Where to Stay in Los Angeles: Best Neighborhoods & Hotels

The Best Neighborhoods to Stay in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is simply enormous! But where should you stay in this massive city?

We’ll walk you through the best neighborhoods to stay in Los Angeles and give you hotel recommendations for each one. For a quick first impression, here’s a fast overview.

These are the 4 neighborhoods in Los Angeles we recommend for your stay:

• Downtown Los Angeles: ideal for your first visit to Los Angeles.
• Hollywood: our pick for budget travelers and, of course, movie fans.
• Venice Beach: L.A.’s trendiest neighborhood with a more alternative vibe.
• Santa Monica: right on the water, great for those who prefer a quieter pace.

Yes, we know that Santa Monica isn’t officially part of Los Angeles — but it’s a fantastic place to stay, so it absolutely belongs on this list.

The Best Neighborhoods to Stay in Los Angeles on a Map

To help you get your bearings, we’ve put together a map showing the best areas to stay in Los Angeles along with the city’s most important attractions.

Staying in Downtown Los Angeles

A hotel in Downtown Los Angeles is right for you if it’s your first time in L.A., you want to stay centrally, and you plan to do a lot of sightseeing.

Staying in Downtown puts you in the heart of the city. This was once the historic city center, and today it’s lined with massive skyscrapers and seriously impressive architecture.

Downtown is home to many of L.A.’s top highlights and museums — including the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, the MOCA Museum of Contemporary Art, and much more. Almost everything is within walking distance.

There’s always something going on: events, live concerts, and festivals. The neighborhood has a great selection of cool cafés and international restaurants. And if you want to party, you’ll always find a club.

Downtown also has a wide variety of stylish hotels and is one of the safest areas in Los Angeles — another big plus for first-timers figuring out where to stay.

Advantages of staying in Downtown:

• close to Los Angeles attractions and a rich cultural scene
• lots of restaurants, cafés, and clubs
• wide selection of great hotels
• good connections to Hollywood via Metro (Red Line)

Disadvantages of staying in Downtown:

• can get noisy at night
• you’ll need public transit to get to Hollywood

Our Hotel Picks for Downtown

Staying in Hollywood

A hotel in Hollywood is right for you if you want to keep costs down and be close to Los Angeles’s top attractions.

You’ve definitely heard of Hollywood, the dream factory. But the neighborhood isn’t nearly as glamorous as the movies would have you believe — and that’s actually good news, because you’ll find some of the most affordable accommodation in Los Angeles right here.

The biggest advantage is obvious: you’re super close to L.A.’s must-sees, like the Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Bowl, the Griffith Observatory, Universal Studios, and the Hollywood Sign.

The infrastructure is excellent too: shopping, restaurants, and bars — everything you need is right there.

That said, Hollywood is also very touristy and loud. Like any major tourist hotspot, use your common sense and watch out for pickpockets. Other than that, it’s a perfectly safe neighborhood and a solid base for exploring Los Angeles.

With the hop-on/hop-off bus in Los Angeles, you can hit all the major highlights in a short amount of time without having to navigate on your own — perfect for getting a quick overview of L.A.

Advantages of staying in Hollywood:

• affordable accommodation
• super close to L.A.’s highlights
• lots of restaurants, bars, and shops

Disadvantages of staying in Hollywood:

• very touristy
• noise well into the night
• not on the beach

Our Hotel Picks for Hollywood

Staying in Venice

A hotel in Venice is right for you if you want to stay in a hip, creative corner of Los Angeles with great restaurants and cafés right on the beach.

Venice is L.A.’s coolest, most alternative neighborhood! When we think of Venice, we picture skaters on the boardwalk, street art and street performers, the smell of salty sea air, and the lingering spirit of old-school hippies from the 1970s.

There’s an incredible number of cool cafés and trendy bars — perfect for a cold beer in the evening. Venice is also right on the beach, and that alone is a major selling point.

On the flip side, Venice can feel a little superficial — it’s very much a see-and-be-seen kind of place. But honestly, sitting at a café and people-watching is a kind of sightseeing in itself.

Along the boardwalk, you can also do some great souvenir shopping.

Advantages of staying in Venice:

• right on the beach
• cool cafés, bars, and restaurants
• laid-back, alternative atmosphere

Disadvantages of staying in Venice:

• very touristy
• a lot of focus on appearances
• pricey accommodation

Our Hotel Picks for Venice

Staying in Santa Monica

We recommend a hotel in Santa Monica to anyone who loves the ocean and prefers a more relaxed pace.

Santa Monica is technically its own city — and perhaps that’s why it feels so much quieter than the center of Los Angeles. It’s also one of the safest areas in the region.

The biggest draw: Santa Monica sits right on the ocean with a seemingly endless sandy beach — one of the most iconic beaches in Los Angeles.

That’s largely thanks to the famous Santa Monica Pier. This landmark features an amusement park with a roller coaster, Ferris wheel, carnival games, and food stands perched right over the water. You’ve probably spotted the pier in more than a few movies.

The trade-off: since you’re close to the ocean, you’ll have a longer commute to the city center’s attractions. Via the Metro’s Expo Line, you’re looking at at least 45 minutes to Downtown.

Advantages of staying in Santa Monica:

• amusement park at Santa Monica Pier
• right on the ocean
• quiet atmosphere, very safe

Disadvantages of staying in Santa Monica:

• farther from the classic L.A. highlights
• expensive hotels

Our Hotel Picks for Santa Monica