For a nice modestly priced room in the Hollywood vicinity, stay at the Hollywood Orchid Suites (1753 Orchid Ave., 323/874-9678, www.orchidsuites.com, $110–350). The Orchid’s location couldn’t be better; it’s in the Hollywood & Highland Center, right behind Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, next door to the Kodak Theater, and around the corner from Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame. If you’re a film lover or star seeker on a moderate budget, it’s tough to do better than this—especially with the free parking and proximity to public transit.

Guest rooms are actually suites, with plenty of space and an eye toward sleeping your large family or several friends all in the same suite. All suites but the Juniors have full kitchens. Don’t expect tons of luxury in the furnishings or the decor; it all looks like last decade’s motel stuff, though you’ll get a coffee maker, free Wi-Fi, and other better-than-average perks. The rectangular pool offers cooling refreshment in the summertime, perfect after a long day of stalking Brad or Britney!

Only a few steps away, you can get a room at the Hollywood Celebrity Hotel (1775 Orchid Ave., 323/850-6464, www.hotelcelebrity.com, $135–200). This nice budget motel aspires to Hollywood’s famed luxury. Guest rooms have satin comforters, Hollywood-flavored black-and-white artwork, and a modern aesthetic in the furnishings and accents.

Amenities include free, wired high-speed Internet, a valet laundry service, a fitness room, and steam rooms. In the morning, come down to the lobby for a complimentary continental breakfast, and in the evenings take advantage of otherwise hard-to-come-by passes to the Magic Castle Club (www.magiccastle.com). Leave your car in the gated, off-street parking lot.