It’s not too late to make the most of the Easter weekend and get away for some far-flung sun. On the west coast of America, Los Angeles is warming up nicely by early April, with temperatures in the early 20s for shirt-sleeve sightseeing, hiking the city’s canyons and shoes-off beach strolls. You’ll feel pretty smug spending Easter Sunday in the bright Californian sunshine too.
In summer, flights alone can cost more than £1,000. Yet a package offering seven nights’ room only with Tui costs £871pp, including Heathrow flights with United and 20kg hold luggage, departing on March 31. Taxis from LAX cost about £44, depending on traffic, or you can hop on the FlyAway bus to Union Station (£9; flylax.com). From there take the metro to 7th Street, which is less than five minutes’ walk from the hotel (£1; metro.net).
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You’ll stay in the trendy Freehand Los Angeles, a four-star property in a 1920s building in the Downtown area with a high-ceilinged lobby, a buzzy rooftop pool and hip rooms with handwoven jute rugs, mahogany furniture and quirky paintings. The communal spaces are popular with locals and include a rooftop cocktail bar, an artisan coffee shop and a lobby bar offering tea-infused cocktails and dishes such as burgers, oysters and charcuterie boards. The Exchange, an Mediterranean-Californian restaurant, serves shared mezze, salads and souvlaki.
Freehand Los Angeles has a buzzy rooftop poolWonho Lee
Unusually for the sprawling city, there are plenty of attractions within walking distance of the hotel, including the Broad contemporary art museum (free; thebroad.org), the music-focused Grammy Museum (£17; grammymuseum.org) and the art deco City Hall, with its free observation deck for skyline views. Afterwards stroll through Gloria Molina Grand Park, which has lunchtime food trucks from Tuesday to Thursday and pink-petalled cherry blossom trees still in full bloom in early April. Little Tokyo, with its lantern-hung streets and restaurants, is a ten-minute walk from there and the Arts District is a further 15 minutes by foot, for craft breweries, boutiques and a Hauser & Wirth gallery in a former flour mill (free; hauserwirth.com). Learn more about the regenerated industrial area on a walking tour of its astonishing street art (£15; laarttours.com).
It’s easy to tick off some of the city’s better-known sights too. Universal Studios Hollywood is a direct half-hour metro ride from Union (£81; universalstudioshollywood.com), while Griffith Park — to hike to the Hollywood sign — is a 15-minute drive away.
To hit the beach head to Santa Monica which has a pier, the world’s only solar-powered ferris wheel (£12; pacpark.com) and the famed sign marking the end of Route 66. Pedal alongside three miles of palm-tree-lined sand (an hour’s hire £11; thebikecenter.com) or, for the ultimate Californian experience, sign up for a two-hour surf lesson (£74; santamonicasurfschool.com).
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What you get for £871pp
Return Heathrow-Los Angeles flights, departing March 31
20kg hold luggage
Seven nights’ room only at Freehand Los Angeles (tui.co.uk)
More brilliant places to stay in Los Angeles
The £1,400 holiday
Rooms at the Hollywood Roosevelt are stylishly furnished
If you prefer some old-school film glamour, stay in the Hollywood Roosevelt, which hosted the first Academy Awards in 1929. This historic four-star hotel is steps from the Walk of Fame and the TCL Chinese Theatre and two miles from the Paramount Pictures studios. Its stylish rooms have a mid-century feel, with hardwood floors, chocolate-brown leather and bathrooms with geometric tiles and Byredo smellies. There’s also a vintage bowling alley, rooftop yoga classes, a speakeasy, a diner and brasserie, and a Sixties-style pool with a David Hockney mural.
Details Seven nights’ room only from £1,395pp, including flights, departing on March 31 (ba.com)
The £2,000 holiday
The Palma restaurant at Santa Monica Proper Hotel is open all day
Stay within strolling distance of the beach at Santa Monica Proper Hotel, a chic five-star bolt hole with interiors by Kelly Wearstler. Many rooms have terraces and all have statement wing chairs, patterned wallpaper, an earthy palette and travertine bathrooms with Aesop products. Its two restaurants include the all-day Palma, serving SoCal produce, and there’s an award-winning ayurvedic spa with a Peloton-stocked gym. The rooftop pool has cabanas, a circular bar with a fireplace and regular DJ sets, all with Pacific Ocean views.
Details Seven nights’ room only from £2,004pp, including flights, departing on March 31 (virginatlantic.com)