Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood

2005 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, California 90068, USA
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Why We Like It

Even with a less than ideal location, the Hilton Garden Inn is a fun and friendly hotel with a great pool, kick-ass happy hour, and really solid restaurant. Families will enjoy the easy access to the metro and attractions along Hollywood Boulevard, while bar- and club-hoppers will enjoy a drive-free area so they can stumble back without care. The traffic outside is literally the worst, but walking around is easy and the hotel staff are great with helping you figure out the best things to do with your time in the city.

Fodor's Expert Review

Located on a busy stretch of Highland Avenue, the Hilton Garden Inn is perfectly situated to enjoy the fruits of Hollywood while being able to get to other parts of the city with close freeway and metro access. A sociable hotel, the property attracts a mix of Hollywood bar hoppers, family vacationers, and even corporate travelers during the week. Right in the heart of the action, this hotel is ideal if you like the hustle and bustle of LA’s chaotic days and nights.

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Room

Every room in the hotel features either two queens or one king bed and there are no suites. Amenities include Keurig coffeemakers, ergonomic desk chairs, room service, and free Wi-Fi. Ask for a room on an upper floor for either views of the busy street or the pool behind the hotel.

Tip The windows have triple pane glass which virtually blocks all the street noise down below.

Bathroom

Bathrooms are appointed with hardwood floors and tight shower/tub combos. The hotel uses Neutrogena bath products.

Lobby

Upon entering the hotel, guests are met by a Madame Tussauds life-size wax figure of Denzel Washington. Beyond that, there are orange and green leather chairs and couches, a fireplace, and a giant interactive touch screen that gives you info about things to do and places to eat and drink in the area (maybe wash your hands after playing around with this).

Pool

In the back of the hotel are the pool and hot tub. There is ample lounge seating, and if you want to lie to your friends, you can take a selfie in front of their Hollywood sign and pretend you climbed to the top!

Gym

A decent-sized gym features Precor machines with built-in TVs and free weights for muscle-heads. The views are of the pool, or, if you’re more enamored with yourself, there’s a giant mirror you can stare into while flexing those biceps.

Dining

The American Grill is the hotel’s restaurant and serves a hearty breakfast of American favorites from 6-11am. Dinner service is filled with comfort food and is open from 5-11pm.

You Should Know There’s no lunch service and this goes for room service as well. If you want to eat anything between 11am-5pm, you can hit up the snack bar or walk outside the hotel to something nearby.

Drinking

This hotel is a social hotspot, especially since their happy hour runs from 5-10pm. Dubbed "The Hideout," there’s an outdoor patio, summer barbecue pit, and consistently packed house of revelers warming up for a night at the Hollywood Bowl or pre-gaming for Hollywood bars and clubs.

What's Nearby

Getting Around

Renting a car is probably unnecessary especially since parking is $40 a night and this street is always bumper-to-bumper. Walking is easy and you’re really close to restaurants, bars, shopping, and attractions. Not only that, at Hollywood and Highland, there’s a metro stop that can shuttle you off to downtown, Santa Monica, or even Universal Studios.

Restaurants

An LA institution you should try is Musso & Frank Grill (8-minute walk), which has succulent steaks and decades of Hollywood history. Miceli’s (8-minute walk) is a really fun (and delicious) Italian joint with singing waiters. You never know when your server might be the next Pavarotti!

Bars

It could take you a year to hit up all the bars in Hollywood. But if you want an easy way to check out half a dozen at once, head over to the Roosevelt Hotel (10-minute walk) where they have everything from a bowling alley with craft cocktails to a club with some of the craziest shows you’ll ever see. Sports lovers should check out Big Wangs (6-minute drive) with endless TVs and excellent bar food.

Quick Facts