I knew from past reviews the neighborhood was going to be pretty sketchy. Lots of tire stores, indoor swap meets and the like. However, the hotel is just 5 minutes to I-5 so super convenient, the rooms are gorgeous, the price is right and the staff very personable.

I've stayed at the Omni downtown, and I would say this room rivaled it. Very large and *the* most comfortable hotel bed I've ever slept on. Bathroom boasts granite counters and tub enclosure. Fantastic sheets on the bed. Micro, fridge, coffee maker, etc.

People have made comments about the parking being odd. We only had to double park one time and it was a straight shot into the lobby. Check-in by Mario was *so* pleasant. I booked through Hotwire and had read other reviews, so I politely asked, "I read the reviews on Tripadvisor; may we have a room away from Lankershim?" He quickly obliged and we were in the very rear of the hotel -- no noise at all! Mario is a wonderful rep for this hotel -- I hope the owner reads it. So sweet, accommodating, etc.

Tips:

* Sign up for Best Western Rewards on its site to get credit for your stay toward future free stays.

* Breakfast ends at 9 a.m. If you miss it, go next door to Yum Yum Doughnuts and it offers a massive breakfast croissant with egg, ham and cheese. I couldn't finish it!

* 7/11 across the street is busy and great for late night munchies.

* The single parking garage spaces are on the left when you pull in; the tandem spaces are on the right.

* Excellent location for events -- we had one downtown and one in Pasadena, so we were 25 minutes away from both locations.

Negatives:

* HATED the security buzzer on the room's door when it was ajar. But it would go off even when the door was all the way closed. I left a maintenance request for it.

* The farther south you go on Lankershim, it's boobie bar city. Hey, but for $79 a night, I will put with it. :-)

In summary, 4 star rooms at a 2 star price. Very convenient location and friendly staff.

Worst neighborhood to have a hotel. We were insulted by drunks in front of the hotel as we were deciding to check in. They refused a refund because their policy is 24 hour advance cancellation. Of course that is the case since once you see it you won't want to stay there. Security cameras everywhere makes you really feel safe? It makes me wonder why they need all that extra security. Sorry, it may be cheap but it isn't even worth the low price. Totally horrid.

We stayed in the hotel 3 night in August 2012. We found a great price offer and we booked this hotel immediately! The location is nice for for Burbank Airport, visiting Hollywood, Universal Studious and Magic Mountains park (all by car). The hotel is newly restructured with new furniture, very clean and very pleasant to stay. Breakfast was nice, with good waffles. We do recommend this hotel for LA visit.

Stayed there with sis during May 25-29. Neat rooms. Quite spacious. Friendly staff at reception. Worst part was the breakfast management done by hotel - It was badly attended to. Most days there was not enough food and no one noticed (from staff). One day I wnt downstairs and complained so a lady came and re-stocked a few things like bread and milk. Most days there was no eggs or fruits. Very small area and no one to to clean the tables as guests vacate them. So if one goes around 8:30 am, it is dirty and you would come away hungry. We felt safe in the hotel though