Summary:
A budget accommodation with a positive vibe, reasonable breakfast included, safe & vivid location, free parking.
Here is a video I made about the Hollywood City Inn motel in Los Angeles:
Please note:
I stayed in this place during September 2018.
Pros:
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Overall atmosphere - The place is calm, and you can lay back with a positive vibe. Though it’s not a fancy place, it has its magic.
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“Diversified style” of accommodation - The motel is a complex that is consisted of two separate buildings – one is “conventional” with 2 floors, and the second is a 2-floors compound around the swimming pool. I was told the rooms are identical in both buildings, but I guess you can choose in which one to stay.
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The room was relatively comfortable and clean – When it comes to a motel, I expect the rooms to be practical, and I admit it fulfilled this requirement. I stayed in a room with 2 queen beds, that were convenient overall. The room was spacious, excluding the tiny bath/toilet (but at least it was private). It had TV with cable, mini-fridge, digital alarm-watch, air conditioning and a microwave. The room was cleaned daily and I felt convenient staying there during my visit. I received clean towels and free toiletries daily
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Breakfast included – Though the breakfast was basic it was satisfying, and the staff renewed the inventory when needed (except a specific incident that I will explain about later). The highlights were the bananas and the large variety of donuts (most of them were fresh).
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Free WiFi – I didn’t mention that in the video, but the WiFi worked well, fast with no disconnections.
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Free parking - LA is a big city with many attractions, so it’s recommended to travel across the city with a car. That’s why I appreciated that visitors of the motel enjoy free parking. The only thing you should keep in mind is that the parking is subject to availability.
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Outdoor swimming pool – This is the main attraction this motel has to offer. It was clean and inviting for swimming or even just to sit next to it, and I noticed that it was maintained daily.
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The balcony next to the swimming pool – This is another great spot for eating or working with your laptop, but I should emphasize it is prone to mess and noise due to uncivilized visitors, so it can cause a headache for those staying in the neighboring rooms.
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Laundry machines – During this trip I realized how important it is to have a place to wash your laundry for a reasonable price.
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The location – This is a subjective issue, but you should know the area is relatively safe, especially at night. It is located 3-minutes walk away from the north-western part of Sunset Blvd and there are many restaurants and stores near-by so this is a vivid area. The closest attraction is the “Walk of Fame” which is about 15 walk from the motel. Other attractions to give you indication how far they are from the motel:
- 15 minutes drive from the Hollywood Sign
- 50 minutes drive from Venice beach
- 1-hour drive from Disneyland
Cons:
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The breakfast section might get crowded - The breakfast is served in the same space as the reception/office. I found this section too crowded during breakfast, so I advise to arrive early if you want to “avoid traffic”. What I did when there were many people in the breakfast section was to take the food & drinks and went to sit next to the swimming pool or the balcony.
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The room’s design – I didn’t expect much, especially because this is a motel and not a hotel, but the dark colors in my room reminded me a brothel and were a total contradiction to what’s going outside.
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The room’s maintenance – In the specific room I stayed in, the door’s locking mechanism was missing, and the water dripped from both the shower and the faucet, and I had to stand very close to the shower head for the stream to reach me.
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Receptionists aren’t “tourism oriented” – The only time they gave me recommendations was during check-in about possible tours around LA, with a specific company the motel has an agreement with. After seeing the people who signed up for this tour, I realized I was lucky not going for it. Thus, I wouldn’t count on the staff’s recommendations on things to do.
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Staff efficiency – I guess this is related to the “laid back” atmosphere, but everything is very slow. When I checked in, the room was not fully ready, and though it took several minutes to sort this issue, I noticed that the cleaning staff “take their time” when cleaning the place.
Another issue occurred during one breakfast, when there was a “donuts shortage”, because the supply didn’t arrive on time, and the receptionist didn’t know when it would arrive (but it was settled eventually).
Here are some photos I took of the Hollywood City Inn motel in Los Angeles:
