Where to stay in Los Angeles?

Santa monica: chic atmosphere by the beach

Theoretically a city, it's completely integrated into Los Angeles. Many travelers choose to stay here for its beautiful beach, upscale Californian ambience and convenient location.

The main attraction of the area is the magnificent beach, worthy of “Baywatch”. You can stroll along its charming seafront promenade to admire the famous pier and enjoy its relaxed yet chic atmosphere.

There's even a small amusement park, and if you choose to stay on site, you can rent bicycles to explore the seafront trails with relative ease. The town itself boasts a number of chic shopping streets, with upmarket restaurants and bars.

Another great feature of the area: it's served by the metro. In fact, the Expo streetcar line leads to Downtown, just east of Los Angeles. If you choose to stay in an accommodation close to a stop on this line, you won't need a car to reach the other tourist attractions.

Finally, a shuttle bus from the airport serves the area in 20 minutes. So it's also a good choice ofplace to stay if you want to do without a car.

The accommodation on offer is well-stocked, but let's be clear: hotels are expensive. This is the price we pay for the well-deserved success of this sector, which is our first recommendation for staying in Los Angeles by the Pacific. If your budget's a little tighter, you can head south, not far from the legendary Venice Beach, which we also mention in this guide.

For more information, check out our article on where to stay un Santa Monica, including a selection of accommodations.

Hollywood: accommodation close to tourist attractions

Historically a city in its own right, Hollywood, like many others, was absorbed into the growth of Los Angeles and became a district of the city.

The film industry developed here in the early 20th century, turning it into the blockbuster capital we know today. It's in this cinematic theme that most travelers visit or decide to stay in Hollywood.

The main center of attraction is the legendary Hollywood Boulevard, where you'll find, among other things:

• the Walk of Fame, emblazoned with the stars and names of the world's greatest movie stars
• Grauman's Chinese Theatre, one of the most emblematic buildings in Los Angeles, a vast cinema where most of the premieres are shown. You can even take advantage of a screening to see inside the theatre
• numerous souvenir stores and shopping malls of varying appeal

This doesn't necessarily justify staying there, but Hollywood is also close to two must-see attractions:

• the Universal Studios theme park, a one-of-a-kind park based on the company's blockbuster films
• theGriffith Observatory, perched atop a hill overlooking the vastness of L.A. and the famous “HOLLYWOOD” sign.

And many other attractions. Finally, there's West Hollywood, an important cultural center for the gay community and a great place to visit.

The area is quite large, but can be explored on foot. Allow half an hour from east to west to cross the interesting area. Alternatively, the subway's red line, Line B, serves the neighborhood. It will take you to Downtown and all its connections, or north to Universal Studios. Finally, the car is still king, and you'll find plenty of (paid) parking in the area.

As the area attracts many tourists, there are plenty of places to stay. Rates aren't too high compared to the attractiveness and general location of Los Angeles. So, if the beach isn't your first choice, Hollywood is our first recommendation for well-placed accommodation.

Venice beach: stay close to l.a.'s cool beach

While to the north lies the city's most chic beachfront, the Venice district, just below, is the cradle of Los Angeles' hippie culture.

Travelers come to stay in this area to enjoy a more festive, youthful and dynamic atmosphere. Accommodation rates are also more attractive, with less luxurious but more affordable choices of places to stay.

Visitors come for :

• Venice Beach, simply Venice Beach, is a great place to swim and stroll along the waterfront. There's also the famous Muscle Beach, full of body builders.
• see the canals of Venice, which gave their name to the district in homage (the American way) to the Italian city
• enjoy the main thoroughfare, Abbot Kinney Boulevard, with its many restaurants, bars and cool boutiques.

The whole area can be visited on foot, but if you choose to stay here, you'll need to rely on your car to get to other parts of the city. Hollywood, for example, is 30-40 minutes away by car (not counting possible traffic jams depending on the time of day). Public transport, on the other hand, is further north, and will be difficult to reach on foot. So it's best not to stay in the area without a car.

It's easy to find a place to stay in Venice, and the prices are quite attractive. Staying near the waterfront is not ideal, as it can be noisy and hectic.

Some parts of the area, further back, are also quieter. Just to the south, Marina del Ray is a much less busy marina. It's a great place to stay in a more secluded environment.

We therefore recommend staying in and around Venice Beach for those who want to enjoy the beach and a relaxed, even baba-cool atmosphere. And at reasonable rates.

Downtown: accommodation in the cultural heart of the city

Downtown is the historical and administrative center of Los Angeles, as well as its business district. Long shunned by visitors because of its decline, it has once again become an interesting area to visit and stay in, thanks to the many efforts made by City Hall to renovate the area and establish cultural venues.

With its excellent transport links, Downtown is a good choice for a place to stay during your stay.

One of the area's main attractions is its privileged position in the public transport network. In fact, the Metro Centre is where all the subway lines meet, either to the north and Hollywood, or to the west and the beaches. By choosing to stay in this part of the City of Angels, you'll be well placed to avoid car journeys.

In addition to its location, the area offers its own cultural attractions. In particular, the new Broad Museum, right next to the modern Walt Disney Concert Hall. But also:

• walk along Broadway, where you'll find numerous cinemas and Art Deco buildings, built in the 1930s before the avenue went out of fashion.
• discover the Arts District to the west, a major street art area where almost every street has a piece of street art on display
• and much, much more: this is the heart of America's second-largest city, and those who choose to spend the night here will be able to discover every nook and cranny!

Although Los Angeles doesn't have the reach of San Francisco, Downtown is a major artistic and cultural center. If you choose to stay here, you'll be able to enjoy it between 2 excursions.

When it comes to accommodation, there's plenty to choose from. However, the center is spread out. It's best to choose a hotel close to a metro station to take advantage of public transport. Similarly, avoid Skid Row, in the east, which is reputed to be a bit “dirty”.

Finally, you'll have no trouble finding dinner or a night out within walking distance with accommodation in the area.

Beverly hills: the place to stay like a star

The hills of Beverly Hills and Bel-Air, to the north of the city, are among the most exclusive residential areas in Los Angeles.

Home to the homes of the world's greatest movie stars, you can stay in luxury hotels and dream of a career in Hollywood... However, you'll need to prepare your accommodation budget accordingly.

There are a number of places of interest in the area, particularly along Sunset Boulevard, whose name evokes the golden age of Hollywood. In particular, fans will be able to pick up a map of the homes of the biggest stars. But don't expect to bump into Jay-Z or Beyoncé, who prefer to stay out of sight in their high-walled residences. In Bel-Air, on a different note, you'll find the Getty Center Museum, worth a visit in its own right for its rich collection of classical art.

Mainly residential areas, Beverly Hills and Bel-Air are not very well served by public transport. You'll have to rely on your car or a cab to get there and visit other parts of Los Angeles.

As mentioned above, accommodation is scarce and luxurious, reserved for the big names in Hollywood. It won't be easy to find a place to stay without stretching your budget.

Lax: spend the night on site, on arrival or on departure?

There's really no reason to stay at Los Angeles airport. In fact, the special feature of LAX is that it is integrated into the city, which has spread out all around it.

So you can easily find accommodation not far from the airport and enjoy Venice Beach, for example, less than 30 minutes away by car or cab.

However, there are some limited circumstances that may justify staying overnight. In the case of a late or very early flight, or if you want to leave Los Angeles quickly to visit the rest of the American West, you can stay one night, but no more. In this case, there are a number of hotels close by, or even in the airport itself, but without much interest.

Other districts of Los Angeles

The list of places to stay in Los Angeles proposed here is already long. However, there are still other interesting areas to stay in, which we must mention in passing in this guide:

• Westwood, home to the university, is a short drive from Bel-Air. It offers an American-style student campus atmosphere
• for beaches, Redondo Beach, further south, is magnificent and a little more isolated from tourists
• Korean Town, to the west of Downtown and south of Hollywood, is modern and well located.

As you can see, you're spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation in this immense metropolis, depending on your cultural, shopping and beach desires. And your budget!