New hotels in Los Angeles

We track six new hotels that opened in Los Angeles in 2021, concentrated in two clusters: Downtown LA and Hollywood, with a third property on the West Hollywood stretch of the Sunset Strip. First-time visitors chasing Walk of Fame and studio-adjacent sights do best in Hollywood; travelers who want walkable, transit-connected streets and the Arts District/Little Tokyo food scene should look at Downtown LA; nightlife-focused stays point to West Hollywood. The most recent addition on our list is tommie Hollywood, which opened December 1, 2021 in the neighborhood's so-called Vinyl District.

What to do

A weekend in Los Angeles

Los Angeles rewards picking two or three neighborhoods rather than trying to see the whole basin — distances that look short on a map can mean 45 minutes of freeway traffic, especially between roughly 3pm and 7pm on weekdays. If you're staying in Hollywood, spend day one on foot: the Walk of Fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre forecourt, the Hollywood Bowl if there's a show, and a drive or hike up to Griffith Observatory for the skyline view and, on a clear evening, the Hollywood Sign. Day two works well in Downtown LA — the Broadway Theater District's restored movie palaces, Little Tokyo, Grand Central Market for lunch, and the Arts District for galleries and coffee in the afternoon. Metro's B Line (subway) connects Hollywood/Vine and Hollywood/Highland directly to Downtown's 7th St/Metro Center and Union Station in under 25 minutes, which is faster and less stressful than driving and parking in either neighborhood. A rideshare or rental car is still the practical default for anything outside that corridor, including West Hollywood and the Sunset Strip.

A full week

A week lets you add the coast and the museum-and-garden side of the city that a weekend skips. Give Santa Monica and Venice a full day: the Santa Monica Pier, the beach bike path, and Venice's Abbot Kinney Boulevard and canals, reachable from Downtown by Metro's E Line light rail all the way to Downtown Santa Monica without a car. Spend a morning in Beverly Hills around Rodeo Drive and an afternoon at the Getty Center, whose hilltop gardens and free admission (parking is paid) make it one of the city's better museum visits. Silver Lake, Los Feliz and Echo Park reward a slower half-day of independent coffee shops, vintage stores and a walk around the Silver Lake Reservoir, a genuinely local counterpoint to the tourist corridors. If you have a spare day, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures near the Miracle Mile and a drive out to Pasadena for the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens both reward the detour. Universal Studios Hollywood, directly served by the B Line, is worth a full day on its own if theme parks are part of the trip. Expect to drive or rideshare between most of these clusters — LA's rail network covers Downtown, Hollywood, the Eastside and the coast well, but large swaths of the Westside and the hills are effectively car-only.

Neighborhoods

Downtown LA (Historic Core, Arts District & South Park)

Downtown LA covers several distinct pockets: the Historic Core's early-20th-century commercial buildings, now filled with bars and independent restaurants; the Arts District further east, built out of old industrial buildings into galleries, breweries and loft conversions; and South Park to the south, the sports-and-convention zone around Crypto.com Arena and the LA Convention Center. It's well served by Metro's B and D subway lines and puts Little Tokyo, the Broadway Theater District and Grand Central Market within walking distance. Two of the six hotels we track opened here: citizenM Los Angeles Downtown, a modular-construction tower that opened September 2021 at 4th and Spring in the Historic Core, a block from Little Tokyo and the Broadway theaters; and AC Hotel & Moxy Downtown Los Angeles, a 727-room dual-brand tower that opened April 2021 directly across from Crypto.com Arena and the Convention Center, marking Moxy's first arrival in Los Angeles. Between the two, Downtown covers both a compact, design-led stay and a large-scale arena-and-convention base.

Hollywood

Hollywood mixes its tourist landmarks — the Walk of Fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre, the Capitol Records Building — with a working entertainment-industry business district around Sunset and Vine, and it has the densest concentration of new hotels on our list. The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood opened August 2021 on Cahuenga Boulevard, Oxford Hotels & Resorts' first Godfrey outside Chicago and Boston, built around a 12,000-square-foot rooftop billed as Hollywood's largest public rooftop venue. Thompson Hollywood opened the same month, a purpose-built 11-story tower a block from Hollywood and Vine with interiors by Tara Bernerd & Partners and a rooftop pool facing the Hollywood Hills. tommie Hollywood, the most recent of the three, opened December 2021 in the neighborhood's so-called Vinyl District under JdV by Hyatt, built around more than 15,000 square feet of shared lobby, courtyard and workspace rather than a conventional lobby; the property has since transitioned to Marriott's Tribute Portfolio under the name Hollywood Volume, worth knowing if you search for it under its original name. Hollywood is served by the B Line subway and is a short drive or hike from Griffith Observatory and Runyon Canyon.

West Hollywood & the Sunset Strip

West Hollywood is its own incorporated city, distinct from both Hollywood and Beverly Hills, and the Sunset Strip running through it has been the city's live-music and nightlife spine for decades — Whisky a Go Go, the Roxy and the Rainbow Bar & Grill all still operate within a short walk of each other. Pendry West Hollywood opened April 2021 on the site of the old House of Blues at Sunset and Olive, marking Montage International's Pendry brand debut in Los Angeles, with two Wolfgang Puck restaurants and a live-entertainment venue built into the block's rock-and-roll history. Following an ownership change, the property was rebranded The Sun Rose West Hollywood in August 2025; Pendry is the name it opened under and the one used throughout this guide. West Hollywood also covers the Design District for showrooms and antiques and sits within walking distance of the Beverly Center mall.

Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills is a separate incorporated city built around Rodeo Drive's flagship luxury stores, wide palm-lined residential streets and an established roster of legacy luxury hotels. It suits travelers prioritizing high-end shopping and a quieter, more manicured pace over Hollywood's tourist density, and the May 2026 opening of Metro's D Line extension station at Wilshire/La Cienega has brought the neighborhood its first direct subway link to Downtown and Hollywood. None of the hotels we track opened here — Beverly Hills' hotel scene is dominated by long-established properties rather than recent debuts.

Santa Monica & Venice

The two beach neighborhoods anchor LA's Westside coastline: Santa Monica has the pier, the Third Street Promenade and a broad, walkable beachfront, while Venice, just south, mixes its famous canals and muscle-beach boardwalk with Abbot Kinney Boulevard's boutiques and restaurants. Metro's E Line light rail reaches Downtown Santa Monica directly from Downtown LA, one of the few corridors where skipping a car is genuinely practical. It's a strong pick for anyone building a trip around the ocean rather than the studios or Downtown, but none of the six hotels we track have opened in either neighborhood.

Silver Lake, Los Feliz & Echo Park

East of Hollywood, this cluster of hillside, reservoir-adjacent neighborhoods has built a reputation over the past two decades as LA's creative and independent-food corridor — coffee roasters, vintage stores and a younger, less tourist-oriented crowd than Hollywood proper. Los Feliz borders Griffith Park and its observatory; Echo Park centers on its namesake lake. It's a good add-on for travelers who want a local, walkable afternoon rather than another studio-adjacent stop, but none of our tracked hotels are located here.

Culver City & Mid-City (Miracle Mile)

Culver City has grown into one of LA's more concentrated tech and studio-office districts, with Sony Pictures Studios and a growing restaurant scene along Washington and Culver Boulevards. Mid-City's Miracle Mile, closer to Hollywood, holds the museum row anchored by LACMA, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and the La Brea Tar Pits — a strong half-day for anyone interested in film history or art rather than beaches or nightlife. Neither area has a hotel from our tracked list.

Koreatown & Mid-Wilshire

Koreatown is one of LA's densest neighborhoods, known for round-the-clock Korean barbecue and karaoke, and sits roughly midway between Downtown and Hollywood along the Wilshire corridor now served by the D Line subway extension. It runs cheaper than Downtown or Hollywood hotel rates for a comparably central, transit-connected location, but none of the six hotels we track opened here.

Pasadena & the San Gabriel Valley

Pasadena sits northeast of Downtown LA, a separate city with its own well-preserved early-20th-century architecture, the Rose Bowl, and the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens — a full day on its own for anyone interested in gardens or rare books. It works better as a day trip from a Downtown or Hollywood base than as a hotel base itself for a first LA visit, given the distance from the coast and the entertainment-industry sights. None of our tracked openings are here.

South Bay, LAX & Inglewood

This southwestern stretch of the metro area covers LAX airport, the beach cities of Manhattan and Redondo Beach, and Inglewood, home to SoFi Stadium and the Intuit Dome. Metro's K Line light rail now links this corridor toward Downtown, though a full connection through Hollywood and West Hollywood remains a long-term project. It's a practical base only for a red-eye flight or an event at one of the stadiums; none of the hotels we track are located here, and most visitors are better served by Downtown or Hollywood as a base for sightseeing.

Which hotel for your trip

Families

AC Hotel & Moxy Downtown Los Angeles, with 727 rooms split across two Marriott brands, is large enough to offer flexible room configurations and sits within walking distance of Crypto.com Arena, useful if a family trip is built around an event. citizenM Los Angeles Downtown, a few blocks away in the Historic Core, is a more compact option a short walk from Little Tokyo. For families prioritizing Universal Studios or Griffith Observatory, Hollywood's three tracked hotels — Godfrey, Thompson and tommie — all put you within a short drive or a B Line subway ride of both, though none is a resort-format property built specifically around kids' amenities.

Couples

Pendry West Hollywood, on the Sunset Strip, pairs two Wolfgang Puck restaurants with a rooftop pool and a private social club, aimed squarely at a design-conscious, nightlife-adjacent stay — note it has operated as The Sun Rose West Hollywood since an August 2025 rebrand. Thompson Hollywood, with interiors by Tara Bernerd & Partners and a rooftop pool facing the Hollywood Hills, offers a quieter, more understated alternative a short walk from Hollywood and Vine. The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood's 12,000-square-foot I|O rooftop is a strong pick for couples who want to spend an evening in without leaving the hotel.

Business travelers

Downtown LA is the strongest base for meetings and conventions: AC Hotel & Moxy Downtown Los Angeles sits directly across from the LA Convention Center, and citizenM Los Angeles Downtown, a compact, tech-forward property in the Historic Core, is a short Metro ride or walk from the Financial District. Both put Union Station — LA's hub for regional and long-distance rail — within easy reach. For meetings centered on the entertainment industry, Hollywood's Godfrey, Thompson and tommie properties sit inside the neighborhood's working studio-and-agency corridor around Sunset and Vine rather than the tourist strip alone.

First-time visitors & sightseers

Hollywood is the obvious first-time base if the Walk of Fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre and Griffith Observatory are the priority — Godfrey, Thompson Hollywood and tommie Hollywood are all within walking distance of Hollywood and Vine and a short B Line ride from Downtown. Downtown LA's citizenM and AC Hotel & Moxy work better if Little Tokyo, the Broadway Theater District and the Arts District matter more than studio sightseeing, with the added benefit of direct subway access to Hollywood and Union Station. Renting a car for at least part of the trip is still worth it for the coast, Beverly Hills and Griffith Park, none of which sit on a rail line running from either hotel cluster.

Design & nightlife-focused travelers

Three of the six hotels we track lead with rooftop and nightlife programming rather than a conventional lobby. The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood's I|O rooftop is billed as the largest public rooftop venue in Hollywood; tommie Hollywood built more than 15,000 square feet of shared lobby, courtyard and bar space instead of a standard check-in area, though it has since transitioned to Marriott's Tribute Portfolio as Hollywood Volume; and Pendry West Hollywood (now operating as The Sun Rose West Hollywood) sits directly on the Sunset Strip with a live-entertainment venue and a private club built into the block's music history. All three suit a stay built around evenings out as much as sightseeing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the newest hotel to open in Los Angeles?

Among the six hotels we track, tommie Hollywood is the most recent, opening December 1, 2021 in Hollywood's so-called Vinyl District. It has since transitioned to Marriott's Tribute Portfolio under the name Hollywood Volume. The rest of our tracked openings — citizenM Los Angeles Downtown, The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood, Thompson Hollywood, AC Hotel & Moxy Downtown Los Angeles and Pendry West Hollywood — all opened between April and September 2021. Check each fiche for exact opening dates.

Which new hotels in Los Angeles have a rooftop pool or bar?

The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood's I|O rooftop spans 12,000 square feet with a pool, bars and skyline views. Thompson Hollywood and tommie Hollywood both have rooftop pools and lounges facing the Hollywood Hills. Pendry West Hollywood — now operating as The Sun Rose West Hollywood — pairs a rooftop restaurant, Merois, with a separate rooftop pool. Confirm current hours and guest-only access directly with each hotel before booking.

Should I stay in Downtown LA or Hollywood for a first visit?

It depends on what you're prioritizing. Hollywood puts you closer to the Walk of Fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre and Griffith Observatory, while Downtown LA is better positioned for Little Tokyo, the Broadway Theater District, the Arts District and any convention or arena event. Metro's B Line subway connects the two directly in under 25 minutes, so either works as a base for exploring both.

Do I need a car in Los Angeles?

For a trip confined to Downtown LA, Hollywood and Santa Monica, Metro's B Line (subway) and E Line (light rail) cover the core route reasonably well. Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Griffith Park, Venice and most of the Westside are better reached by car or rideshare, and freeway traffic between roughly 3pm and 7pm on weekdays can turn a short drive into an hour. Most visitors end up using a mix of transit for the Downtown-Hollywood corridor and rideshare or a rental car for everything else.

Are there pet-friendly new hotels in Los Angeles?

Pet policies vary by property and change without much notice, so always confirm directly with the hotel before booking. Lifestyle-brand openings — which describes most of the hotels on this list, from citizenM to tommie Hollywood — tend to be more accommodating of dogs than large convention-oriented hotels, but no blanket rule covers every property here.

How many new hotels in Los Angeles does this guide track?

Six, all opened in 2021: citizenM Los Angeles Downtown, The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood, Thompson Hollywood, tommie Hollywood, AC Hotel & Moxy Downtown Los Angeles and Pendry West Hollywood. Two have since changed names or ownership — tommie Hollywood now operates as Hollywood Volume, and Pendry West Hollywood as The Sun Rose West Hollywood — but each fiche uses the name the hotel opened under.