Days Inn
3007 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90404
1800/359-4827
We did not want to spend money on accommodations while we were in Los Angeles for a wedding, so we ended up in a seedy Days Inn on Santa Monica Boulevard. It's just like any Days Inn: unimpressive building, horrific carpeting, and right smack on the main street. But we liked it for where it was, near the 3rd Street Promenade, for some convenient shopping and dining.
Room rates start at $79 a night and there's free parking right outside and in the basement. Check-in begins at 2pm rather than the usual 3pm time. The water pressure was really low but they do offer free continental breakfast in the lobby until 10am if you're into that kind of thing.
Sometimes, all you need is a place to sleep with clean sheets.