Hollywood Downtowner Inn
Hollywood
Require a little more privacy or have a more traditional view of vacation accommodations? A motel might be for you, but even those can prove costly.
I couldn’t stay at the Hollywood Downtowner Inn because it was booked (so reserve well in advance), but I did talk to guests and take a tour of the inn, where rooms can cost as little as $100 a night before taxes.
The inn, which is on Hollywood Boulevard, has a swimming pool and includes breakfast at Catch 56, a Britishthemed restaurant on the same block as the motel.
“We just want it to be a place where [guests] feel like they can go out, do their thing in a big city and come back and relax,” said Shaila Mulji, the property manager.
Although the inn rarely has long-term guests and generally does not offer weekly or monthly rates, Mulji said those are case-by-case discussions and decisions.
Not all of the 33 rooms are identical; the furniture and decor vary. In some, you may find a bathtub and, in others, a shower.
Some rooms have two double beds; others have a king; a few of the suites have kitchenettes.
Rooms are gradually being upgraded with modern, space-efficient furniture, Mulji said.
Visiting the U.S. for the first time from Denmark, friends Line Enevddsen and Louise Skottee stayed at the motel in July after first trying a hostel.
Although they said the hostel was fun, they said they needed more quiet time. But they still needed to stick to their budget so ended up at the Downtowner.
What is one traveler’s pro is another traveler’s con — it ultimately comes down to what matters to you. The Hollywood Downtowner is the most expensive on the list, but it’s still half the price of an average hotel. And if you’re traveling as part of a couple or with children, it gives you the privacy that you may not be willing to forfeit.