The Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood
Photo credit: Hilton Garden Inn

The updated Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood is right on Highland Avenue, just a block from Hollywood Blvd and within walking distance of all the tourist hot spots in Hollywood.

It’s a short walk from the Hollywood Bowl. You can easily walk to the metro to get downtown right at the fancy outdoor shopping plaza at Hollywood and Highland or walk to the world famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (now the TCL Chinese Theatre) and Dolby Theater, or even take the metro one stop to Universal Studios. The hotel is also just a short walk, drive or commuter trek from many prominent names and attractions, including Disney/DreamWorks Studios, Sony, Capitol Records, Warner Brothers, Eastman Kodak, Deloitte & Touche, and Coca-Cola. Shintaro, one of the best sushi joints (so fresh) in LA is literally a short walk down the road and across the street in a run down shopping plaza with tight parking. If you feel like getting a real neighborhood experience with homes full of character, just walk up Hillcrest near the hotel and meander up the winding roads to view the home gardens, architectural designs, and city views. Also, the Hollywood Museum and the Hollywood Wax Museum are close by—and the hotel just so happens to have a wax figure in the lobby from the Wax Museum of the gym teacher from the hit show Glee.

I was pleasantly surprised by how clean and hip they’ve made this basic hotel. The pool and jacuzzi in the back are adjacent to a steep canyon where they have neatly put a small version of the Hollywood sign. My friend and I were basically the only ones there around 4 pm, so it was like having a private pool. I happen to live above the hotel and can look down on it when I take a walk around my neighborhood. A fitness center is also available.

Room at the Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood
Photo credit: Hilton Garden Inn

The Hilton Garden Inn seems to cater to foreigners, families and tourists, as was evident coming in and out of the lobby and elevators. It’s a very basic hotel, with free Wi-Fi, and does not seem like the type where you’re going to get a “scene,” or find the Hollywood crowd coming to party. The rooms were super clean and cozy and I was pleasantly surprised to find Bath & Body Works products in the bathroom. Each guest room has an ergonomically designed desk and 37-inch HDTV. The Serta Perfect Sleeper bed was comfortable, but the pillows were too squishy/flat for me.

The bar was dead around 6 pm when we grabbed a drink before our night at the Hollywood Bowl. The bartender didn’t have several items necessary for drinks we ordered off the menu, but he did a fantastic job of making some healthy tasting cocktails.

I didn’t hear much noise at night while sleeping, but then again I was there on a Sunday night. My room also looked at the pool and was not on the hectic, always-congested Highland Avenue side. The windows did not open, which I assume was for safety reasons being up so high. The daily breakfast buffet in the morning offered a good selection of choices, like eggs to-order and French toast. Later on, you can grab a meal at the Great American Grill®, which has a special menu for the kids, or order freshly prepared meals from room service. Midnight snacks are also available at the 24-hour Pavilion Pantry.

Lobby entrance and reception at the Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood
Hilton Garden Inn Hollywood lobby (Photo credit: Hilton Garden Inn)

Pets are not allowed, unless they are service animals. Valet parking is available for $32. Starting at $190 a night, this hotel is not cheap, but it seems that people are staying here more for the location than for the fancy amenities. The hotel has received the 2013 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award, an honor  awarded to establishments that achieve outstanding traveler reviews on TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site.

Special offers can also be found on their site. Click here to learn more about their Romance Package or their Bed N’ Breakfast Deal. If you want to hit all the spots in Hollywood, the Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood is a great place to stay.

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Poolside behind the hotel – Mollie Meyer with the author (Photo credit: Melissa Curtin)

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