The Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Los Angeles

Shangri-La Santa Monica is an independent boutique property, not to be confused with the international hotel brand of the same name. Families will love its oceanfront location, just a few minutes’ walk from the Santa Monica State Beach, the shopping paradise of Third Street Promenade, and the amusement park on the Pier. Kids can play in the hotel’s heated outdoor pool all year round, and adults can enjoy complimentary wine, beer and cheese every Wednesday between 5pm and 7pm. All suites except the Executive come with sleeper sofas for the little ones.

History meets beach-chic at the Channel Road Inn, a charming, shingle-clad Colonial Revival home dating from 1910. First opened as a B&B at its current oceanfront location in Santa Monica in 1989, it offers vintage-style rooms with king, queen, and twin beds. Kids are welcome and parents are pampered – have breakfast in bed each morning and enjoy a picnic box packed with cheese and cookies every afternoon. If you fancy taking the kids for a cruise around Santa Monica on two wheels, bikes can be rented from reception.

As its name suggests, this West Hollywood boutique wants guests to forget that they’re in one of the world’s largest cities. Helping them to do so is a chic rooftop terrace, where families can enjoy a heated saltwater pool and dine in the Hummingbird Garden, recognized as a natural sanctuary for hummingbirds and butterflies by the National Wildlife Federation. The rooftop also provides a quasi-tropical setting for yoga classes throughout the week and open-air movie screenings every weekend.

Once the Beverly Hills hotel of choice for stars such as Marylin Monroe and Mae West, the Avalon offers 84 rooms and suites around a boomerang-shaped pool. In-house restaurant Viviane serves family meals poolside or in an airy dining room, as well as providing 1950s-themed cocktails for parents. Families can also relax in their very own cabana by the pool, or rent bikes from reception to explore this iconic neighborhood with the little ones. Adults looking for quality “me time” can drop off the kids and have the gym and wellness center at their disposal.

Opened in 2013 in the eclectic neighborhood of Koreatown, the LINE LA occupies a building once called home by gonzo journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson. Bring the whole family along, as even cats and dogs are included here for no extra charge. Enjoy Michelin-star food by the second-floor pool or hire bikes to cruise this region of the city. Amenities also include Alfred Coffee, one of the area’s most popular breakfast spots, and free Tai Chi classes every Sunday at 11am.

The Farmer’s Daughter Hotel is L.A.’s only country-inspired boutique, offering a vintage-themed base from which to explore the Fairfax district. Located a five-minute stroll from reception is the Grove, an open-air shopping and entertainment complex that’s also a great spot for a bite to eat. Infant and rollaway beds are available in the rooms, which range in size from the ADAs to the Farmer’s Suite, and on-site eatery Tart serves one of L.A.’s best brunches.

Dream Hotels’ ultra-modern Hollywood branch should be top of the list for families wanting to visit the area’s best known attractions. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is only a few blocks away, and you can pose with lifelike celebrities at the Hollywood Wax Museum, which is only 15 minutes on foot. Once back at base, lounge around the rooftop pool and enjoy views of the Hollywood Sign and the Griffith Observatory. All rooms are equipped with Apple iPads for bedtime stories and games.

The Kimpton Hotel Palomar is located on Wilshire Boulevard, a major thoroughfare running through Beverly Hills, lined with shops and restaurants. Of its 264 stylish rooms – all of which come with yoga mats, in true SoCal style – the Double Doubles and the Marquee Suite are best for families. Amenities include the Double Take Games Room – with pool, board games, darts, Skee-Ball, and shuffleboard – a cozy outdoor pool area, and a restaurant serving drinks and Southern Californian dishes.

If there’s a sushi fan in the family, book a night or two at Little Tokyo’s Miyako Hotel, as on-site restaurant Tamon does some of the best in the neighborhood. The Double Double guest rooms are most suitable for families, especially those on the fifth floor or higher, which offer sweeping views of the L.A. skyline. Parents can relax in the subtly lit Ohjah cocktail lounge, work out in the fitness center, or catch up on emails in the business center. For a family outing, head to the Museum of Contemporary Art, located a 15-minute walk away.

The Sea Blue Hotel is a cheerful 27-room lodge located just a few minutes’ walk from the sand. Families can choose from five types of suitable accommodations, the most spacious being the Junior and Alcove Suites. Aside from the beach, there’s world-class shopping on Third Avenue Promenade and an amusement park on Santa Monica Pier for the kids. For a great-value family meal, walk 15 minutes to popular Italian joint Fritto Misto, where the pasta’s made from scratch.

Located in Culver City, mid-way between Downtown L.A. and Santa Monica, the four-star Culver Hotel offers family accommodation in a meticulously restored 1920s skyscraper. Historic elegance defines the 46 rooms, each of which is individually decorated with reworked vintage finds and antiques. Families can choose from the Culver Classic – the Two Doubles version – the Culver Lux, the Studios, or the Suites. Enjoy French cuisine at on-site restaurant Le Jardin and live jazz in the Grand Lobby.

If you’re planning a family visit to Hollywood’s legendary movie factories, Burbank’s colorful Tangerine is hard to beat: the Warner Brothers, Burbank, and Walt Disney Studios are all within a 20-minute walk, and it’s just a five-minute drive to Universal Studios. This friendly hotel offers 31 rooms, uniquely decorated with loud wall murals and contemporary art, several of which have two double beds. When you’re not touring the studios, relax around the heated outdoor pool, or ask the staff for food or drinks recommendations in Burbank.