

Cepting that there is no northbound 710 ramp to the 5 south and no northbound 5 ramp to the 710 south. So here is how you go, make sure you have plenty of gas because the area between LAX and Commerce or Bike is pure ghetto.

To the Bike:

105 East. 710 North. Exit Florence and go East. Turn right at the signal and right again at the next signal. If you follow these directions, you will be in the Bike's valet.

For Commerce:

105 East, 710 North. Exit the 710 at Washington Bl. Turn left onto Washington. This area may look bad, but its mostly just blue collar famillies and industrial area. Go on Washington underneath the 5 Fwy. The distance from the 710 to the 5 is about 2 miles. Once under the freeway, make a left at the signal. Commerce is about 1 block and multiple entrances. To return home, do not take the 5. Go back the way you came. Turn left out of the Commerce parking lot and go to Washington. Turn right and go under the 5 Fwy. Go to the 710 and return the same way you came.

[ QUOTE ]
To get to the bike from LAX you take the 105 to the 710 and both of those freeways are actually pretty good anytime of the day as far as traffic goes. Commerce is off the 5 (albeit only a couple of stops) but you take the 105 and 710 most of the way there. So basically leaving at 7pm shouldn't be a problem.

[/ QUOTE ]