Priority one: Get away from the fire.
Priority two: Find safe shelter.
That’s the choice Altadena resident Karen Dekker faced as she packed her 87-year-old mother, 15-year-old son and two German shepherds into the car and fled the Eaton fire Tuesday night.
“I went online and Googled pet-friendly hotels, calling and calling until I got one that had a spot available. We had to go out to Pomona to find a pet-friendly hotel,” said Dekker, an elementary public school teacher who booked a few nights at La Quinta by Wyndham, which she has for another night.
Short-term lodging is tenuous for those who find themselves displaced or forced to evacuate because of the wildfires ravaging Southern California. But options are available — and there have been many more in the days since the fires first ignited. From Airbnb to more than 70 hotels across Greater Los Angeles, free and discounted accommodations are available.
Airbnb partnered with 211 LA, offering free, temporary housing on Airbnb and its host’s dime by filling out a form with the L.A. helpline. Callers beware: The notice posted on 211la.org that reads “wait times for a response will be long” is no exaggeration.
Dekker learned Wednesday morning that the fire had destroyed her house. She is now searching for long-term housing.
The Hotel Association of Los Angeles compiled a public document of Los Angeles member hotels offering discounts and necessities, including toiletries. Some are taking in pets. And some are located outside the area, which may be ideal for those looking to temporarily escape the poor air quality.
“As of right now, we are fortunate that our air quality is still good and holding,” said Caitlin Smith, hotel manager at the Ponte Vineyard Inn.
The Temecula wine country hotel offers a 20% discount on standard room rates. Tonight, a standard king room that costs $269, plus tax, would run $215, plus tax. The biggest saving comes on Fridays and Saturdays, when the same room costs $500, plus tax. With the discount, it’s $350, plus tax.
“We want to be a nice reprieve for anyone wanting to get out the L.A. area and making sure their safety is No. 1,” Smith said. “If our hotel can make a small gesture of offering a discount, we’d love to.”
Visit Laguna Beach has also partnered with several hotels in the city to offer discounted accommodations, including The Ranch at Laguna Beach. From now through Jan. 15, it’s offering a 50% discount and waiving parking and resort fees for anyone with a driver’s license showing an address in a current Cal Fire official Evacuation Zone.
For more hotels, go to visitlagunabeach.com look to the top of the page for a fire relief link.