Hotel questions - LAX and BOS

[BOZZ]

Just wondering if anyone can suggest a good LAX airport hotel? I see that Four Points by Sheraton gets decent reviews, but am also wondering if Holiday Inn Express is OK? Would any hotels allow early check in, or can I buy day access prior to check in? Arriving before 7am on a flight from BNE.
Travelling as a couple with a toddler next year.
And to save me opening another thread, can I get opinions on these hotels that I booked:
- The Back Bay Hotel Boston
- St Gregory's Hotel Washington.

Boston stay will be for 3 nights and Washington for 4, prior to going to New York.

Thanks everyone

 

[RB]

I will start things off for you Bozz. We stayed at the Sheraton Gateway at LAX & caught the shuttle to & from-very easy & the hotel was fine. We booked via a bid on priceleine & got a great price.-at the time it was fairly easy to predict which hotel we were going to get. On the way home we paid for the extra night (was very cheap) so we could just leave when we wanted on our late VA flight http://www.australianfrequentflyer....-la-21337.html?highlight=sheraton+los+angeles
We loved our stay in Boston. Again a priceline booking, again knew pretty well we were getting the Sheraton Back Bay- good spot http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ton-24157.html?highlight=sheraton+los+angeles

 

[BOZZ]

I will start things off for you Bozz. We stayed at the Sheraton Gateway at LAX & caught the shuttle to & from-very easy & the hotel was fine. We booked via a bid on priceleine & got a great price.-at the time it was fairly easy to predict which hotel we were going to get. On the way home we paid for the extra night (was very cheap) so we could just leave when we wanted on our late VA flight http://www.australianfrequentflyer....-la-21337.html?highlight=sheraton+los+angeles
We loved our stay in Boston. Again a priceline booking, again knew pretty well we were getting the Sheraton Back Bay- good spot http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ton-24157.html?highlight=sheraton+los+angeles

Thanks for that, I guess my main concern about LAX hotel is early check in. Boston, seems like the Back Bay area is good place to stay, but from what I could see, Boston is easily manageable from any area.
Thank you

 

[drron]

The last time we stayed at LAX we stayed at the Radison-it was quieter than the Sheraton or Hilton.

 

[BOZZ]

The last time we stayed at LAX we stayed at the Radison-it was quieter than the Sheraton or Hilton.

Thanks for that drron, Radison being quiet definitely apeals to me, just wondering if they allow 24 hour check in like Four Points. It'll be great if they do!

 

[Mal]

I've stayed at a few LAX airport hotels. Probably my pick would be the Crowne Plaza, although tbh - most of them are ok.

Checking in that early will likely be problematic, I suggest you email the hotel and ask them what they suggest. Many would have day rates. The other option is to drop your bags into storage and then head out into LA somewhere for the day before returning later.

I tried Venice Beach last time (it was about a $45 cab fare), and really wasn't impressed, but there are plenty of options within LA.

 

[drron]

Airport hotels usually are the most flexible re early checkin but unfortunately it will depend on occupancy.Again many guests will check out early so often free rooms-however the cleaning staff etc will usually start~0800 so rooms often available~0900.
On a few occasions we have found this.At LAX the only time we did was at the Hilton Garden inn at the famous El Segundo.They have a free shuttle to LAX.They almost certainly though couldn't guarantee an early room and the official policy is 3pm checkin.

 

[BOZZ]

Thanks Mal & drron again for you advice.
I thought that more hotels around LAX would have this feature
LAX Airport Hotel | 24 Hour Check-In
where you can check in at any time and check out 24 hours later.

 

[ema]

We stayed at Crowne Plaza for $60/room (2 queen beds) as the *secret* hotel on expedia. It's fairly big and busy, but the rooms are spacious, quiet and the beds are super comfy.

 

[thommo9]

Re: Boston and Back Bay, did not stay at your listed hotels but can recommend Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers.

Back Bay is fantastic, easy to walk to Boston CBD and closer to Boylston Street (Shopping district if that is your thing). Boston Common park (along with Swan Boats) a minute stroll away and a perfect place to unwind with a Starbucks.

 

[BOZZ]

Re: Boston and Back Bay, did not stay at your listed hotels but can recommend Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers.

Back Bay is fantastic, easy to walk to Boston CBD and closer to Boylston Street (Shopping district if that is your thing). Boston Common park (along with Swan Boats) a minute stroll away and a perfect place to unwind with a Starbucks.

Great, thanks for that. Good to hear that Back Bay is fantastic, really looking forward to the visit

 

[docjames]

BOS "Downtown" isnt that far from the airport so I wouldnt necessarily restrict yourself to an airport hotel unless you are literally in midnight out 6am type arrangement. If you were going to spend any time in town anyway i'd not be worried about a city / port hotel. Last stay was at Sheraton - reasonable but nothing fancy and a biiiig hotel. But well located.

 

[BOZZ]

Thanks docjames, I remember reading with interest your trip report on your stay at Sheraton Boston. From memory it was a conference related trip, so I'm assuming that you didn't have too much free time.

To clarify, I'm not looking to stay at Logan, but at Back Bay area, the only airport hotels that interest me at this point are ones around LAX, as we'll be arriving early and then catching the early flight next day from LAX to BOS. I'm assuming that due to your status with QF, you flew AA to BOS? I'm considering early AA flight vs Virgin America's vs United, with United running the last in the list of my preferences. Would have loved to fly this route on JetBlue, but their direct flight arrives to BOS around 8pm.

 

[gwilli1]

Thanks docjames, I remember reading with interest your trip report on your stay at Sheraton Boston. From memory it was a conference related trip, so I'm assuming that you didn't have too much free time.

To clarify, I'm not looking to stay at Logan, but at Back Bay area, the only airport hotels that interest me at this point are ones around LAX, as we'll be arriving early and then catching the early flight next day from LAX to BOS. I'm assuming that due to your status with QF, you flew AA to BOS? I'm considering early AA flight vs Virgin America's vs United, with United running the last in the list of my preferences. Would have loved to fly this route on JetBlue, but their direct flight arrives to BOS around 8pm.

Hi BOZZ ,

I have been recently looking at connections ex LAX to BOS myself . I assume that you are flying in on QF15 from BNE & not VA7 . If VA7 , then it allows for a connection to BOS on Virgin America(VX) at 8.20am if your wanting to avoid an LAX o/nite. The QF15 arrival is too tight to even attempt the VX flight .
Nevertheless , even if you do stay o/nite at LAX , i would still recommend going with VX to Boston . I did AA to BOS last year & it was the flight from hell , albeit it was on the red eye o/nite , but AA doesn't come within a whisker of VX in all departments and as for United rightfully last on your list . I understand AA maybe a preference if your chasing points / status . Good luck with everything .

 

[docjames]

I had a couple of days in NYC so flew LGA-BOS on AA.

AA transcontinental LAX - JFK with kind upgrade from an AFF members eVIP


Without that I would have taken VX in most likelihood.

 

[BOZZ]

Hi BOZZ ,

I have been recently looking at connections ex LAX to BOS myself . I assume that you are flying in on QF15 from BNE & not VA7 . If VA7 , then it allows for a connection to BOS on Virgin America(VX) at 8.20am if your wanting to avoid an LAX o/nite. The QF15 arrival is too tight to even attempt the VX flight .
Nevertheless , even if you do stay o/nite at LAX , i would still recommend going with VX to Boston . I did AA to BOS last year & it was the flight from hell , albeit it was on the red eye o/nite , but AA doesn't come within a whisker of VX in all departments and as for United rightfully last on your list . I understand AA maybe a preference if your chasing points / status . Good luck with everything .

Thanks gwilli1, yes, flying on QF15. We won't connect on the day of arrival, instead, we'll spend the night at the LAX. It appears that Four Points at LAX will let you check in at any time and keep the room for 24 hours. That suits us fine as VX flight next morning to BOS leaves at 8:20 or AA is at 7:25. I'm leaning towards VX, not too worried anymore about QF and points/status.

 

[BOZZ]

I had a couple of days in NYC so flew LGA-BOS on AA.

AA transcontinental LAX - JFK with kind upgrade from an AFF members eVIP


Without that I would have taken VX in most likelihood.

Thanks docjames. VX it is then!

 

[RB]

Maybe the schedules won't suit as well, but JetBlue with payment for extra room seats could also be an option-we used them several times in 2010 & thought they did a great job

 

[JetLagged]

BOZZ, we recently stayed at the Hotel Commonwealth in Boston, on Comonwealth Avenue - it too is in the Back Bay area. We chose it as it is not yet another square box of a hotel, AND we scored a marvellous deal with booking.com for a 3 night stay in their Commonwealth (junior suite) rooms. Thoroughly recommend this hotel: it comes up as #1 on TripAdvisor, and it thoroughly deserves its ranking. Great restaurants and eateries just nearby. It is also quiet.

 

[JetLagged]

Nevertheless , even if you do stay o/nite at LAX , i would still recommend going with VX to Boston . I did AA to BOS last year & it was the flight from hell , albeit it was on the red eye o/nite , but AA doesn't come within a whisker of VX in all departments and as for United rightfully last on your list .

I think you might find that AA has changed a lot in a short time: prior to this year would have agreed with your description of them. But they seems to have listened: we went with them LAX - SFO - BOS and each flight was very good in all departments: even considering that one of us was in First and the other in back-of-plane coach. Check-in was a breeze, the lounges were very adequate, the FAs were excellent, the meals were good, they were very much on-time, and priority baggage came out as priority baggage should! OK, the planes were not the newest, but they were clean, confortable and reliable.

Overall, much to our surprise, we rated them overall ahead of other flights taken in same trip on BA and JAL.