Centrally located
Free breakfast buffet
Mini-fridges and microwaves in rooms
Small fitness center with weight machines, free weights, and sauna
Outdoor pool
Children under 18 stay free in parents' room
Free, live nightly comedy in bar area
In-room business services, including computers, can be requested
Free Wi-Fi
On a busy street in a gritty area
Dark interiors in need of some updating
Daily fee for secured parking
Set outside the heart of Hollywood, the 130-room Hollywood Hotel can be a good deal for travelers who don't mind an urban setting. Gas stations, fast-food outlets, liquor stores, and a few shops selling medical marijuana are in the immediate vicinity, and homeless people sleeping on the streets are a frequent sight. But business travelers looking for reasonable rates and families on a budget (chilren under 18 stay for free), will find more than suitable accommodations. That said, the hotel isn't the most kid-friendly, and the gritty location may be too far removed from Hollywood's iconic destinations for some.
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Scene
Budget prices on a busy street
The Hollywood Hotel's tiled lobby gives way to dark, dated, hallways more reminiscent of a movie theater than a hotel, and only in part because of the movie posters framed on the walls. The general atmosphere is quiet, with some renovations going on during 2014. The hotel has an atrium garden and fountain, and offers nightly comedy acts in its bar and lounge area.
Location
In a gritty area between central Hollywood and Silverlake, but still close to attractions
Close to the heart of Hollywood, downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and the Burbank area, the Hollywood Hotel is centrally located but on a gritty stretch of North Vermont Avenue. Dining and nightlife are within walking distance, although to traverse some rundown urban blocks. The Hollywood Sign, Universal Studios, Mann's Chinese Theater, and the Walk of Fame are all short drives away. The hotel is on the Metro Red Line, linking it to the Greater Los Angeles Area. A bus also stops outside the hotel. Los Angeles International Airport is about a 30-45 minute drive, depending on traffic.
Rooms
Large modern rooms, some in need of updating
The rooms are more appealing and modern than the rest of the hotel's interiors. Attractive hardwood or tiled floors give the 130 rooms, which include a handful of suites, a modern look, though some have been better maintained than others. The mahogany or cherry furnishings are nice touches. Rooms facing the inner courtyard and lounge have semi-private balconies -- they're connected to other guests' balconies and separated from them only by small fences. These rooms are still preferable to those that face the street, which receive traffic noise. Microwaves, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, flat-screen TVs, massaging showerheads, and free Wi-Fi come standard.
Features
Outdoor pool and live comedy
The courtyard lounge features live nightly comedy on a small stage by the bar, where guests can catch local comedians trying out new material. An outdoor pool is a short distance from the hotel's front door, in a separate enclosed garden area with foliage dressing up an otherwise unattractive wall. There is a small but functional fitness center and sauna, as well as multiple meeting rooms available with on-site catering.
