In Los Angeles, the area you sleep in decides your days. Our exclusive pick is a luxury beach house on the sand in Santa Monica; our accessible pick is a boutique hotel on Melrose Avenue, in the middle of the city. Prices are shown as a level, from $ to $$$$: rates move with the season and the room, so check the live price before you plan.
Shutters on the Beach
$$$$
Pick no. 1 · The standoutLuxurySanta Monica, on the sand south of the pier
Luxury beachfront hotel in the style of a Cape Cod beach house, with 10 room categories and 5 suites
Photos: Shutters on the Beach, official website. Shown courtesy of the property.
A Cape Cod-style beach house on the sand in Santa Monica, steps from the pier.
What convinced us is the position: a white-shuttered beach house right on the sand, with the ocean in front of the rooms and the pier, Main Street and the bike path a walk away. We would book an Ocean View room with a balcony, borrow the bikes included in the resort fee for a ride to Venice, and keep the evening for sunset drinks by the fire in the Living Room.
Best for
Couples
Beach lovers
Families with young children
Direct access to Santa Monica Beach, with the pier a short stroll along the sand
Ocean Front rooms in the Beach House, closest to the beach on floors 1 to 3
A heated pool with cabanas, ONE Spa and three restaurants with ocean views
What the hotel offers
As listed on the hotel’s own website.
Beach accessDirect access to Santa Monica Beach
Heated poolOutdoor pool, whirlpool, cabanas and towel service
ONE SpaMassages, facials and nails, with steam rooms; Tuesday to Sunday 9 am–5 pm
Fitness centerOpen 24 hours, with Technogym and Peloton equipment
Beach yogaWeekend yoga on the beach, included in the resort fee
1 PicoCoastal California and Southern Italian cooking; dinner and weekend brunch
Coast Beach Café & BarBreakfast, lunch, dinner and happy hour on the beach
The Living RoomCocktails, live music and fireplaces at sunset
Massage tubsMost rooms have a hydrothermal massage tub
House carAfternoon transfers within a 3-mile radius, in the resort fee
EV chargingComplimentary, in the resort fee
Dog-friendlyDogs up to 25 lbs, $125 per stay
Palihotel Melrose
$$$$
Pick no. 2 · The easy choiceBoutiqueMelrose shopping district, next to West Hollywood
Boutique hotel with 33 rooms and an Americana diner, on Melrose Avenue
Photos: Palihotel Melrose, official website. Shown courtesy of the property.
A 33-room boutique hotel with a brunch diner, in the middle of the Melrose shopping district.
What convinced us is the location for the price: a 33-room hotel on Melrose Avenue, with The Grove, the Sunset Strip and Rodeo Drive a walk or a short drive away, with reasonable parking and biscuits at breakfast. We would book a King Terrace for the private outdoor space and spend the evenings at the restaurants of the neighborhood.
Best for
Couples
Shoppers
Solo travellers
In the Melrose shopping district, with The Grove, the Beverly Center and the Sunset Strip a walk or short drive away
The Hart and The Hunter downstairs, an all-day brunch diner known for its butter biscuits
Gated garage parking at $25 a night, cheap by Los Angeles standards
What the hotel offers
As listed on the hotel’s own website.
The Hart and The HunterAll-day brunch daily, 7 am–3 pm; 10% off for hotel guests
CourtyardAn interior courtyard, also used for small events
Wi-FiComplimentary throughout the hotel
Fitness roomPeloton bikes and free weights, 7 am–10 pm
MinibarFully stocked, with a mini fridge in every room
Claw-foot tubIn the 620-square-foot Suite, with a large balcony
Ceiling fansIn every room, with 50-inch HDTV and Nespresso machine
Garage parkingGated self-parking, $25 plus tax per night
Dog-friendlyDogs under 30 lbs, $100 plus tax per stay
Neighborhood GuideThe front desk’s own edit of local addresses
Where to stay in Los Angeles, neighbourhood by neighbourhood
Los Angeles is a patchwork of cities connected by freeways, and traffic decides your day more than distance. Pick a base near what you will do most — the beach, the hills, or the studios — and plan one area per day. Times below are by car outside rush hour; at 5 pm, double them.
Santa Monica
Best for: first-timers, the beach, no car
The easiest place to stay in LA if you want to walk and bike. Good start or finish for a Highway 1 road trip.
You gain
The pier, the beach path to Venice, walkable streets, the Metro E Line to downtown; cooler sea air in summer.
You lose
Among the most expensive hotels in LA; a long drive to Hollywood and the studios.
Where should I stay in Los Angeles for a first visit?+
Santa Monica for the beach and walkability, or a central base near West Hollywood. Shutters on the Beach is on the sand in Santa Monica; Palihotel Melrose is on Melrose Avenue, close to West Hollywood, The Grove and the Sunset Strip. Read our Los Angeles travel guide
How far ahead should I book a hotel in Los Angeles?+
Book early for summer and holiday weekends, especially for ocean-facing rooms in Santa Monica. Use the See prices button of each hotel for live availability.
When is the best time to visit Los Angeles?+
The weather is good all year. Spring (March to May) and fall (September to November) avoid the summer haze and crowds. When to visit Los Angeles
How do I get from LAX to my hotel?+
Taxis and ride-hail pick up at the LAX-it lot, reached by a free shuttle from the terminals; another free shuttle goes to the LAX/Metro Transit Center for the train. Neither hotel lists an airport shuttle.
Which of the two hotels suits families?+
Shutters on the Beach: it is on the beach, has a heated pool, cribs and $50 rollaway beds, and kids’ menus in all its restaurants. Palihotel Melrose offers cribs but no rollaway beds.
How much does parking cost?+
Shutters on the Beach has valet parking only, $90 per night. Palihotel Melrose has a gated self-parking garage at $25 plus tax per night, with in-and-out privileges.
Can I book these hotels directly?+
Yes. The See prices button under Shutters on the Beach opens the hotel’s official website. For Palihotel Melrose it opens Trip.com, one of our booking partners. Both open in a new tab.
Picked by Kylian Dev. These are editorial picks: no hotel paid to be here, and we never describe a stay we did not make. Facts come from each hotel’s own website; the Trip.com buttons are partner links (how we make money).
