Named for a Mexican land owner from the mid 19th century, the city of Duarte, once awash in orange and lime groves is now home to the City of Hope Medical Center, a leading cancer treatment facility. Recreational visitors come to tee off at the Rancho Duarte Golf Course or watch the ponies run at nearby Santa Anita Park. Many hotels in Duarte and neighboring Monrovia, both on the original Duarte Ranch lands, run along East Huntington Drive, which is part of historic Route 66.
Sitting across from Duarte Sports Park, the Days Inn Duarte is in the heart of this growing town. The red tile roof and light, almost salmon color of the facade fits in well with the surrounding Southern California-Hispanic style of architecture. There is no pool on property but guests receive free passes to use the pool and fitness center at the sports park. Both Wi-Fi and wired Internet access is available in the guest rooms. Continental breakfast is included in the room rate. Nearby restaurants include the Spaghetti Factory, Thai City and Rancheros, all within a one-mile radius. Burger King and McDonald's are also nearby. Westfield Shopping Center is five miles away.
Just across the border in Monrovia, the Quality Inn Near City of Hope is across from the Mountain Vista Plaza Shopping Center and less than a mile from the City of Hope Medical Center. In some ways this is your typical hotel property, complete with high-speed Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast and a seasonal outdoor swimming pool. But there are a few surprises. One is the delicate hacienda-style architecture with its curved archways, making it look more like a home than a hotel. The other is the offering of luxury suites with in-room heart-shaped, Valentine-red hot tubs for two. In addition to the eateries at the shopping mall, the Black Angus Steakhouse and the Acapulco Mexican Restaurant are within a half-mile.
Just a block off of Route 66, or East Huntington Drive on the Monrovia border, the Oak Tree Inn offers a country home atmosphere, open-air atrium-style lobby and moderately-priced rooms with contemporary furnishings. The indoor pool is on the small side but it and the hot tub are located in the atrium, just off the main lobby. Complimentary breakfast, served in the lobby, is included in the room rates, and space is available for meetings and presentations. No restaurants are on-site, but nearby eateries include Outback Steakhouse, Tony Roma’s and Olive Garden. The Mountain Vista Plaza Shopping Center is one block south.
Less than four miles west of the Monrovia/Duarte border just off Interstate 210, the Oak Park Motel provides quiet, moderately priced rooms with a more luxurious feel than many roadside hotels. Beds are strewn with colorful throw pillows and the walls are accented with pieces of modern art. Some rooms offer mirrored ceilings. Daily and weekly rates are offered. Wireless Internet access is included and refrigerators and microwaves are available upon request. The Oak Park Motel is next to the Claim Jumper Restaurant and only one block west of the Arcadia Shopping Center, home to Olive Garden and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse. The Santa Anita Racetrack is just two miles west.
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