Best Western Royal Palace Inn & Suites

The Best Western Royal Palace Inn & Suites is a practical base for exploring Los Angeles, with the sort of facilities that make sense when you are travelling with a full day ahead of you: air conditioning, free WiFi, a refrigerator, a microwave and a proper breakfast before heading out. It is a hotel for couples, families and road-trippers who want a straightforward place to sleep between city excursions rather than a resort built around staying indoors.

You can cool down in the outdoor pool, soak in the hot tub or have a game of billiards, then retreat to a room with cable television and more than 60 channels. The atmosphere is functional rather than theatrical. That is not a criticism in a city where you may spend much of the day moving between beaches, museums, Beverly Hills and Hollywood.

You are in Los Angeles, on South Sepulveda Boulevard, between the west side and the main tourist areas. UCLA is about 2 miles away and Beverly Hills about 4 miles away, while Hollywood attractions are around 9 miles from the hotel. The address works particularly well if your plans cover several parts of the city rather than one compact neighbourhood.

Santa Monica beaches are about 4 miles away, with Santa Monica Beach, Venice Beach and Marina del Rey Beach all around that distance. Venice Beach Boardwalk is roughly 5 miles away, and Santa Monica Pier is about 4 miles away. For culture, the Hammer Museum is around 2 miles away and the Getty Center about 5 miles away. Los Angeles rewards a sensible route plan; attempting to improvise across town may turn sightseeing into a study of brake lights.

For two people, the King Room or Queen Room keeps the arrangement simple, with a large bed, a work desk and the useful combination of refrigerator and microwave. That last pair matters more than it sounds when you return tired and want cold water, leftovers or something quick without turning the evening into another expedition. Every room also has a coffee maker, air conditioning, heating and free WiFi.

Travelling with family or friends calls for one of the suite layouts or a room with two large beds. The sofa-bed suites give you a separate sleeping option, while the larger family arrangements add a balcony and accommodate up to five guests. Pet-friendly rooms and suites are available, and mobility-accessible rooms include either a roll-in shower or a bath tub. Cots and extra beds are not available, so the sleeping configuration you book matters.

Your evening is covered by cable television with more than 60 channels, and daily housekeeping keeps the practical side of the stay moving. A balcony suite is the natural choice if you value a little outdoor space; a standard king or queen room suits a couple who expects to spend the daylight hours seeing Los Angeles rather than inspecting the room.

Breakfast is the clearest food feature here: a full buffet breakfast is served each day. It gives you a proper start before setting off for the beach, UCLA or the museums, and saves the first decision of the morning for something more important than finding coffee. Coffee-making facilities are also available in every room.

For later meals, you can walk to nearby options including Bossa Nova Brazilian Cuisine, Hop Li Seafood Restaurant and Jack in the Box. Banter Bar is also around a ten-minute walk away, while Starbucks is roughly a mile from the hotel. The address is therefore better suited to choosing dinner outside than to lingering over a hotel restaurant or bar. In Los Angeles, that can be a useful arrangement: eat where you are exploring, then return to your room without another grand evening plan.

The outdoor swimming pool is the obvious place to decompress when you return from a day across the city, while the hot tub offers a more stationary alternative. There is also a fitness centre if you still have enough energy for exercise after Los Angeles has done its best to test your patience in traffic. A billiards table gives you something low-key to do without committing to another outing.

The hotel can also arrange or support cultural excursions around the area, including the Getty Museum, 3rd Street Promenade, UCLA, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive and Santa Monica Pier. That makes it easier to build a non-diving day around one or two worthwhile stops rather than attempting the entire city in a single heroic circuit.

For a quieter evening, the room provides air conditioning, television and a desk, while the pool and hot tub keep the choice open if you would rather remain outside. Luggage storage, a tour desk and concierge service are useful when your plans extend beyond the usual check-in and check-out routine.

Los Angeles International Airport is about 7 miles from the hotel by road, while Santa Monica Airport is about 1.3 miles away by road. The hotel sits on Sepulveda Boulevard and is reached from Interstate 405 and Interstate 10, with separate approaches from the north, east, south and west. Private parking is available on site, with valet parking, so a car is a realistic part of the arrangement for many stays.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is by 11:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in. The front desk is open around the clock, and wake-up calls, luggage storage and laundry are available. Special requests depend on availability at check-in, so the room arrangement you choose remains the safest way to secure the setup you need.

Children of any age are welcome, with guests aged 13 and over treated as adults for occupancy purposes. Pets are allowed, and the hotel is non-smoking throughout. A lift, accessible facilities, safety deposit box and free WiFi throughout the hotel round out the useful, unglamorous details that become rather important when you are carrying luggage and trying to leave on time.