Loews Hollywood Hotel

Rooms and decor

Picture a hotel where stepping out of the lobby drops you into the heart of Hollywood — the Dolby Theatre, home to the Oscars every year, is right there; a few steps on is the TCL Chinese Theatre, the old Chinese-style movie palace with stars' handprints and footprints set into the forecourt; and the walkways around you are the Hollywood Walk of Fame, lined with gold stars carved with famous names. That's the appeal of Loews Hollywood Hotel, a high-rise that connects straight into the Ovation Hollywood mall (formerly Hollywood & Highland). The building is modern and airy, dressed in contemporary Hollywood touches with warm tones against clean design. The lobby is roomy with space to sit and take photos, and the whole feel is as lively as the capital of the entertainment world. Step out the door and you can explore renowned landmarks on foot right away, no car needed. Plenty of reviews agree that staying here feels like being at the center of everything in Hollywood.

Food and amenities

The rooms come in several types across a 628-room tower, done in a comfortable modern style with warm tones and good detailing. Beds are soft and the layout is well planned, and many rooms have big windows opening onto nice city or hill views. What families love most is the deluxe room with two double beds, which sleeps up to 4 comfortably so two parents and two kids don't have to split into separate rooms. There's also a free crib for little ones and babysitting so parents can head out for a walk or some rest. Outside the room is the highlight everyone mentions — a rooftop outdoor pool that looks straight at the white HOLLYWOOD sign on the hill, ringed by sun loungers and cabanas, a spot where kids swim and adults soak up the California sun all day. The food is family-friendly too, with a kids' menu at the in-house restaurant, and for grown-ups there's a spa and a fitness center to unwind and work out. With that range, families can spend a whole day at the hotel without going far.

Location and getting there

Location is the strongest card here, and reviewers scored it a near-perfect 9.5. The hotel sits on Hollywood Boulevard in the middle of Hollywood, connected straight into the Ovation Hollywood complex with its many restaurants and shops, right beside the Dolby Theatre and TCL Chinese Theatre, with the Hollywood Walk of Fame walkable from the front door. Movie fans will be in heaven, since you can cover renowned landmarks on foot in a single day without a car. It's also not far from the Hollywood Bowl, the famous open-air amphitheater that hosts summer concerts. What makes getting around even easier is the Metro Hollywood/Highland station (B or Red Line) right against the building, which carries you out to Universal Studios or through to downtown LA without the headache of driving and finding parking that's both pricey and fills up fast around here. In short, if you want to base yourself in the buzz of Hollywood, walk to the landmarks, and still hop a train elsewhere, this location is a full ten.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, the neighborhood buzz: Hollywood Boulevard is a top tourist street that gets crowded and loud at night and on weekends, and rooms facing the street may catch some of that. Light sleepers should ask for a high floor facing the hill side — it's quieter and throws in the HOLLYWOOD-sign view as a bonus. Second, the gripe reviewers raise most often, the hidden costs: there's a daily resort fee and a parking charge, valet especially, billed separately from the room rate, so your checkout bill can land higher than you budgeted. Check the full total when you book (the upside is the walkable location and the Metro station against the building, which save on parking if you skip the car). Last, because it's a big high-rise with 628 rooms, on event days or when it's full, waiting for the elevator, checking in, or getting certain services can be slower than at a small hotel — leave a little room in your plans on busy days.

Our take

After reading through a stack of real guest reviews, Loews Hollywood Hotel is a place that sells "a location in the heart of Hollywood, walkable to every landmark" with full confidence — enough that the location score hits 9.5. If the trip in your head is bringing the family to photograph the stars on the Walk of Fame, see the handprints outside the TCL Chinese Theatre, then come back so the kids can hit the rooftop pool with its HOLLYWOOD-sign view before sleeping easy in a deluxe room with two double beds that fits the whole family, this is about as well-matched a base as you'll find — on location, convenience, and kid-friendly touches like the kids' menu, free crib, and babysitting, plus the Metro station against the building for reaching other sights. But if you're after somewhere quiet and private away from the bustle, or you'd rather not deal with a busy tourist street, the always-lively Hollywood Boulevard may not be the vibe — and don't forget to add the resort fee and parking to your budget. Overall we give it 8.8/10, best for families who want to base themselves in the middle of Hollywood and cover the landmarks on foot in a single day.