Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Los Angeles is known for many things, not just the quite impressive list of gay hotels in Los Angeles that we’re going to dive into soon. Absolutely one of the most recognizable and iconic cities on the face of the planet, the city hosts an amazing array of cultures and is the focal point for many crucial industries.
Not only are there a lot of financially and artistically important locations in the city, but Hollywood and the city’s more colorful neighborhoods have also stood as rallying beacons for queer people all across the world for about as long as the suburbs have existed.
Many important battles for queer rights have been fought there, and, like several other population centers in California, the city has one of the US’s strongest histories of standing up for minority rights in general. Some estimations even have it that up to 40% of West Hollywood’s population identify as LGBT, and if that doesn’t sound like queer heaven for visitors to you, then it’s hard to think of anything that would.
It would be foolish to suggest that there is any one specific area of Los Angeles that caters to queer travelers above all others, given the experience that is visiting the city as a whole is bound to give, and thus it’s a much better idea to spread out and diversify rather than focus around one specific neighborhood in LA’s case.
There are always new things to discover, and – depending on where you stay in the city – each visit to Los Angeles can feel like you are arriving at a new place altogether. Be it in Elysian Park, Hollywood, Reseda, Sherman Oaks, or Van Nuys, queer travelers will always find attractive hotspots for letting their hair down, and there will always be more than enough bars and clubs to choose from for a wonderful night out on the town.
There’s something available for everyone, whether you’re here for the celebrities, the shiny beaches and promenades, the club and bar life, or if you want to enjoy a new city and a new traveling experience. Just look, and you will find the place perfectly suitable for you.
Before we move on, the usual disclaimer, obviously, in most cases, there aren’t going to be hotels out there marketed directly towards gay people or queer people in general. We know that, and therefore we’d like to note that the hotels on this list follow the same logic.
Most of them have been listed as accommodating, friendly, and unjudgmental to, for, and by queer people in general, as well as being highly rated in general.
So, with that said, it’s time to get out of the fancy outfits, spoof your makeup game, and get ready to make the best of the city of films and glamour. We’re going to LA, and – with just a little planning and help from our list of gay hotels in Los Angeles – it could very much be the best time of your life.
In this article we will cover...
Montrose West Hollywood
Starting strong and capable, Montrose West Hollywood is a great player when it comes to hotels in Los Angeles in general, not just those best suited for gay travelers. The rooms are stylish and well maintained as well as comfortable, the service is exactly what you’d expect from a Hollywood establishment – top notch – and the other benefits never seem to cease.
Also known as Montrose at Beverly Hills, you’re sure to find staying here an absolute pleasure. If you’re into sports or just looking for some healthy activity, this hotel even has a tennis court on the roof, which – coupled with a wonderful, scenic pool – makes for a divine evening experience.
But while your hotel’s amenities are extremely important, as is the attitude that the establishment has towards queer travelers, it’s also crucial to ensure that your location fills both your expectations when it comes to travel, walking times, and views and practical categories such as safety and closeness to any bars or clubs that you plan on exploring at night. This is where Montrose excels and where visitors can find the greatest success.
The Montrose’s neighborhood branches out onto the Sunset Strip, and it is also incredibly well known for harboring a bustling, colorful queer community that is sure to draw you in with its wide variety of bars, clubs, restaurants, and other fun locations to try out during your stay. And the best part is that all of this and more is available right at Montrose’s doorstep.
No matter what you’re looking for in a hotel, the Montrose West Hollywood is sure to have it, so long as you are interested in getting hands-on with its neighborhood and have travel solutions planned to get you around.
Andaz West Hollywood
Two West Hollywood gay hotels in a row! That says something about the prominent queer nature of the neighborhood, we suppose. When it comes to the Andaz specifically, however, there is much more to be said about it than simply the ground upon which it stands.
The Andaz is run by the Hyatt company – famous for managing some of the world’s most luxurious hotels – and it shows. Its rooms are massive, and every possible need is looked after – from expansive bathrooms that can include rain showers and marble baths depending on the room, amazing views from every suite, and even a valet on arrival who can bring your car to the door whenever you’d like.
Unwind in the pool while you unwind from the hot city days exploring the city outside. Grab something to eat and enjoy a night in at the in-house restaurant, which is highly rated on its behalf and run by well-renowned cooking teams, sure to make your mouth water with a unique set of ever-changing menus.
And all of this is without mentioning the superbly modern rooftop deck and pool. Set up with direct views of the most scenic parts of the city, including the infamous Hollywood sign and Beverly Hills, the Andaz’s roof has one of the best vantage points in the entire city, and you’ll find that it’s almost impossible to come down once you’ve relaxed up there for the first time and truly immersed yourself in the surroundings.
Regarding queer travelers, the Andaz West Hollywood is well known for having a wonderful commitment to LGBTQ+ rights and fully embraces its unofficial status as a gateway to the nearby artistic communities and queer neighborhoods. The Andaz truly knocks it out of the park!
Sunset Marquis LA
You came here looking for a gay hotel in Los Angeles to meet your needs, but what you find with the Sunset Marquis is a veritable paradise of luxury and relaxation.
Some establishments happen to nurture a good nightlife or are located in good neighborhoods for partying and exploring the cityscape, but it’s a rare few that embrace that kind of lifestyle and bring it to their guests with just as much zeal and passion as the bars and clubs themselves do.
Backed up by a colorful past of serving and supporting good vibes in West Hollywood for over sixty years and counting, the Sunset Marquis is not so much ‘in’ Hollywood as a crucial part of it.
This hotel isn’t cheap, but the money saved by its included services truly adds up. And that’s not to mention to beautiful setting and surroundings. There’s a dedicated restaurant that blows most standalone restaurants out of the water with its food quality and luxurious drink selection. There are two heated pools with a scenic outlook.
There’s an attached garden slash park, and the hotel is made of a set of classy, distinguished terraces. Downtown and the beach are both within easy reach, given that the hotel is snugly in between two of the best parts of the city and closely in touch with its beating heart. What’s there not to love?
Another one of the hotels on this list that have publicly declared itself as LGBTQ+-friendly, the Sunset Marquis LA, openly states its mission as one of acceptance and unbiased satisfaction and the quality of service shows in the hotel’s shining reviews and reception from queer travelers.
The Sunset Marquis’ rating is almost impossibly high on all the major platforms, which shows that intention truly does count in the end.
Hotel Figueroa
The last few hotels have been relatively expensive, we know. After all, it’s quite easy to succumb to the flash and glamor that LA carries so well. It’s not like we’ll leave out our travelers who are a bit more wallet-conscious, however, so we promise that we’ll go a little bit lighter on the pocket from here on out, starting with the Hotel Figueroa.
Though it’s certainly a step down in terms of price as promised, the Hotel Figueroa is nonetheless amazing, and one only needs to get a good look at the establishment’s interior to understand why.
Sleek, inspired, and stylish beyond belief, every moment spent inside is a gift to the eye, and the rooms’ outfitting certainly doesn’t skimp on being comfortable, superbly maintained, and well-rounded.
The hotel is home to an in-house Mediterranean restaurant, which includes an outdoor dining terrace and a bordering pool. There’s also a cocktail bar and a lounge for your relaxing and chatting needs. The Hotel Figueroa is also one of the only hotels on this list that is pet friendly, meaning that it’s a sure bet if you’re looking to bring one of your furry friends along for the ride.
Rooms in the Hotel Figueroa have wonderful city views, and the building is precise across the road from the famous Grammy Museum, meaning that there’s a touch of that star sparkle just outside your doorstep.
The Hotel is a staple of the city’s architecture and culture and has been that way for nearly one hundred years since it was opened in 1926 as a hostel. Today, they are an important cultural landmark and host events like weddings and business meetings. All the more versatility for you, no matter your holiday plans!
Freehand Hotel
While many other hotels and suites on this list may carry heavier price tags and sound fancier on paper, the Freehand Hotel’s strength comes from the sheer scale, size, and comprehensiveness of the rooms offered. If you’re looking for a larger or simply more comfortable space to spend your time in Los Angeles, the Freehand Hotel is the place for you.
On top of all of this, and as a more direct note to the Freehand Hotel’s attractiveness to queer travelers, the establishment is officially certified as LGBTQ+-friendly and proudly displays this fact on Google and in its actual physical premises.
What more to ask for than that? Well – a lot as one cannot sleep on a piece of paper or be content merely with accepting staff – but you can be well assured that the Freehand Hotel doesn’t disappoint in any way, especially regarding numbers.
Rooms here are incredibly cheap considering the top-notch and not at all ‘affordable’ feel that the Freehand Hotel has as a whole, and visitors are left with absolutely no question in their minds as to whether their money was well spent.
But now that we’ve discussed the inside, what is the outside like? The Freehand Hotel’s neighborhood fully embraces Los Angeles’ reputation for show life and shopping paradise, allowing easy access to the Grammy Museum and the Staples Center as well as a massive array of other businesses and notable locations that are all equally worth seeing.
It’s right in the middle of everything, and if you came to see Los Angeles in all its glory, this is the place to stay when looking to do it, even though the beaches are a little further away.
Le Parc Suite Hotel
Taking a step back against the city’s legendary hills and – unfortunately – a little up in the price range, the Le Parc Suite Hotel nonetheless delivers. It delivers and delivers and keeps delivering far beyond even the highest expectations.
While we’re all used to watching our wallets and scouring maps to determine where we decide to stay, it’s equally as important to consider the quality of our experience and how we will feel while we stay there.
After all, all money is wasted if it is not used on something that the person who spent it enjoys, and wasting a wonderful opportunity to explore Los Angeles would be truly cruel. Sometimes it’s just one of those occasions when style and taking care of yourself is more important than money.
The Le Parc Suite Hotel calls a different neighborhood home than the rest of the establishments on this list except for the Montrose West Hollywood, and – as we always say – this puts it in the range of a whole new world of opportunities and transport advantages.
There’s the Los Angeles County Museum of Art just a few blocks away, the Beverly Hills running adjacent, and even the other well-known attractions aren’t far away. The Santa Monica Pier is a one-road journey away through the city, as is the Sunset Strip.
The Le Parc Suite Hotel benefits from the same queer-openness as the Montrose West Hollywood does thanks to its lively location, but boasts an even more impressive range of amenities, ranging from an incorporated golf course – that’s right, a golf course – full kitchens in every room, absolutely splendid breakfast options, and a bar and restaurant combo that is more than capable of making even your nights spend eating and drinking in memorable.
The Tangerine
It’s got style; it’s got taste; it’s got attentive staff, and – most of all – it’s got a killer location that puts you right in the center of all the fun. Given that the hotel has a quirky, creative name that screams queer and fun, if anything, The Tangerine’s inclusion on this list should be no surprise.
Located a paltry six miles from the infamous Hollywood sign and with a radiant reputation when it comes to style and service decisions, the Tangerine Hotel is a favorite for all those who have tried it once and prides itself on feeling like a second home to its guests.
After all, what fun is exploring a foreign place if you’re going to be constantly uncomfortable and wishing you were home in your comfortable bed the entire time?
Not only does the Tangerine have a remarkably stylish inside – especially when one considers the relatively reasonable rates that the hotel asks – it also has a heated outdoor pool and a set of wonderful sitting and lounging areas, meaning that you’re not at all confined inside the hotel’s walls when you’re looking to relax and spend a bit of time gaining back the energy you lost on the hot streets outside.
But what hot streets are those, exactly, and what have they got going for them to make them especially hot? Well – you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that The Tangerine is quite literally just across the road from Warner Bros.
Studios, a few blocks from Universal Studios and only one turn away from the Los Angeles Zoo. Those names are maybe not the best for a casual walk around, but impressive, and there are more than enough equally interesting businesses to choose from on the other side of the city.
Hotel Shangri La
Crazy for the beach and an absolutely lovely neighborhood to explore during the day and evenings? Hotel Shangri La is the place for you and is perfect for those looking to embrace the sunny seaside culture of LA in general.
Boasting a positively inspired art-deco look that has been touched up and kept modern to a shining point, this gay hotel excels in just about everything, especially in style, comfort, and spectacular views both inside and outside of its walls.
The Santa Monica Pier is an arm’s reach away, meaning that there’s a healthy, happy beach quality to the air at all times, and the vast majority of the Shangri La’s rooms have a direct sea view. Enjoy a relaxing evening in your tastefully decorated room, some of which have full-size kitchens, or enjoy the other amenities that the hotel has to offer, such as its in-house restaurant, pool, bar, and fitness center.
The rooms have marble baths and positively lovely fittings, making for a positively luxurious experience that certainly makes the slightly large booking sum worth every cent. Not only that – as our queer travelers will want to know – but the hotel has a very strong relationship with gay rights and is rated just as highly in this particular regard as it is in every other quality!
Staying at the Hotel Shangri La even for a while is almost like making the world of Hollywood real for just a moment, bringing to life scenery and a lifestyle that most of us think to exist only in the movies, and providing a decadent base of operations for you to relax and unwind between trips to the beach, to the nearby bars and shopping opportunities, or just enjoying the wide range of services that the hotel has to offer.
Gay Hotel Map Of Los Angeles
Feeling a bit lost while planning your journey to Los Angeles? No worries, darling! Our detailed LGBTQ+ tailored map is here to guide you. We’ve pinpointed all the vibrant gay-friendly bars, exhilarating clubs, extravagant parties, cozy hotels, relaxing saunas, and soothing massage parlors to ensure you find the perfect spot.
And these aren’t just any spots; we’re talking about the creme de la creme of locations in the heart of the city’s vibrant gay scene. Think panoramic views, easy access to nightlife, and all the amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
But hold on to your feather boas! These hot spots are so fabulous they vanish quicker than a drag queen’s five o’clock shadow. Don’t delay; book now to secure the best deals and locations. Remember, the early bird catches the best deals in Los Angeles! So, pack your rainbow flag, and get ready to experience the ultimate gay-friendly holiday in Los Angeles.
