ELTIPS AV R T

After all, this is the place of film stars, fancy restaurants and even fancier boutiques.

But I got off to a flying start. I made it to Hollywood after Thomas Cook launched a route direct from Manchester to Los Angeles with temptingly low prices – you can get there for under £200.

I bagged tickets for me and my partner Ian for the start of September, when temperatures are 25C. The flight to LAX took ten hours and was stress free. We even landed quality meals devised by celebrity chef James Martin.

Another bonus – car hire rates are much cheaper Stateside than an in Europe and we booked a convertible rtible for a fortnight for a couple e of hundred pounds. I fell in love with our beast of a motor, a red Chevyevy Camaro, which suited the showy y city. Fuel was so cheap, filling up was never a problem.

We spent our first few nightss in the stunning beach city of Santa nta Monica. This is one of the priciestest areas of LA county, with endlessess golden sands and amazing bars,ars, shops and restaurants.

But we managed to track down own a relatively affordable hotel – the gorgeous European boutique ique residence The Palihouse, by heading a few blocks inland and securing a big discount through Booking.com.

Santa Monica was a great initial base and we spent our first few days cycling – the beach bike paths are brilliant – and c el eb s potting. Venice Beach is worth a trip to see the gorgeous houses and tiny canals and weird and wonderful people.

Our first star sighting was James Corden, who was filming on Third Street Promenade. Then we saw the world’s most famous reality TV family, the Kardashians, dining en masse at Nobu in Malibu. It is one of THE TAKE a smaller case if hiring a convertible. The soft or hard top takes up boot space. WHILE many hotels in California offer a free wine hour, breakfast is generally not included, so factor that in to your budget. IF you head out for the night, takingg an Uber taxi can half the cost of a traditional yellow cab, so download the app before you go. Your driver is likely to be an aspiring actor waiting for their big break. places to eat. Prices are high but head there early to secure a prime outside table and watch the A-list flock in. The next few nights were taken up exploring the beach cities of southern California but we were soon heading back to the heart of Hollywood. We bagged a cheaper room by scouring online rates for the Kimpton Hotel Palomar Los Angeles Beverly Hills. And we took full advantage of the free wine hour from 5pm to 6pm – a benefit often found in US hotels.

In central LA, I was determined to tick off a few must-sees.

First was the hilarious TMZ bus tou tour through trendy West Hollywood, wh where we saw the street corner wh where Hugh Grant got arrested, the sal salon where Britney Spears shaved her head and the hotel where Kim Kardashian got flour bombed by anti-fur protestors.

Back in Beverly Hills, we took a stroll down Rodeo Drive and got to experience the posh hotel from Pretty Woman – the Beverly Wilshire – by having a cocktail at its bar.

But I saved the biggest bargain of the break for our last night. It was Ian’s birthday and I wanted to book something extra special.

West Hollywood boasts the best nightlife in the city and our Petit Ermitage hotel had a rooftop pool, restaurant in a hummingbird garden and bedrooms fit for a celeb.

I secured a fantastic Sunday night deal, which included dinner and accommodation and by sharing my reservation on Facebook, I got a voucher for free snacks and drinks.

As guests headed to the Emmys down the road, we chilled out like movie stars, soaking up the last of the sun on our stripy loungers.

So with bargain flights and a bit of clever planning, I wasn’t living in la- la land. You really can do LA without an A-lister’s bank balance. FACTFILE: Thomas Cook flights from Manchester from £179.99 one way, thomascook.com. Kimpton Hotels has h hotels across California, including Kimpton Hotel Palomar Los Angeles Beverly Hills, kimptonhotels.com. Go to petitermitage. com to book a night’s stay for two for £240 in a luxury suite, with a £60 food credit.