The Inn at USC was purchased last fall and is undergoing a big renovation to transform it into a Graduate Hotel. It has an awesome location and will remain open during the renovation (target completion fall 2019). You may or may not want to stay in a hotel that’s being renovated
https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article102449.html
The Graduate format is pretty cool. I’ve been in a couple of them.
https://www.graduatehotels.com/
We typically stay in the Hampton Inn or Hilton in the Vista as we are Hilton members. Lots of stuff around it. About a mile from Russell House.