Where to Stay in Los Angeles
The single biggest decision in LA is west side vs east side. West side (Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills) = beaches, better weather, pricier. East side (Silver Lake, Echo Park, DTLA) = food, music, cheaper. Hollywood sits in the middle.
| Neighborhood | Vibe | Hotel/night | Best for |
|---|
| Beverly Hills | Luxury, palm trees | $380-650 | Splurge, shopping |
| Santa Monica | Beach, walkable | $280-450 | First-timers, no-car trips |
| Venice | Bohemian, canals | $240-400 | Creatives, beach culture |
| West Hollywood | Nightlife, design | $260-440 | Nightlife, LGBTQ+ travelers |
| Downtown LA | Urban, arts | $180-320 | Food, culture, conferences |
| Silver Lake | Indie, hipster | $200-320 | Foodies, East Side vibe |
| Echo Park | Gritty-cool, music | $180-280 | Music fans, budget cool |
| Hollywood | Touristy, central | $160-280 | First-timers, attractions |
🧮
USA Trip Cost Calculator
Pick a neighborhood? Get a personalised USA trip budget in seconds.
Beverly Hills
Vibe: Palm-lined streets, manicured everything, Rolls Royces at valet. Quieter than you'd expect — residential calm just blocks from Rodeo Drive.
Best for: Splurge trips, honeymoons, shoppers, travelers who want the LA of Pretty Woman and don't blink at a $600 room rate.
Hotels: Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Wilshire, Peninsula, Montage. $380-650/night for the lesser rooms, $900+ for suites.
- Walk Rodeo Drive early morning before the crowds
- Eat: Spago, Nate'n Al deli for classic LA, Il Piccolino patio for people-watching
- Greystone Mansion & Gardens (free, beautiful)
- From LAX: 30-45 min by Uber ($55-80)
Santa Monica
Vibe: Pacific breezes, bike paths, the pier, an actual walkable downtown. Safe, sunny, and the easiest neighborhood to handle if you're not renting a car.
Best for: First-time visitors, beach trips, families, anyone who wants to do LA without a rental. Metro E Line runs to Downtown LA in 50 min.
Hotels: Shutters on the Beach, Shore Hotel, Fairmont Miramar, Sea Shore Motel (budget). $280-450/night for mid-range, $700+ for beachfront luxury.
- Santa Monica Pier + Pacific Park ferris wheel (classic photo)
- Rent bikes and ride the Marvin Braude path south to Venice (40 min)
- Eat: Father's Office burger, Tar & Roses, Sweetgreen HQ, Bay Cities Italian Deli
- From LAX: 20-30 min by Uber or the Big Blue Bus #3 ($1.25)
Venice
Vibe: Skate park, muscle beach, canals, street art, $18 matcha lattes next to genuine weirdos. Abbot Kinney Blvd is the shopping/dining spine.
Best for: Creatives, second-timers, design-minded travelers, anyone who finds Santa Monica too polished.
Hotels: Hotel Erwin (ocean views), Venice V, The Rose Hotel, Kinney Venice Beach. $240-400/night.
- Venice Canals — actual canals with footbridges, 10-min loop
- Eat: Gjelina, Gjusta bakery (morning only), Felix for pasta
- Abbot Kinney for indie boutiques and galleries
- From LAX: 15-25 min by Uber ($25-35)
West Hollywood
Vibe: Design District, Sunset Strip, rainbow crosswalks. The nightlife and LGBTQ+ center of LA, plus the best design and art showrooms in the city.
Best for: Nightlife, LGBTQ+ travelers, design and fashion lovers. Central for driving to Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Fairfax.
Hotels: Sunset Tower, The Edition, Pendry, 1 Hotel WeHo, Petit Ermitage. $260-440/night, premium rooftops available.
- Sunset Strip: The Comedy Store, Whisky a Go Go, the rooftop at EP & LP
- Eat: Catch LA, Craig's, Jon & Vinny's, Cecconi's
- Melrose Place and Melrose Ave shopping
- From LAX: 30-40 min by Uber ($45-60)
Downtown LA
Vibe: Art deco high-rises, converted warehouses, street-food markets, massive museums. The fastest-changing part of LA — and the most urban-feeling.
Best for: Food lovers, conference travelers, architecture fans, anyone using Metro to skip LA traffic.
Hotels: Ace Hotel DTLA, Hoxton, Proper, NoMad, Intercontinental at the Wilshire Grand. $180-320/night — LA's best 4-star value.
- Grand Central Market, Broad Museum, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Union Station
- Arts District: Bestia, Bavel, Hauser & Wirth gallery
- Metro B/D line from Union Station runs to Hollywood in 15 min
- From LAX: FlyAway bus direct to Union Station ($10, 45 min)
Silver Lake
Vibe: Hillside bungalows, the Silver Lake Reservoir loop, indie coffee every block. The original LA hipster neighborhood — now expensive but still great.
Best for: Foodies, second-timers, travelers who want an East Side base with less grit than Echo Park.
Hotels: Silver Lake Pool & Inn (chic small hotel) is the main option; most visitors stay in Airbnbs. $200-320/night.
- Walk the 2.2-mile Silver Lake Reservoir loop
- Eat: Sqirl, Pine & Crane, All Day Baby, Night + Market Song
- Sunset Junction shopping and LAMILL Coffee
- From LAX: 30-50 min depending on traffic ($40-60)
Echo Park
Vibe: Echo Park Lake, Dodger Stadium next door, tamale carts, dive bars, music venues. Grittier and cheaper than Silver Lake, with real character.
Best for: Music fans, budget-conscious travelers who still want East Side cool, Dodgers game-goers.
Hotels: Mama Shelter LA (best value cool-hotel in LA), a few boutique B&Bs. $180-280/night.
- Echo Park Lake paddle boats and the skyline view
- Eat: Guisados tacos, Ostrich Farm, Taix, Button Mash
- Live music: The Echo, Echoplex
- From LAX: 35-50 min by Uber ($45-65)
Hollywood
Vibe: Walk of Fame, tour buses, costumed characters on the boulevard. Touristy and rough in patches, but unbeatable for first-trip attraction access.
Best for: First-time visitors ticking off sights, travelers on a budget who still want central LA, fans of classic Hollywood history.
Hotels: Dream Hollywood, Thompson Hollywood, Tommie, Hollywood Roosevelt. $160-280/night for 3-star, $350+ for the nicer boutiques.
- Griffith Observatory at sunset — the Hollywood sign view
- Walk of Fame, TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Forever Cemetery (tours + concerts)
- Eat: Musso & Frank Grill (1919 institution), Yamashiro for the view
- From LAX: 30-50 min by Uber ($40-60); Metro B Line runs here from DTLA
🚗 Car tip: Don't rent a car for your whole LA trip if you're staying Santa Monica/Venice. Rent for 2 days mid-trip to hit Malibu, Griffith Park and museums, then return it.
Where to Stay in Los Angeles
The single biggest decision in LA is west side vs east side. West side (Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills) = beaches, better weather, pricier. East side (Silver Lake, Echo Park, DTLA) = food, music, cheaper. Hollywood sits in the middle.
| Neighborhood | Vibe | Hotel/night | Best for |
|---|
| Beverly Hills | Luxury, palm trees | $380-650 | Splurge, shopping |
| Santa Monica | Beach, walkable | $280-450 | First-timers, no-car trips |
| Venice | Bohemian, canals | $240-400 | Creatives, beach culture |
| West Hollywood | Nightlife, design | $260-440 | Nightlife, LGBTQ+ travelers |
| Downtown LA | Urban, arts | $180-320 | Food, culture, conferences |
| Silver Lake | Indie, hipster | $200-320 | Foodies, East Side vibe |
| Echo Park | Gritty-cool, music | $180-280 | Music fans, budget cool |
| Hollywood | Touristy, central | $160-280 | First-timers, attractions |
🧮
USA Trip Cost Calculator
Pick a neighborhood? Get a personalised USA trip budget in seconds.
Beverly Hills
Vibe: Palm-lined streets, manicured everything, Rolls Royces at valet. Quieter than you'd expect — residential calm just blocks from Rodeo Drive.
Best for: Splurge trips, honeymoons, shoppers, travelers who want the LA of Pretty Woman and don't blink at a $600 room rate.
Hotels: Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Wilshire, Peninsula, Montage. $380-650/night for the lesser rooms, $900+ for suites.
- Walk Rodeo Drive early morning before the crowds
- Eat: Spago, Nate'n Al deli for classic LA, Il Piccolino patio for people-watching
- Greystone Mansion & Gardens (free, beautiful)
- From LAX: 30-45 min by Uber ($55-80)
Santa Monica
Vibe: Pacific breezes, bike paths, the pier, an actual walkable downtown. Safe, sunny, and the easiest neighborhood to handle if you're not renting a car.
Best for: First-time visitors, beach trips, families, anyone who wants to do LA without a rental. Metro E Line runs to Downtown LA in 50 min.
Hotels: Shutters on the Beach, Shore Hotel, Fairmont Miramar, Sea Shore Motel (budget). $280-450/night for mid-range, $700+ for beachfront luxury.
- Santa Monica Pier + Pacific Park ferris wheel (classic photo)
- Rent bikes and ride the Marvin Braude path south to Venice (40 min)
- Eat: Father's Office burger, Tar & Roses, Sweetgreen HQ, Bay Cities Italian Deli
- From LAX: 20-30 min by Uber or the Big Blue Bus #3 ($1.25)
Venice
Vibe: Skate park, muscle beach, canals, street art, $18 matcha lattes next to genuine weirdos. Abbot Kinney Blvd is the shopping/dining spine.
Best for: Creatives, second-timers, design-minded travelers, anyone who finds Santa Monica too polished.
Hotels: Hotel Erwin (ocean views), Venice V, The Rose Hotel, Kinney Venice Beach. $240-400/night.
- Venice Canals — actual canals with footbridges, 10-min loop
- Eat: Gjelina, Gjusta bakery (morning only), Felix for pasta
- Abbot Kinney for indie boutiques and galleries
- From LAX: 15-25 min by Uber ($25-35)
West Hollywood
Vibe: Design District, Sunset Strip, rainbow crosswalks. The nightlife and LGBTQ+ center of LA, plus the best design and art showrooms in the city.
Best for: Nightlife, LGBTQ+ travelers, design and fashion lovers. Central for driving to Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Fairfax.
Hotels: Sunset Tower, The Edition, Pendry, 1 Hotel WeHo, Petit Ermitage. $260-440/night, premium rooftops available.
- Sunset Strip: The Comedy Store, Whisky a Go Go, the rooftop at EP & LP
- Eat: Catch LA, Craig's, Jon & Vinny's, Cecconi's
- Melrose Place and Melrose Ave shopping
- From LAX: 30-40 min by Uber ($45-60)
Downtown LA
Vibe: Art deco high-rises, converted warehouses, street-food markets, massive museums. The fastest-changing part of LA — and the most urban-feeling.
Best for: Food lovers, conference travelers, architecture fans, anyone using Metro to skip LA traffic.
Hotels: Ace Hotel DTLA, Hoxton, Proper, NoMad, Intercontinental at the Wilshire Grand. $180-320/night — LA's best 4-star value.
- Grand Central Market, Broad Museum, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Union Station
- Arts District: Bestia, Bavel, Hauser & Wirth gallery
- Metro B/D line from Union Station runs to Hollywood in 15 min
- From LAX: FlyAway bus direct to Union Station ($10, 45 min)
Silver Lake
Vibe: Hillside bungalows, the Silver Lake Reservoir loop, indie coffee every block. The original LA hipster neighborhood — now expensive but still great.
Best for: Foodies, second-timers, travelers who want an East Side base with less grit than Echo Park.
Hotels: Silver Lake Pool & Inn (chic small hotel) is the main option; most visitors stay in Airbnbs. $200-320/night.
- Walk the 2.2-mile Silver Lake Reservoir loop
- Eat: Sqirl, Pine & Crane, All Day Baby, Night + Market Song
- Sunset Junction shopping and LAMILL Coffee
- From LAX: 30-50 min depending on traffic ($40-60)
Echo Park
Vibe: Echo Park Lake, Dodger Stadium next door, tamale carts, dive bars, music venues. Grittier and cheaper than Silver Lake, with real character.
Best for: Music fans, budget-conscious travelers who still want East Side cool, Dodgers game-goers.
Hotels: Mama Shelter LA (best value cool-hotel in LA), a few boutique B&Bs. $180-280/night.
- Echo Park Lake paddle boats and the skyline view
- Eat: Guisados tacos, Ostrich Farm, Taix, Button Mash
- Live music: The Echo, Echoplex
- From LAX: 35-50 min by Uber ($45-65)
Hollywood
Vibe: Walk of Fame, tour buses, costumed characters on the boulevard. Touristy and rough in patches, but unbeatable for first-trip attraction access.
Best for: First-time visitors ticking off sights, travelers on a budget who still want central LA, fans of classic Hollywood history.
Hotels: Dream Hollywood, Thompson Hollywood, Tommie, Hollywood Roosevelt. $160-280/night for 3-star, $350+ for the nicer boutiques.
- Griffith Observatory at sunset — the Hollywood sign view
- Walk of Fame, TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Forever Cemetery (tours + concerts)
- Eat: Musso & Frank Grill (1919 institution), Yamashiro for the view
- From LAX: 30-50 min by Uber ($40-60); Metro B Line runs here from DTLA
🚗 Car tip: Don't rent a car for your whole LA trip if you're staying Santa Monica/Venice. Rent for 2 days mid-trip to hit Malibu, Griffith Park and museums, then return it.