This is a three part series of our trip to Hollywood. Read about the rest of our trip here. 

Making it to Hollywood isn’t easy, especially from Orange County.

We set off on our journey around 6 a.m. Orange Country is only about an hour drive from LA, but bus and train departures are very spread apart. If we wanted to make it LA by noon we’d have to leave Laguna Hills in the wee-hours of the morning.

From where we were in Laguna Hills, It took two buses to get to Santa Ana train station. From there, it was just one short train ride to Union Station in downtown LA. All the services were clean and relatively cheap, under $15 per person for the entire journey. However, the taxi from Union Station to our hotel blew any money we saved taking public transit to the city, over $30. For any California travel, I recommend renting a car. It’s easier and cheaper in the long run.

We were keen to get to Hollywood as fast as possible, so we dropped of our things at Cecil Hotel and speed-walked to the metro. The journey to Hollywood was really easy, only a few stops from downtown LA to Hollywood/Vine, where all the attractions are situated. Base fare on the metro costs $1.50 and a one-day pass costs $5.

Hollywood Boulevard is exactly how I imagined it. The classy architecture of old-time Hollywood, mixed with the cheesiness of today. Millions of golden Oscar awards for sale, musicians trying to make it big by passing out there CDs to tourists and of course spider man, and just about every other character you can imagine, posing for money.

Ric pulling a Robbie Fowler at Charlie Sheen's star. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Some highlights from Hollywood Boulevard include: keeping your head down and pointing out stars, just taking in all the weirdness in front of the Chinese Theater, ending up on the red carpet of a film opening by accident (Kung Fu Panda 2 opened while we were there) and stopping at the Kodak Theater to feel Oscar-worthy.

Kodak Theater is home to the Academy Awards Show. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

A lot of films premier at the Chinese Theater. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Clint Eastwood's handprints in front of the Chinese Theater. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

We worked up quite an appetite walking around Hollywood Boulevard. Considering the cheesiness of the area, we figured any restaurant there would be over-priced and not very good, so we set off for the Melrose Avenue, in hopes of eating at Urth Caffe, a place frequented by Vinny Chase and the boys in Entourage.

Unfortunately, my awful perception of distance and a disproportionate map  gave us the terrible idea to walk to Melrose Avenue from Hollywood Boulevard. It wasn’t until about an hour into the walk that we realized what a terrible idea it was and decided to catch a bus, the only idea that might of been worse than walking. We waited at least an hour for a bus that would only take us on a ten-minute drive to our final destination.

Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

While sitting at the bus stop located at a traffic light on Melrose, more than once drivers would stop and laugh at us. I can’t help but think they thought to themselves, “Look at those idiot tourists waiting for a bus!” Can’t stress enough the importance of having a car in LA.

We finally made it to Urth Caffe around 4 p.m., starving. It’s a really cute cafe, full of people who look quite Hollywood and important. The food and coffee is pretty good. It’s a bit overpriced, but I think that’s to be expected in Hollywood. The only problem with the cafe is its popularity. The place was packed the entire time we were there, made it quite difficult to find a seat.

Ric waiting for food at Urth Cafe. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

With food in our bellies, we were ready to take on the the public transportation system one last time for the day. Just our luck, the bus that would take us straight back to Hollywood/Vine had stopped running for the day.

Read about days two and three in Hollywood.

In a city that actual icons of success call home and the word millions is thrown around daily, it’s pretty much a giveaway that Los Angeles isn’t the easiest place to find cheap accommodation.

Searching through hostels and hotels in America’s most glamorous city, there seems to be a clear cut divide between the cheap accommodation being in terrible locations and great locations only have overpriced accommodation

Dorms starting at $30 something a night? C’mon

Reasonably priced privates in Venice Beach? I want to be in Hollywood!

Good rates in Compton? No thank you.

Dorm, private, I didn’t care. I just wanted to find a reasonable rate at a place actually in the city.

Luckily, I found Cecil Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles, which offers a private room  suitable for two people at $50 per night.

Location

Located on S. Main Street in Downtown Los Angeles, Cecil is a bit of a diamond in the rough. It’s classic interior and grand architecture seems to clash with the lackluster buildings that neighbor it and garbage-filled shopping carts that grace its sidewalk.

However, the hotel is located only two blocks from a subway. So even if you’re not in the center of all the action of Hollywood, you’re only a short walk and a few stops away.

Photo courtesy of Cecil Hotel

The Staff

I didn’t really have too much interaction with the staff, but what little I did have was good. They were very friendly at reception, helpful with directions and they looked after our bags for the day.

Cleanliness

Completely up to par. The rooms are a bit worn, but very clean. Shared bathrooms were spotless.

Rooms

Our standard hotel room came with a double bed, TV and sink. The room is worth the price and even had a little view of the city. It must be said that after three nights of struggling with sleep due to jet lag, Ric and I both had the absolute best night of sleep our first night at Cecil.

Vibe

It’s no Roosevelt and I doubt any A-listers would be caught dead there, but the hotel actually does have an old Hollywood feel. While all the rooms in the massive hotel are pretty simple, the lobby and second floor are really beautiful. I actually felt like I escaped to the Hollywood of the 40s or 50s upon walking into the hotel.

Travelers lounge around the hotel’s second floor to use the hotel’s free internet. But other than that, it’s a pretty private place to stay. Even though it offers prices cheaper than some hostels in the city, it doesn’t have a hostel feel at all. Don’t expect to make friends.

Photo courtesy of Places Online

Safety 

Sure it’s probably not the nicest area in LA, but I don’t think it is as bad as the reviews make it out to be on Orbitz. It’s really only the street it’s on that doesn’t “look” up to scale. Everything that surrounds the area is extremely commercial.

You’ll meet a few crazy street dwellers hanging around the area, but I think that kind of adds to the California trip. Luckily, the hotel staff are pretty mindful of this and keep a close eyes over the hotel

Overall

We got really lucky with Cecil Hotel. It’s not the spectacular Hollywood accommodation that people dream of, but it was comfortable, clean and a decent price in a city where that affordability isn’t a concern.