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The majority of the hotels will be found in the business centers of Warner Center (Woodland Hills), Burbank, and the tourism mecca of Universal City. There isn’t a lot in the Valley but we cover our top choices.
Hotel Amarano (Burbank)
Located in Burbank, the Hotel Amarano (www.hotelamarano.com) offers you the glamour of a stay in a luxury boutique hotel, with proximity to major shopping areas and tourist attractions in the San Fernando Valley. There are only 100 rooms and suites in this charming hotel and the goal of the hotel staff is to offer individualized attention to their guests and to do their best to accommodate each and every visitor’s unique needs.
The Hotel Amarano is a great option for an extended stay, with some rooms that have complete kitchenettes and even walk-in closets, so you’ll feel like it’s your home away from home. Every room features a 42-inch Plasma television, iPod docking station, complimentary wireless Internet access, and turndown service upon request. The hotel is pet friendly, so you even can bring your four-legged family member with you for your trip.
Hotel guests can dine at either Privato or the Library Lounge. Privato is a new restaurant at the Hotel Amarano, and features contemporary classic styling with a California casual dress code and atmosphere. On a nice night, you can dine alfresco on the patio. The Library Lounge offers up both modern American and California cuisine and features fresh local ingredients. The Lounge has an extensive Martini and Tapas menu for a new and unusual dining adventure. And you can always stay in and take advantage of the 24-hour room service menu.
Hotel Amarano also has premium event and entertainment facilities for meetings, weddings, and other special occasions. There are 2,232 square feet of multi-function space for any type of event and can be tailored to suit your exact needs, with state-of-the-art audiovisual technologies, on-site catering, and even a rooftop terrace at your disposal. The hotel offers a number of exciting packages for travelers wishing to both stay and play in the Burbank area, including rooms with dining credits, tickets to local theme parks, and special advance purchase rates.
Renaissance (Agoura Hills)
Renaissance is part of the worldwide and well-respected Marriott family of hotels and the Renaissance Agoura Hills is a perfect place to rest your head if you find yourself in the West San Fernando Valley and in need of a place to stay. It’s nestled in the rolling foothills that make up the base of the Santa Monica Mountains and is convenient for visitors of several Valley neighborhoods, including Agoura Hills and Calabasas. It’s been recently renovated and features a unique and distinctive European flair, all of which offers travelers a pleasant and comfortable stay. 266 rooms and 14 suites are spread out over five flours. There are also 15 meeting rooms and 17,000 square feet of meeting space for business travelers.
Guest rooms feature newly upgraded workstations, plush bedding including down comforters and pillows, a 32-inch flat-screen television, refrigerator, wireless internet, and complimentary turn-down service and newspapers upon request. There are also three concierge levels if you really want to make your stay special. For hungry travelers, the Renaissance has the H2O Sea Grill, which features casual California-style cuisines and serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner and features extensive and flavorful buffets. Liquid Lounge is also open for lunch and dinner, and the bartenders will happily pour your favorite cocktails. If you need to get a workout in, you can visit the in-house fitness center, or there’s a biking trail just a short half mile away from the hotel. If you have your car, the hotel has complimentary parking around its perimeter and is a great option for budget travelers who are still looking for a nice place to stay. The hotel has reasonable rates starting at around $109, though you should always check the hotel’s website or your favorite travel site for the latest prices and any special offers.
Sheraton Universal (Universal City)
Open for nearly 40 years next to one of Hollywood’s biggest movie studios, the Sheraton Universal Hotel has rightly earned the nickname, “Hotel of the Stars.” A recent $30 million renovation has given new life to this iconic hotel by revisiting the nostalgia of the 1920s-1940s. If you are planning a getaway with a silver screen theme, this is the place to stay. You’re just a stone’s throw away from the heart of it all, including Universal Studios Theme Park and Universal CityWalk. Plus the Universal Station of the Metro will take you into Hollywood and Downtown Los Angeles if you want to explore even further.
The theme of the guest rooms at the Sheraton Universal is serenity and every room features the Sheraton signature Sweet Sleeper bed as well as bath products by Bliss, in-room Starbucks coffee, a 32-inch LCD television, iHome iPod docking station/clock radio and wireless internet. Views in the hotel’s 451 rooms and suites are of either Hollywood or the San Fernando Valley. For business travelers, there is extensive meeting space, both indoors and outdoors, including a beautiful rooftop patio space, which offers 180-degree views of the Valley and Hollywood.
Dining options abound at the Sheraton Universal, including Californias a lunch and dinner specialty burger joint with over twenty toppings for your burger of choice, Baja Beach Club Poolside Lounge, which offers light snacks, a daily breakfast buffet, lunch and dinner specials, and a kids menu, all served poolside while you lounge and soak up the sun. In the Mix serves up cocktails and bar fare to travelers looking to whet their whistle. And don’t skip a visit to the 24 –hour fitness center, the outdoor heated pool, or the Jacuzzi. Visit www.sheratonuniversal.com to book online and find out about the latest prices and special offers.
Sportsmen’s Lodge Hotel (Studio City)
Situated in the heart of Studio City, The Sportsmen’s Lodge (www.slhotel.com) has been a landmark since it first opened back in the late 1800s. Its hallowed halls have seen the likes of Clark Gable and other stars of bygone eras, like Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis. Many of these silver screen icons came to the trout-fishing lake on the property to catch fish which would then be cooked up right there so they could stay and eat their dinner. Robert Kennedy famously stayed on the 5th floor of the hotel on the night that preceded his assassination. The modern hotel was built on the property adjacent to the hotel in 1962. The walls of the café are lined with a photographic memory book of movie posters signed by many of the celebrities who stayed there.
The Sportsmen’s Lodge Hotel offers the charm of a country lodge in the midst of the big city. The 190 rooms have recently been renovated and offer all the modern conveniences in a freshly appointed atmosphere. Room amenities include wireless internet, coffee makers, ironing boards, hair dryers and complimentary toiletries by Bath and Body Works. Dining is available at the Patio Café, where you can eat breakfast, lunch or dinner in a casual environment and choose from your favorite comfort foods. Or head out to the Pool Bar and enjoy a cocktail or two. You never know who you might run into. The café also delivers room service and food poolside.
The hotel has an Olympic-sized outdoor heated pool as well as an outdoor Jacuzzi. There’s a full-service gym available adjacent to the hotel and a free shuttle service to Universal Studios and CityWalk. The complex has a recently re-opened event center for special events, complete with a new white-washed design including white leather chairs, white decorative accents, and sparkling crystal chandeliers. Hotel special offers include discounts to Universal Studios and stay-and-play combo packages.
Universal Hilton (Universal City)
The Universal Hilton offers up great rooms, breathtaking views of the Hollywood Hills, Universal Studios and CityWalk, and all the comforts and conveniences you would expect of a Hilton hotel. This 24-story hotel soars high above the hilltops just next to the main entrance of Universal Studios, offering easy access to one of the most popular tourist destinations in the San Fernando Valley. 482 guestrooms and nine suites come complete with Hilton Serenity beds, an alarm clock with an MP3 player connection, wireless internet, a mini-bar and Crabtree & Evelyn’s LaSource line of bath amenities.
Hotel services and amenities include a fitness room and a pool, children’s activities, a comprehensive business center and a number of conveniences designed to make your stay easy, including ATMs, laundry service and an on-site convenience store. The hotel is even pet-friendly, so if your four-legged family member is 75 lbs or less, you can bring him or her along for a $75 additional fee.
Hungry hotel-goers can dine at Café Sierra, which offers up Chinese, continental, and California cuisine, as well as a seafood buffet on weekend evenings. And Sunday brunch is a don’t-miss event at Café Sierra. Guests can also opt for the light snack or drink in the lobby lounge, or stay put and order from the 24-hour in-room dining menu. Grab a quick meal or a cup of joe at the Starbucks Coffee Corner, where you’ll have a pick of ready light food options for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, as well as your barista favorites. The hotel regularly offers up special packages that include visits to some of the nearby tourist attractions like Six Flags Magic Mountain, Universal Studios Theme Park, or Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, so check their website to see what’s available when you’re heading to town.
Warner Center Marriott (Woodland Hills)
The Warner Center Marriott is located in the West San Fernando Valley, adjacent to the Warner Center business complexes at the edge of the neighborhood of Woodland Hills. Recently renovated and reconfigured, the hotel, part of the well-respected Marriott chain, has 474 rooms and suites, all of which feature the extraordinarily comfortable Revive bed. All rooms and suites also have balconies, most with views of the city, landscape, and nearby mountain ranges. Every room comes equipped with high-speed wireless internet access, an alarm clock radio with an iPod docking station, and a 32-inch High Definition flat-panel TV, which you can connect to video games, your laptop, and even your BlackBerry, iPhone or iPod!
Poolside, everything is new and re-envisioned as well, with the feel of an urban oasis. Enjoy relaxing on the terrace, choose one of the private cabanas, or if it’s cool, sit by the fire pit. If you’re feeling social, cozy up to the bar and make some new friends. If you need to let off some steam or work up a sweat, you can head over to the fitness center, which is complete with the latest in exercise equipment and offers a room with a view courtesy of floor-to-ceiling windows. Catch your favorite shows on your own TV monitor while you work off last night’s dessert.
The hotel is primed for special and corporate events, with a 25,000-square-foot multi-purpose space, which includes a ballroom. And if you’re hungry or thirsty, find your way to the local Starbucks, right inside the hotel, or head to Q Martini Bar and sip on something shaken, not stirred. Breeze, the newly redecorated American grill-style restaurant will keep your appetite sated and you can choose to eat indoors or enjoy the Southern California weather and dine al fresco. Room rates will vary throughout the year, so check the Marriott website or other travel websites for the latest offers.