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Where to Stay in Los Angeles (2026): The Best Areas, 12 Hotels and a Hotel Tax That Changes by City

By Casey, Gently Yonder editor

Santa Monica, Venice, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Downtown and El Segundo: 12 hotels, hotel tax of 12% to 15% plus assessments, and LAX links by Metro and bus.

Last updated · 14 min read

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In this guide13 sections
  1. The short answer
  2. Los Angeles hotel taxes in 2026
  3. Getting in from LAX, and around
  4. Santa Monica: the pier and the beach
  5. Venice: the Boardwalk
  6. Hollywood: the Walk of Fame
  7. West Hollywood: the Sunset Strip
  8. Downtown: the rail hub
  9. El Segundo: by the airport
  10. How to book Los Angeles
  11. All 12 at a glance
  12. Before you go
  13. Frequently asked questions

A Los Angeles hotel bill depends on which city the hotel stands in. The City of Los Angeles, which covers Downtown, Hollywood and Venice, charges 14%; Santa Monica charges 15%, West Hollywood 12.5% and El Segundo 12%, and some add a district assessment. On a $300 room that is between $336 and $352.25 a night, by our arithmetic below, before any daily resort fee. The larger cost is distance: the sights are spread out, so where you stay decides how much of the trip you spend in transit.

This guide covers six areas, from Santa Monica to El Segundo, 12 hotels, the airport links and the taxes. The hotels are researched picks, chosen for location, what each property publishes and consistent guest feedback, and each was checked as operating in October 2026. No hotel pays to appear here.

The short answer

If you want… Stay in Why
a first trip, with the pier and the beach on foot Santa Monica The pier, Third Street Promenade and the E Line to Downtown
a boardwalk and a beach-town feel Venice The Boardwalk, with Santa Monica a ride along the coast
the Walk of Fame and old Hollywood Hollywood Hollywood Boulevard, with the B Line to Union Station
restaurants and nightlife West Hollywood The Sunset Strip, in a city with its own tax
trains, museums and the arena Downtown The rail hub, with Union Station and the FlyAway bus
an early flight or a late landing El Segundo One mile from LAX, by the hotel’s own count

Not sure which area? Rank these areas for your trip: pick what matters and see the reasons.

A cluster of tall towers in the distance, hazy, above a wide plain of low buildings and trees
Downtown Los Angeles in the distance, above the low city around it. Photo: Mark Direen / Pexels

Los Angeles has no single centre. Metro’s own times show the scale: Downtown to the airport’s Metro station is about 45 to 55 minutes by rail, and Downtown Santa Monica 55 to 60. Santa Monica and Downtown are on Metro’s E Line and Hollywood on the B Line; Venice, West Hollywood and El Segundo mean buses, rides or a car. Plan one area a day.

Los Angeles hotel taxes in 2026

Each city sets its own rate:

City Hotel tax Added assessment
City of Los Angeles (Downtown, Hollywood, Venice) 14% of the room rate Hotels of 50 or more rooms: a Tourism Marketing District assessment, 2% under the district’s 2025–2034 plan
Santa Monica 15% A Tourism Marketing District assessment per room night, set by the hotel’s average rate
West Hollywood 12.5% 3% Tourism Improvement District assessment, which may be passed on
El Segundo 12% None listed on the city’s page

The Office of Finance states the 14% rate. The Tourism Marketing District is a hotel assessment, not a tax: its 2025 to 2034 plan, filed with the City Clerk, sets an initial rate of 2% for hotels of 50 or more rooms, lets the district raise it to 3%, and says an assessment passed on to guests must be shown separately. Santa Monica’s 2026 rates are $2.30 a room night for hotels averaging $100 to $199.99, $6.25 for $200 to $299.99, and $7.25 above $300.

What changed in 2026. On 2 June Los Angeles voters rejected Proposition TT, which would have raised the city rate from 14% to 16% through 2028; the certified count was 364,855 yes and 409,260 no, so 14% stands. Proposition TC, on online travel companies, passed 451,741 to 331,644; we have not found whether it changes what a guest pays.

Our arithmetic for a $300 room, if the hotel passes it all on:

Daily fees. Many hotels add a daily destination, amenity or resort fee; check the hotel’s own. Hotel Casa del Mar’s guide lists a $60 resort fee plus 15% tax, on top of nightly district charges of $7.25, $1.75 and $2.00. The Hollywood Roosevelt lists a $37 destination fee inclusive of tax, Hotel Figueroa a $35 amenity fee plus tax, and Chamberlain West Hollywood $40 plus taxes and a separate $10 city worker protection fee. The pages we read for Hotel Erwin, Sea Blue Hotel and Magic Castle Hotel list none.

Getting in from LAX, and around

Santa Monica: the pier and the beach

Santa Monica is its own city, with the pier and Pacific Park, Third Street Promenade and a long beach below Palisades Park. It suits a trip without a car best: the E Line runs to Downtown, and the pier, the Promenade and the sand are on foot from the hotels below. Its base tax is the highest here, 15%.

A pier on wooden legs with a Ferris wheel and rides, above a beach with people walking on the sand and waves breaking
Santa Monica Pier from the beach. Photo: Clément Proust / Pexels

Where to stay in Santa Monica

How the hotel links work: a hotel’s name goes to its own website. “Check rates” opens it on Booking.com through our partner Stay22, which pays us a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.

Venice: the Boardwalk

A paved beachfront walk lined with palm trees, with people walking past shops, scooters and sandwich boards
The Venice Beach boardwalk. Photo: Darya Sannikova / Pexels

Venice is part of the City of Los Angeles, so the 14% rate applies. Its centre is the Boardwalk, with its stalls, Muscle Beach and skatepark. There is no rail here; Metro’s Line 33 runs between Santa Monica and Downtown by way of Venice Boulevard, and Hotel Erwin puts LAX about 7 miles away.

Where to stay in Venice

Hollywood: the Walk of Fame

Pink stars set in a dark paved sidewalk at a street corner, with a street sign reading Wilcox and shopfronts beyond
Walk of Fame stars on Hollywood Boulevard. Photo: Darya Sannikova / Pexels

Hollywood is the old film district, with the Walk of Fame along Hollywood Boulevard. It is the base for Universal Studios too: Magic Castle Hotel’s site says the studios are one Metro stop away, and the B Line runs on to Union Station.

Where to stay in Hollywood

West Hollywood: the Sunset Strip

A busy road below tall billboards on a dark apartment building, with a vertical sign reading The Sunset Strip
Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip. Photo: Abhishek Navlakha / Pexels

West Hollywood is a small city of its own, with the restaurants, bars and billboards of the Sunset Strip along Sunset Boulevard. It has its own tax, 12.5% plus a 3% district assessment, and buses to Downtown, but no train; most visitors rely on rides.

Where to stay in West Hollywood

Downtown: the rail hub

Downtown is the base with the most trains: Union Station, the FlyAway bus and the E Line’s 7th St/Metro Center all sit here. It is offices, museums and hotels rather than beaches, in the City of Los Angeles at 14%.

Where to stay Downtown

El Segundo: by the airport

A white jet airliner in flight between four tall palm trees under a grey sky
A jet on approach to LAX. Photo: Ramaz Bluashvili / Pexels

El Segundo is a separate city beside the airport, with the lowest base tax here, 12%. It suits a late arrival, an early flight or an event at SoFi Stadium or the Intuit Dome, but not sightseeing: Hilton puts the Santa Monica Pier 9.5 miles from its hotel here.

Where to stay in El Segundo

How to book Los Angeles

All 12 at a glance

Hotel Area Tier Best for Watch out for
Hotel Casa del Mar Santa Monica Splurge The beach at the door $60 resort fee
Santa Monica Proper Hotel Santa Monica Comfortable A design hotel by the Promenade $90 valet parking
Sea Blue Hotel Santa Monica Good value The pier for less Limited parking, $33 a night
Hotel Erwin Venice Comfortable A balcony over the beach $60 valet parking
Samesun Venice Beach Venice Budget Keeping money for the trip Shared dorm rooms
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hollywood Comfortable History and the pool $37 destination fee, $79 parking
Magic Castle Hotel Hollywood Good value Extras at a fair price Club access on direct bookings
Sunset Tower Hotel West Hollywood Splurge Glamour on the Strip No fee table on its pages
Chamberlain West Hollywood West Hollywood Comfortable A suite off the Strip $40 amenity fee plus $10 city fee
Hotel Figueroa Downtown Good value History near the arena $35 amenity fee plus tax
The Hoxton, Downtown LA Downtown Comfortable A rooftop pool on Broadway $66 valet parking
Hampton Inn & Suites LAX-El Segundo El Segundo Good value A night by the airport Sights a ride away

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

What is the best area to stay in Los Angeles for a first trip?

Santa Monica suits a first trip best without a car: the pier, Third Street Promenade and the beach are on foot from the hotels, and Metro's E Line runs to Downtown. Choose Hollywood for the Walk of Fame, West Hollywood for restaurants and nightlife, and Downtown for the trains.

How much is the hotel tax in Los Angeles?

It depends on the city. The City of Los Angeles, which covers Downtown, Hollywood and Venice, charges 14%, and hotels of 50 or more rooms also pay a 2% Tourism Marketing District assessment that may be passed on. Santa Monica charges 15%, West Hollywood 12.5% plus a 3% assessment, and El Segundo 12%. On a $300 room that is between $336 and $352.25 a night.

How do you get from LAX to your hotel?

Taxis and ride apps pick up at LAX-it, beside Terminal 1, a 3 to 8 minute walk from Terminals 1 and 7 or a free shuttle ride from the arrivals level. By rail, a free shuttle runs every 10 minutes to the LAX/Metro Transit Center, then Metro costs $1.75 a ride. The FlyAway bus to Union Station or Van Nuys is $12.75 one way.

Do you need a car in Los Angeles?

Not always, but the sights are spread out. Santa Monica and Downtown sit on Metro's E Line and Hollywood on the B Line, but Venice, West Hollywood and El Segundo mean buses, rides or a car. By Metro's count the rail trip from Downtown to the airport station takes about 45 to 55 minutes.

Did Los Angeles raise its hotel tax in 2026?

No. On 2 June 2026 voters rejected Proposition TT, which would have raised the city rate from 14% to 16% through 2028; the certified count was 364,855 yes to 409,260 no. A separate measure about online travel companies, Proposition TC, passed.

Do Los Angeles hotels charge resort fees?

Many add a daily fee, so check the hotel's own. Hotel Casa del Mar lists a $60 resort fee plus 15% tax, The Hollywood Roosevelt a $37 destination fee inclusive of tax, Hotel Figueroa a $35 amenity fee plus tax, and Chamberlain West Hollywood $40 plus taxes and a $10 city worker protection fee.

Sources & further reading

Prices, fares and hotel terms change. Every detail here was checked in October 2026; confirm rates, room types, fees and cancellation terms with the hotel before booking. These are researched picks, not reviews. This article contains affiliate links: hotel rates on Booking.com and other booking sites through Stay22, and tours, transfers and eSIMs through our partners; if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. No hotel pays to be included.

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