The 10 All-Time Best Hotels in Los Angeles. In some destinations, hotels are just a place to sleep in between hitting up cool restaurants, interesting museums, and the most iconic tourism sites the city has to offer. But in Los Angeles, the hotels often are tourist attractions unto themselves, with long histories and unbelievable anecdotes—the members of Led Zeppelin did what, where?!—behind every guest door.
For those interested in exploring Hollywood’s golden age, one need only pull up a pool lounger in the same places where Greta Garbo felt safe or Elizabeth Taylor got romantic (or check into one of the many suites where Marilyn Monroe or Howard Hughes lived for years). Many of these hotels have made aesthetic choices, from pools rimmed by palm trees or pink and green color palettes, that may have formed your very mental image of Los Angeles in the first place.
The classic hotels have, of course, all been updated over the years to offer state-of-the-art amenities and get a fresh coat of paint—but if they’re still not your bag, Los Angeles has plenty more contemporary lodgings, typically with cutting-edge food and cocktail programs and regular cultural events.
And there’s many outside the Hollywood Hills or Beverly Hills, with new hotels routinely popping up in downtown L.A. near the arts district, or along the shores of Malibu. Do you want to relax on the sand, spot celebrities eating salad, hold meetings in a sexy bar over experimental cocktails, or party at a rooftop pool? There’s a Tinseltown hotel for every mood.
Chateau Marmont
If your interest in Hollywood resides solely within the realm of sordid gossip (no judgment here!), you might fancy a stay at Chateau Marmont, which has been a headquarters for bad behavior since opening in 1927. Reclusive celebrities like Howard Hughes and Greta Garbo relied on the hotel’s bungalows and cottages to escape for and short- and long-term stints, the rockers of Led Zeppelin once rode their motorcycles through the lobby, and John Belushi and Helmut Newton met untimely ends here.
The hotel, which was built to resemble a gothic French chateau, closed in the first wave of the pandemic and was hit with multiple lawsuit alleging anti-union tactics, claims of sexual misconduct, and racist behavior toward guests, and is reportedly considering a members-only model going forward. 8221 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, 323-656-1010
Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel
You’d be forgiven if your strongest recollection of this hotel came from Pretty Woman, as basically the entire film plays out amid its rooms (though in reality, the interiors were shot at a since-closed hotel nearby). Located the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, across from a Tiffany’s and next to Chanel, the hotel still evokes an undeniable glamour that may have you feeling as starry-eyed as a young Julia Roberts was. And the hotel leans into the movie moment, offering a “Pretty Woman for a Day” package around Beverly Hills.
Luxury is found at every corner: The penthouse is, at 5,000 square feet, the largest hotel suite in Los Angeles, and the driveway is lined with cobblestones formed by Italian artisans, and lit by lanterns taken from a castle in Scotland. 9500 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, 310-275-5200
Sunset Tower Hotel
The dramatic angles, zig-zagged stripes, and bas-relief designs of flora, fauna, and airplanes on its exterior make the Sunset Tower one of the most striking Art Deco buildings in the city. The hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, following decades of providing long stays to A-list residents like Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne (whose apartment is now a 7,000 square foot gym for guests).
Its heyday is far from over, though—the hotel’s super popular, walnut-paneled Tower Bar, created from Bugsy Siegel’s former apartment, opened in 2005, and the hotel’s distinct pink interiors (with brown and cream accents) were touched up in 2018. 8358 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, 323-654-7100
Beverly Hills Hotel
The jazzy logo of this hotel, swirly white on a forest green background, may be pressed into your mind as a shortcut for the concept of Beverly Hills—opened in 1912, the hotel is older than the city of Los Angeles itself. Which decade was the hotel’s greatest? Perhaps the 1940s, when the Rat Pack hung out at the hotel’s Polo Lounge, or when Elizabeth Taylor was spending six of her honeymoons there at mid-century? Or perhaps it was 1971 alone, when the Eagles immortalized the hotel in their classic “Hotel California,” and Faye Dunaway was photographed after the Oscars, lounging by the pool with her award?
The “pink palace,” with its dramatic striped entrance, is a step back in time, and a perfect stay for anyone who’s ever found themselves daydreaming about the quintessential California experience. Lie back in a cotton-candy lounger and you can basically hear the Beach Boys. 9641 Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills, 310-276-2251
Hotel Bel-Air
Designed to resemble an oasis, this hotel is surrounded by lush gardens and comprised of grounds overflowing with huge leafy trees and flowers that bloom throughout the year. The pool is ringed by fluttering palms, and guests cross a lake populated by swans to reach their rooms. Audrey Hepburn and Judy Garland loved to escape here, and Grace Kelly was such a frequent inhabitant that a suite is still named in her honor.
That Grace Kelly suite boasts creamy yellow interiors and a private spa pool on a secluded patio, while the Swan Lake suite was a popular choice for Gene Kelly and Cary Grant, perhaps because its location allows guests to discreetly hit the restaurant and pool without passing through the more open areas. 701 Stone Canyon Rd, Los Angeles, 310-472-1211
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
This hotel opened in 1991, making it the youngest of Tinseltown’s grand dame hotels by far, but it has taken great strides in opulence in these three decades—guests staying in suites are lent a complimentary BMW for the length of their stay. Meanwhile, the freestanding villa suites includes fireplaces and private patio hot tubs, creating a romantic spot for a couple looking to get away.
For a west coast hotel, Peninsula’s style is surprisingly elegant and even Old World, with pineapple-printed drapery, gilt frames, Oriental rugs, and stately furniture. Afternoon tea is offered in the communal living room. 9882 S Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, 310-551-2888
Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
This hotel is instantly recognizable for the private balconies extending from French doors off every single room. The outdoor areas allow for incredible views of the property’s gardens and across Beverly Hills, while the interiors are classic and cool, clad minimally in white and gray. Located near Santa Monica Boulevard, the hotel also allows close access to the Beverly Center and LACMA.
The fourth story has been transformed into a “wellness floor,” with private fitness suites, meeting spaces with hypoallergenic wood floors, and guest rooms stocked with Peloton equipment, Deepak Chopra-guided meditations, Alo yoga products, sulfate-free bath products, a sound machine, and much more. 300 Doheny Dr, Los Angeles, 310-273-2222
The Hollywood Roosevelt
Okay, you know by now that loads of Los Angeles hotels boast a storied past with old Hollywood. But did they host the first-ever Academy Awards? That honor goes to the Hollywood Roosevelt, which held the event in its ballroom in in 1929, having opened in 1927. Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Charlie Chaplin were early guests, and the three-level penthouse is now named the Gable-Lombard suite after its famous former residents.
The hotel provides eight bars, restaurants, and a lounge, and is located steps away from the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the TCL Chinese Theatre. Guests simply must take a dip in the famous pool, the floor of which features a swirling blue mural painted by David Hockney himself in the 1980s. 7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, 323-856-1970
W Hollywood
Located atop the Walk of Fame and at the iconic intersection of Hollywood and Vine—famous due to the confluence of radio, movie, and music companies that made their offices there starting in the 1920s—this hotel is significantly flashier and more modern than the other spots on this list, with a palette of purples, black, and cherry red.
The popular rooftop pools and their private cabanas are a major party spot, with views into the Hollywood Hills, while the Sound Suite includes a private recording studio and mixing room—if you’re inspired to lay down a track. 6250 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, 323-798-1300
Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles
Before it was a hipster paradise, the Ace Hotel’s building housed offices for Texaco, the California Petroleum Corporation, the United Artists movie studio, and a church for televangelists. Today, the Ace still boasts the United Artists Theatre, an ornately decorated space that’s been carefully restored to host concerts and other shows.
The hotel’s rooms have exposed gray cement walls, color-blocked blankets, and midcentury-style light fixtures, and in keeping with the brand’s other locations, a guitar is placed in each guest space for impromptu jams. 929 S Broadway, Los Angeles, 213- 623-3233
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