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It’s a herculean task collating the best hotels in Los Angeles because there are just so many. From timeless, much-loved classics like The Beverly Hills Hotel and Chateau Marmont, to beachside getaways like Regent Santa Monica Beach and the Surfrider in Malibu, to buzzy Sunset Strip spots like The Sun Rose West Hollywood and The Sunset Tower, there are more hotels in the City of Angels than there are people physically walking about (not really, but you get the idea – there are loads).
When it comes to where to stay, there are also a gazillion parts of LA to choose from, mainly because it’s a city containing its own cities (they call LA a “city-state” for a reason; there are over 100 neighbourhoods). In fact, if you’re going for a long trip, it’s worth exploring multiple locales, just to get a true, sprawling sense of the place. Because tucking into dumplings in Koreatown is not the same as doing volleyball on Malibu beach or partying at The Abbey in West Hollywood. It pays to be intentional about where you’re staying, as opposed to flinging a dart at an exceptionally big map and seeing where it lands.
To that end, below, find the British Vogue guide to the best hotels in Los Angeles.
Hotel Bel-Air
I was warned by my Vogue colleagues that Hotel Bel-Air – nestled up in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, northwest of Beverly Hills – was a very special place and, upon arrival, I could immediately see what they meant. Swathed in luscious, tropical nature (water-soaked foliage, three resident swans, a constantly trickling lake), staying at Hotel Bel-Air is the closest I’ve come to checking into rehab (except, with cocktails). This is a place that prizes privacy and tranquility above all else (though the hotel was packed with guests, I rarely saw or heard them – a reason plenty of A-listers stay here over other, buzzier or more central spots).
Rooms are spacious and decked out (ours had its own pool, three bathrooms and the techiest toilet I’ve ever encountered), with design that sits somewhere between Spanish villa and classic Hollywood (think: low-slung pink bungalows with slick, cream interiors). The hotel’s crowning jewel, though? Their restaurant, which is simply called “The Restaurant”, and includes highlights such as black burgundy truffle linguine, Bluefin tuna tartare and a “Stone Canyon Smoked Sour” that balances a citrussy sweetness with a musky umami so perfectly I had to order another. Finally, do not miss out on their steam room, with its star-studded ceiling, essential oils and iced face towels.
The Sun Rose West Hollywood
The Sunset Strip, once famous for the likes of Mötley Crüe falling out of the Rainbow Bar & Grill, now also hosts a number of hotels and The Sun Rose, formerly The Pendry, is easily one of its best. Unlike plenty of older, more classic LA hotels, the vibe at The Sun Rose skews young and stylish, though still luxe, with dark blue interiors, a splash of leopard print and an entire music venue, bowling alley and spa across its many floors (I had one of the best massages of my life at The Spa at Sun Rose from head masseuse Malia – and I’m not being superfluous). Essentially, this is where you should go if you want to be slap-bang in the action, with a quiet sanctuary to rest.
Their rooftop restaurant, Wolfgang Puck’s Merois, is not to be missed. Everyone says Soho House West Hollywood boasts the best views of the city, but perhaps they’ve not been to Merois, where Hollywood twinkles like spilled jewels at night. Food is Asian fusion, fresh and considered: vibrant Kung Pao cauliflower and whole sizzling fish with a pineapple glaze, washed down with cucumber-basil margaritas that taste like health drinks, but with an hefty injection of El Tesoro Blanco tequila (great way to cancel out your hangover before it’s begun). I’ve stayed in plenty of hotels, but this one is probably up there with the most fun and vibey.
The Beverly Hills Hotel
You didn’t think we’d write an entire “best hotels in LA” list without including the most famous, did you? Without the storied Beverly Hills Hotel, there’d be no Beverly Hills (the city was built around the hotel, not the other way round – a fact I was reminded of in the lobby upon spying a monochrome photograph of the building in 1912 surrounded by… barren land). In the years since, the hotel has been frequented by everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Marilyn Monroe (the latter of whom has an iconic bungalow in her name), Yoko Ono and John Lennon, Judy Garland and Cary Grant. There are others, but it might actually be quicker to list who hasn’t been than who has.
That said, the hotel isn’t all mythology and tales of the past (although that’s the main reason I’m obsessed with it). It’s also a decadent retreat in its own right, from peaceful bungalows shrouded in water-soaked palms to a sparkling outdoor pool where you can snack on parmesan fries and read books about Hollywood for hours. Don’t skip hotel restaurant The Polo Lounge, obviously, where sunny side-up eggs and pressed juice can be enjoyed beneath dappled sunlight by day, and where people-watching with a martini by night is a must. Indeed, the Beverly Hills Hotel is a lot of peoples’ fave LA spot for a reason.
Petit Ermitage
There’s something special about Petit Ermitage – a hidden West Hollywood gem that you’ll want to keep all to yourself, lest the rooms get booked up too far in advance. Shrouded in foliage and nestled within a peaceful corner of the neighbourhood, this boutique hotel bucks the trend of the cream and beige palettes so standard to LA, and instead makes you feel like you’re in a fantastical fever dream. Don’t be misled by its quirky gaudiness, though – there’s something profoundly tranquil about these rooms, with beds much more sink-into-able than the clinical, starched sheets of other pricier hotels up the street (I spent the majority of my time here flicking through TV channels, physically unable to peel myself away from the squishy mattress).
Other pros include: divine smelling bathroom products (I bought three of their coal black, musky soap bars to take home with me), a rooftop pool for hangouts feat. burgers and martinis and a price point that’s much more manageable than a slew of other less fun hotels (rooms start from around £284 at the lower end). This is the sort of hotel I’d recommend to friends visiting the city.
Soho House Holloway
If you’re after a home away from home then Soho House Holloway – which is a four star, but truthfully feels more like a five star – is an exceptional place to land. Those who’ve been to other Soho House spaces – of which there are 46 worldwide – will recognise the delicious Cowshed and Skin toiletries, vintage-style furniture and bold, cosy fabrics, giving rooms a sense of comforting, luxurious familiarity (I was very happy, for instance, to spot an English breakfast on the menu among the buttermilk pancakes and huevos rancheros).
It’s not all cookie-cutter, though: there’s a sense of California cool to the hotel that feels specific to the locale (art draped across walls, courtyard dining with low-lying trees, neutral colour palettes and geometric patterns). Location is ideal, too, especially if, like me, you enjoy stomping the streets of West Hollywood of an evening. Ten steps away sits dive bar Barney’s Beanery and 30 steps away sits LA staple Hugo’s Restaurant, who do the best spaghetti this side of Sunset. Oh and rooms are very quiet and beds are made to sink into, meaning that after a night out in WeHo, nothing will seem more appealing.
1 Hotel West Hollywood
Sustainability is the name of the game at 1 Hotel West Hollywood, where walls are adorned in moss – yes, moss – and front desks are comprised of bigs hunks of fallen tree trunk. Staying at 1 Hotel isn’t akin to camping, though – it’s pure luxury, from the hazy skyline views of LA to the industrial-style concrete ceilings that make you feel a bit like you’re in an art gallery. They’re also big on wellness at 1 Hotel – I frequently had things like “fungi power broth” with lions’ mane, cordyceps and Chinese herbs delivered to my room, plus a smoothie mix called “All Day Energy” that promised “stamina and brain function.”
Though I wasn’t personally able to sample their spa, there is one, and a renowned one at that. The Bamford Wellness Spa offers various treatments, from an “Infrared Crystal Therapy Sauna” to a “B Silent Ritual” and a “Sound Wave Power Nap.” Basically, if you’re going to LA to unwind, relax and revitalise – and all in an eco-friendly manner – then 1 Hotel West Hollywood is exactly the sort of space to sign up to.
The Maybourne Beverly Hills
There’s a tendency for luxury hotels within the Golden Triangle to feel a bit stuffy and OTT. Not so much at The Maybourne, which gives the vibe of an Italian resort (especially when you’re out on the piazza-inspired terrace, sipping on some fresh orange juice beneath the dappled light). There’s a softness and a personableness to The Maybourne that you wouldn’t expect from a five-star hotel stretched across 201 rooms and suites, but they manage it (you’ll find a lot of people coming here for hang-outs, work calls and dinner plans; it’s a neighbourhood spot as well as a mere tourist hub).
It would be remiss of me not to mention my two favourite things about this hotel. Firstly, the spa, which I was informed is the largest in LA and which includes a sauna, steam room and magnesium jacuzzi (I didn’t know what that was either), which I spent an inordinate amount of time in. And secondly, the rooftop restaurant, Dante, with views across the rolling mountains (there were times I thought I could be in Spain?), and where I tucked into some pasta that I’m still thinking about some time later (the butternut squash agnolotti; a dish that sits at the melt-in-the-mouth buttery intersection between sweet and savoury).
Mondrian Los Angeles
Good news! You don’t have to be a gazillionaire to stay in a five-star hotel on the Sunset Strip overlooking LA. Indeed, the Mondrian – which is right opposite the Comedy Store, where you’ll catch some of the world’s most famous comedians practising their material every night of the week – is pretty easy on the ol’ wallet, while also offering a comfortable, high-calibre experience.
The rooms themselves are kind of like mini apartments (for the duration of my stay, I liked to pretend I lived there), with wooden floorboards, an open-plan space with a sofa and showers that look out over the rest of the room (warning for strictly platonic travellers: this isn’t a place for privacy). I’d recommend this hotel for anyone looking to be at the centre of the action – prime West Hollywood spots like Book Soup, Mel’s Drive-In, Carney’s Restaurant and Dialog Cafe are all within walking distance.
Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills
There’s something quite Vegas-y about Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills – colloquially known as the Waldorf – which is situated two blocks from Rodeo Drive, overlooking the pristine flats. It’s all capital ‘L’ luxury, with a sweeping marble lobby, glittering chandeliers and a fleet of brown leather-seated Rolls Royces waiting to drive you to your next location. Don’t be intimidated by its showiness, though – it’s no more expensive than other hotels in and around the Golden Triangle, and in some instances it’s actually less steep. Plus – and this is important – the hotel’s stuffed with Aesop products; music to the ears of any Aesop girl like myself who likes to smell like Mandarin oranges.
The hotel’s crowning jewel, however? New restaurant Baldi, which lives at the base of the hotel. Helmed by Tuscan-born, LA-raised chef Edoardo “Edo” Baldi, the food will transport you right to Italy’s rolling hills (fragrant olive oil sopped up with sourdough, rich swirls of lobster linguine and perfectly charred steak slathered in zesty Chimichurri). In the land of Beverly Hills, it can be hard to differentiate between genuine quality and pricey food dressed up as quality, but at Baldi it’s only ever the former.
Beverly Wilshire
If you have even a passing interest in LA, you’ll have heard of the Beverly Wilshire – the iconic Four Seasons hotel, slap-back on the end of Rodeo Drive, and as seen in the film Pretty Woman (and Clueless!). Putting aside its iconography (I mean, where in Beverly Hills isn’t in some way culturally mythical?), it’s also a sleek, gorgeous hotel in its own right. Sun-soaked balcony views, space ship-sized beds to sink into and arguably the best of the bunch location-wise (you can stroll around in most directions, largely unheard of in Los Angeles), there’s plenty to love about the Wilshire.
Don’t skip lunch at their resident restaurant The Blvd, either – even if you’re not staying at the actual hotel. I opted for a crisp, parmesan-cloaked caesar salad with jumbo prawns and fries, washed down with an incredibly fresh and zingy margarita.
Regent Santa Monica Beach
The same conversation played out several times with friends and colleagues as I revealed that, during my trip to LA, we’d be staying not only in Santa Monica, but quite literally on Santa Monica Beach. Regent Santa Monica Beach is, as the name suggests, within spitting distance of the iconic pier, and visible from the infamous outdoor playground that is Muscle Beach.
Previously a Loews, the hotel recently underwent an extensive $150 million redesign, transforming 347 rooms into just 167 suites — an indication of their sheer, marble-lined scale. With uninterrupted views of the Pacific Ocean from our suite’s private terrace, much of my time was spent by the fire pit, coffee in hand, overlooking the Azure Bar and Pool. Inside, the hotel draws heavily on California coastal design, with light-filled communal spaces and curved, plush seating. Think: Soho House in muted sandstone hues.
A big draw is the hotel’s flagship restaurant, Orla, from acclaimed chef Michael Mina, which leans Mediterranean and Middle Eastern. Standout dishes include an appetiser of Urfa-dusted tuna served on crispy falafel with whipped tahini. It would be amiss not to mention the hotel’s 10,000-square-foot Guerlain spa and wellness retreat, also – the French beauty house’s first West Coast outpost. Following an hour spent in my own private relaxation pool, I enjoyed a Deep Muscular Massage that was as rigorous as it was restorative. The experience concluded with herbal tea and unrestrained access to Guerlain’s signature products – an ideal final indulgence before an 11-hour flight home. – Georgia Shepheard
Soho Warehouse
For those who think “LA” just means “Hollywood”, “Venice” and “Beverly Hills”, heading to the Arts District in Downtown can feel a bit like being plonked in an entirely different city (I mean, it technically sort of is). But Downtown is where all the fun’s at, from historical music venues and art galleries to DIY clubs and neighbourhood restaurants. Soho Warehouse, which occupies a seven-story former warehouse from 1916 – hence the name – retains this buzzy energy; all street art and exposed brick walls, whilst still remaining true to the cosy, Soho House flavour you might recognise.
Lovers of Iranian food will also be pleased to know that Berenjak – the award-winning restaurant known for casual, homestyle Tehrani dishes – opened at Soho Warehouse in September of this year, marking its first public US location (even if you’re not in LA, head down to Borough in London for a taste of their delectably flavourful wares).