The 9 Best Hollywood Hotels of 2020

If you’re coming to Hollywood, you want glitz, glam, great restaurants, and killer views; Dream Hollywood fits the bill perfectly. A TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence winner, the Dream Hollywood offers 178 rooms and suites with a mid-century modern aesthetic designed by the Rockwell Group. There are a variety of trendy dining and entertainment options on-property — including TAO, Beauty & Essex, and the 11,000-square-foot outdoor rooftop/lounge/pool The Highlight Room — where guests can rub shoulders with regulars from the pages of gossip magazines.

Rooms here are bright and airy, with amenities by C.O. Bigelow and iPads from which guests can order room service, request extra towels, find restaurant recommendations, and more. Complimentary Lincoln Continental and Navigator car service within a three-mile radius is also on hand, and there’s always guaranteed access to the trendy pool, which turns into a 21+ party on Sunday. Guests can choose between an a la carte breakfast available on the pool deck or complimentary Grab and Go breakfast in the lobby. Wi-Fi is free, while valet parking is available for a fee.

The boutique Mama Shelter is home to one of Hollywood’s hippest entertainment offerings and often has rooms for surprisingly affordable rates. Featuring 70 rooms in a 1930s-era building, the hotel is known as a hipster haven and is ideal for younger guests seeking trendy nightlife. The first-floor bar offers a foosball table and projector playing classic movies, while the often-crowded rooftop bar features (nearly) 360-degree views.

Rooms here are kitted out with iMacs, free Wi-Fi, and a mini fridge, and although some guests report rooms are noisy and need more insulation, others are charmed by the kitschy decorations such as Darth Vader and Storm Trooper lampshades and movie scripts as reading material. Steps from the Hollywood Walk of Fame and not far from Sunset and Vine, the hotel’s location is ideal for the car-less, although those with wheels will find both convenient valet and self-parking (located a few blocks away) available for a fee. 

The site of the first-ever Academy Awards, the glamorous Hollywood Roosevelt has been charming celebrities and visitors since legends Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Mary Pickford, and Louis B. Mayer opened it in 1927. A TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence winner, the Art Deco gem calls to mind old Hollywood, having actually hosted celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, and Carole Lombard. Despite its age, the hotel was renovated in 2016 and now has modern touches — such as complimentary Tesla charging stations. (Although some guests still report thin walls.)

Because of its popularity as an industry event venue, guests staying here are likely to see celebrities — but also might be unable to use certain common areas occasionally roped off for private parties. Entertainment options include Teddy’s, the Library cocktail bar, a two-lane bowling alley, 25 Degrees burger bar (open 24 hours), and the famous Tropicana Pool, complete with 1950s-style cabanas. Its 3,200-square-foot, three-level Gable and Lombard Penthouse suite is one of the most expensive in town and includes a 750-square-foot rooftop patio with panoramic views, two master suites, a bar, dining room, and living room.

In a city that prides itself on exclusivity, Hollywood’s legendary Magic Castle is truly one of the toughest tickets in town. Guests who stay at the adjacent Magic Castle hotel can garner access to the private magic club — a three-story Victorian mansion with surprises around every corner (plus a weekend brunch perfect for kids).

The three-star hotel features single rooms, plus one- and two-bedroom suites including full-size kitchens, dining areas, living rooms, and iHome docking stations. All rooms offer turndown service, robes, slippers, and free Wi-Fi. When traveling with kids, dirty clothes are bound to stack up, making the hotel’s free laundry service a godsend. Meanwhile, little treats abound, such as a 24-hour snack bar with full-size candy bars, chips, crackers, and cookies, unlimited soft drinks, and a soft-serve ice cream machine doling out complimentary scoops. There’s also a poolside “popsicle hotline” which delivers frozen treats to guests around the heated pool — sure to delight family members of all ages. The hotel’s location is excellent for walkability and easy access to Hollywood sights, only one block away from Hollywood Boulevard and the Hollywood and Highland shopping and dining complex.

No hotel is more synonymous with the excesses of Hollywood than the infamous Chateau Marmont. (This despite the fact that it’s located literal inches from the Hollywood border and, therefore, technically in West Hollywood.) The Chateau, as it’s known, is everything you want in a Hollywood hotel: copious history, plush bedding, old school rooms with modern amenities, a celebrity chef, a to-die-for pool, private bungalows hidden among leafy palm trees, and, of course, more A-list spottings than anywhere in town.

Dating back to the 1920s — though it's now owned by Andre Balazs — the four-star hotel is a literal castle on a hill, and it has the fairy-tale feel to match. Chateau Marmont is where James Dean jumped through a window to audition for Rebel Without a Cause; Jim Morrison leaped off the roof; Led Zeppelin rode their motorcycles through the lobby; Jean Harlow and Clark Gable had an affair; and John Belushi died of an overdose (in Bungalow 3). Despite the fact that it’s still where celebrities stay and play, average Joes can easily make a reservation (and then find themselves rubbing noses with Academy Award winners in the elevator). Some guests report that rooms are dated and the throwback décor is sparse, but bungalows and villas are luxuriously appointed, and guests in all rooms receive custom letterhead stationary while in residence. Wi-Fi is free while parking is available for a fee. 

Experience what it’s like to live in Hollywood at the quaint Villa Delle Stelle. This small residential hotel features only six suites, each with a unique flavor and flair, housed in bungalows, casitas, and a main home. Originally built as a hideaway for Columbia Studios' silent film stars, Villa Delle Stelle is located on a quiet residential street within walking distance of the Pantages theater and it feels more like a home rental than a hotel.

Most suites (with the exception of the cozy Petite Suite) are large and comfortably appointed, and all enjoy a homey feel and kitchenettes perfect for couples. Amenities and services include grocery shopping, a massage therapist, dry cleaning, and ticket reservations. Guests receive welcome touches such as fruit, bread, cheese, or wine, a dedicated complimentary parking spot, and free Wi-Fi.

The four-star Kimpton Everly is a relatively new entrant onto the Hollywood scene, having debuted in 2017. Its 216 guest rooms, including 12 suites, offer some of the best views in all of Los Angeles thanks to its prime location at the base of the Hollywood Hills. Located one block from Hollywood Boulevard, and only two blocks from Vine, the hotel’s prime spot allows guests to walk to some of the area’s top sights.

Rooms, with trendy but minimalist décor, have views of the famed Hollywood sign or of the LA skyline, including highlights like Downtown and the Capitol Records building. Meanwhile, the fifth-floor pool also commands stunning views. Rooms feature Frette bathrobes, Casper mattresses, and Atelier Bloem toiletries. Free Wi-Fi is offered to guests who sign up for the IHG Rewards Club, and valet parking is available for a fee (self-parking lots are available nearby).

With a central location in the Hollywood and Highland complex — close to both the 101 Freeway and a metro station — the four-star Loews Hollywood Hotel is well-positioned for business travelers who need to access a variety of spots around the city, downtown, or the Valley. Many of the hotel’s rooms have views of the Hollywood sign, and its prime location means guests can easily find food, souvenirs, and clothing stores nearby. The location is also ideal for exploring major Hollywood sights on foot, with the Chinese Theater, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Wax Museum, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and the El Capitan theater all within a quick stroll.

Rooms here are clean, quiet, well-appointed, and spacious, although some guests complain about lack of bathtubs in certain rooms. Elevators require security keys, while breakfast is included. Wi-Fi is free, and although valet is expensive, it affords coveted in-out privileges. 

Though it may not be the newest kid on the block, the four-star W Hollywood is still going strong as one of Hollywood’s hottest hotels. With an enviable and convenient location on the corner of Hollywood and Vine, Hollywood’s coolest bars, restaurants, and clubs are all within walking distance. That said, many guests who choose the W stay put to enjoy the on-site scene. The hotel's see-and-be-seen Living Room is where guests cozy up for drinks or strut their stuff in killer outfits, while the rooftop pool deck, WET, is home to regular (and famously wild Vegas-style) parties.

Other hotel standouts include dining options Delphine and Station Hollywood. A member of the Marriott and SPG family — meaning guests can use points for stays and upgrades — rooms boast comfortable beds but are oriented toward a younger crowd, with low lighting and see-through bathroom doors. There’s also a Bliss spa outpost, a Blo Blow Dry Bar, and fitness center, as well as three electric car-charging spots. Valet parking is available for a hefty fee, and a full breakfast is available.