Where to stay · Los Angeles · United States
Where to stay in Los Angeles
9 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Gunnar Klack, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Santa Monica. Beachfront pier, the Third Street Promenade and the end of Route 66. Best alternatives — budget: Hollywood; nightlife: Hollywood.
Key facts
- First visit
- Santa Monica
- Families
- Santa Monica
- Budget
- Hollywood
- Nightlife
- Hollywood
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Santa Monica | Beachfront pier, the Third Street Promenade and the end of Route 66 |
| Families | Santa Monica | Beachfront pier, the Third Street Promenade and the end of Route 66 |
| Couples | Santa Monica | Beachfront pier, the Third Street Promenade and the end of Route 66 |
| Budget | Hollywood | Walk of Fame, historic theatres and the main Metro line under the boulevard |
| Luxury | West Hollywood | Sunset Strip music clubs, design stores and LGBTQ+ nightlife |
| Nightlife | Hollywood | Walk of Fame, historic theatres and the main Metro line under the boulevard |
| Food lovers | Venice | Boardwalk performers, quiet canals and Abbot Kinney's boutiques |
| Solo travellers | Venice | Boardwalk performers, quiet canals and Abbot Kinney's boutiques |
| Shopping | West Hollywood | Sunset Strip music clubs, design stores and LGBTQ+ nightlife |
| Quiet stays | Beverly Hills | Rodeo Drive, grand old hotels and palm-lined residential streets |
| Beach | Santa Monica | Beachfront pier, the Third Street Promenade and the end of Route 66 |
Los Angeles neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, beach and couples
Santa Monica
Santa Monica is the most practical beach base: the pier and Pacific Park, the pedestrian Third Street Promenade, Palisades Park on the bluffs and a bike path along the sand to Venice. The Metro E Line runs from Downtown Santa Monica station to Downtown LA, and the centre is easy to explore on foot by LA standards.
- Good
- Beach, pier and promenade within walking distance; Direct Metro rail to Downtown; Cooler sea breezes in summer
- Watch out
- Expensive hotels; Long drive to Hollywood and the east side; Grey, foggy mornings in May and June
- Nearby
- Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, Palisades Park, Venice Beach
$$$ · Best for beach, solo travellers and food lovers
Venice
Venice mixes the carnival-like Ocean Front Walk, Muscle Beach and the skate park with residential canals laid out in 1905 and the restaurants and boutiques of Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Accommodation is mostly small hotels and rentals, and Santa Monica's pier and shops are a 30-minute walk or short bike ride north.
- Good
- Beach and boardwalk on the doorstep; Good restaurants on Abbot Kinney; Easy cycling along the beach path
- Watch out
- The boardwalk can feel rough after dark; Few hotels
- Nearby
- Venice Beach Boardwalk, Venice Canals, Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Muscle Beach
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget and nightlife
Hollywood
Hollywood Boulevard holds the Walk of Fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre and the Dolby Theatre, and the Metro B Line links it to Universal Studios and Downtown in minutes. It is convenient for first-time sightseeing and has many mid-range hotels, though the central blocks are crowded and gritty; the streets above lead to Runyon Canyon and Griffith Park.
- Good
- Central for sightseeing; Metro rail to Universal Studios and Downtown; Wide hotel choice
- Watch out
- Crowded, gritty main boulevard; Street touts selling tours and CDs
- Nearby
- Hollywood Walk of Fame, TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Bowl, Griffith Observatory
$$$$ · Best for nightlife, couples, luxury and shopping
West Hollywood
West Hollywood is a small, walkable city of its own between Hollywood and Beverly Hills, with the music venues of the Sunset Strip, the fashion and design stores of Melrose Avenue and Melrose Place, and the LGBTQ+ bars of Santa Monica Boulevard. Hotels range from rooftop-pool boutiques to luxury towers.
- Good
- Walkable by LA standards; Restaurants, bars and clubs within a few blocks; Central between the beach and Hollywood
- Watch out
- Expensive hotels; No Metro rail station
- Nearby
- Sunset Strip, Melrose Avenue, The Grove, Beverly Hills
$$ · Best for culture, food lovers, budget and solo travellers
Downtown LA
Downtown has The Broad, the Walt Disney Concert Hall and MOCA on Grand Avenue, Grand Central Market, the movie palaces of Broadway, Little Tokyo and the Arts District's breweries and restaurants. It is the hub of the Metro rail network, and hotel prices are often lower than on the Westside, though some blocks east of Main Street are best avoided on foot.
- Good
- Museums and food halls within walking distance; Hub of the Metro network; Good-value hotels
- Watch out
- Quiet and patchy after office hours; Visible homelessness on some blocks
- Nearby
- The Broad, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grand Central Market, Little Tokyo
$$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife and solo travellers
Silver Lake and Echo Park
East of Hollywood, Silver Lake and Echo Park are known for independent cafés, vintage shops and bars along Sunset Boulevard, and for the paddle boats and lotus beds of Echo Park Lake. Accommodation is mostly rentals and a few boutique hotels, and Dodger Stadium sits in the hills just above Echo Park.
- Good
- Local feel and good independent restaurants; Close to Downtown and Griffith Park; Live-music venues
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Hilly streets and limited parking
- Nearby
- Echo Park Lake, Silver Lake Reservoir, Dodger Stadium, Sunset Boulevard
$$$$ · Best for luxury, shopping, couples and quiet stays
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is the classic luxury base, with Rodeo Drive's designer boutiques, landmark hotels such as the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Beverly Wilshire, and quiet, manicured streets. It is central for the Getty Center, Century City and West Hollywood, but you will need a car or rideshare for most sightseeing.
- Good
- Polished and calm; Top hotels and restaurants; Central on the Westside
- Watch out
- Very expensive; Little nightlife and few budget options
- Nearby
- Rodeo Drive, Beverly Gardens Park, Getty Center, Century City
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife and budget
Koreatown
Koreatown, west of Downtown along Wilshire Boulevard, has dense blocks of Korean barbecue restaurants, karaoke rooms, spas and bars that stay open late, plus Oaxacan and Salvadoran restaurants. It sits on the Metro D Line, so Downtown is minutes away, and hotels are often cheaper than in Hollywood or on the Westside.
- Good
- Late-night food and drink; Metro D Line access; Good-value hotels
- Watch out
- Busy, dense streets; Parking is difficult
- Nearby
- Wilshire Boulevard, The Wiltern, Olympic Boulevard, MacArthur Park
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and culture
Pasadena
Pasadena, about 20 minutes north-east of Downtown on the Metro A Line, has a walkable Old Town of restored brick buildings, Craftsman landmarks such as the Gamble House, the Norton Simon Museum and the Rose Bowl, with The Huntington's gardens next door in San Marino. It is calm and family-friendly but far from the beach.
- Good
- Walkable Old Town; Museums and gardens; Metro rail to Downtown
- Watch out
- An hour or more from the beaches; Hotels fill around the Rose Parade
- Nearby
- Old Pasadena, Norton Simon Museum, Rose Bowl, The Huntington
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica | $$$$ | Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, Palisades Park, Venice Beach |
| Venice | $$$ | Venice Beach Boardwalk, Venice Canals, Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Muscle Beach |
| Hollywood | $$ | Hollywood Walk of Fame, TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Bowl, Griffith Observatory |
| West Hollywood | $$$$ | Sunset Strip, Melrose Avenue, The Grove, Beverly Hills |
| Downtown LA | $$ | The Broad, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grand Central Market, Little Tokyo |
| Silver Lake and Echo Park | $$$ | Echo Park Lake, Silver Lake Reservoir, Dodger Stadium, Sunset Boulevard |
| Beverly Hills | $$$$ | Rodeo Drive, Beverly Gardens Park, Getty Center, Century City |
| Koreatown | $$ | Wilshire Boulevard, The Wiltern, Olympic Boulevard, MacArthur Park |
| Pasadena | $$$ | Old Pasadena, Norton Simon Museum, Rose Bowl, The Huntington |
Getting to your hotel
LAX is about 25 km south-west of Downtown. Metro's LAX/Metro Transit Center connects the airport area with the K and C Lines (check the airport site for the current link to the terminals), and FlyAway buses run to Union Station. Taxis and rideshares take roughly 30–90 minutes to Hollywood or Downtown depending on traffic. Burbank, Long Beach, Orange County and Ontario airports can be closer for some areas.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Los Angeles for first-time visitors?
Santa Monica. Santa Monica is the most practical beach base: the pier and Pacific Park, the pedestrian Third Street Promenade, Palisades Park on the bluffs and a bike path along the sand to Venice.
+Where should families stay in Los Angeles?
Santa Monica: Beach, pier and promenade within walking distance.
+Which area of Los Angeles is best for a budget stay?
Hollywood ($$): Walk of Fame, historic theatres and the main Metro line under the boulevard.