If glitz and glamour are your thing, then you're in the right city. From the rolling hills of Hollywood to world-famous beach towns such as Malibu and Santa Monica, LA is -- not surprisingly -- brimming with accommodations fit for the stars. Minutes from the clothing capital of Rodeo Drive, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, and Brentwood offer some of the swankiest hotels in the city, including Sofitel Los Angeles, Hotel Bel Air, The Beverly Hills Hotel along Sunset Boulevard, and The Peninsula Beverly Hills.
But you don't have to shell out the family fortune to be in the center of the action or on the sands of Long Beach and Redondo Beach. The Malibu Beach Inn offers a Malibu beachfront getaway at a fraction of the cost, and right down the road from Museum Row, the Farmer's Daughter gives a touch of country hipness for budget travelers.
The landscape becomes more diverse out in West Hollywood, one of the country's largest gay communities and home to the Sunset Strip. Here, visitors can find reliable and relatively cheap rooms at the Ramada Hotel & Suites - West Hollywood and Comfort Inn Hollywood, or escape from the bustle of the city in style at a fancy boutique hotel such as Le Parc Suite Hotel or the lavish suites of Le Montrose Suite Hotel.
Of course, for the many who travel to Los Angeles for theme parks, it may make sense to base travels outside of the city. For full immersion in the magic of Disney, the fun-themed hotels of the Disney Resort in Anaheim are just a short shuttle bus away from Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure.
Ambiance isn't everything, and travelers on a shoestring budget can find deals off the beaten track just about anywhere, from near the LAX Airport to the San Fernando Valley in northwestern LA, where you're close to Universal Studios and far away from downtown traffic. But just because you're staying near the airport doesn't mean you can't do it in style: See the Renaissance Montura Hotel Los Angeles for proof.