4* Hotel 850 SVB

Kimpton La Peer West Hollywood sits in the Design District, where Melrose Avenue, galleries, restaurants and West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ nightlife are all close enough to make this one of LA’s more pleasantly walkable stays. The mood is stylish without being intimidating, with a heated pool, Mediterranean dining and a lively cocktail bar. Kimpton’s social approach also helps: the evening wine hour gives the hotel a friendly energy that can be particularly welcome for solo travellers. The Abbey, Micky’s and the rest of the Santa Monica Boulevard strip are only a short walk north. GayMapper tip: still our favourite LA all-rounder — smart enough for a special trip, relaxed enough to feel comfortable, and brilliantly positioned for gay WeHo.

Hotel Erwin throws you straight into Venice Beach, with the boardwalk and sand less than a minute from the lobby. This is LA at its most colourful — skaters, surfers, street performers, bars and plenty of characters all sharing the same few blocks. Many rooms have balconies and ocean views, but the rooftop is the real highlight. Kassi Venice Beach combines cocktails and Mediterranean-inspired food with some excellent Pacific sunsets, so you don’t necessarily need to leave the hotel for a good evening. Abbott Kinney is nearby for shopping and restaurants, while Santa Monica is easily reached up the coast. West Hollywood is a completely different excursion. GayMapper tip: go for Venice energy, ocean sunsets and people-watching — not because you intend to commute to WeHo every night.

The Hoxton, Downtown LA makes a convincing case for staying in DTLA rather than automatically defaulting to West Hollywood. Its historic Broadway building sits close to restaurants, theatres, the Fashion District and South Park, with Metro stations within walking distance. The ground floor is lively throughout the day, while the rooftop pool gives you skyline views and a place to switch off above the traffic. Rooms are stylish but intentionally compact, so much of the experience happens in the hotel’s shared spaces and restaurants. WeHo is a journey from here, but Downtown has its own bars and nightlife and works well if your LA plans stretch far beyond the gay strip. GayMapper tip: a good choice if you like busy neighbourhood hotels and want DTLA to be part of the experience rather than somewhere you merely visit.

If beach time matters more than being close to West Hollywood, Hampton Inn & Suites Santa Monica makes life very easy. Santa Monica Pier and the beach are only a few blocks away, Third Street Promenade is practically around the corner and the E Line stops close to the hotel. That rail connection is genuinely useful in a city famous for making visitors sit in traffic, although getting to the gay bars in WeHo will still take some planning. Venice is much easier to reach if you want bars and nightlife closer to the coast. There’s an outdoor pool and hot tub, and the included hot breakfast helps make this one of the more practical Santa Monica options. GayMapper tip: a good-value beach base if your LA holiday is mainly about Santa Monica and Venice rather than nightly trips to West Hollywood.

For a nightlife-led trip, Ramada Plaza by Wyndham West Hollywood Hotel & Suites gets one important thing very right: you’re directly on Santa Monica Boulevard, with many of WeHo’s LGBTQ+ bars and clubs within an easy walk. The hotel itself is straightforward and a little old-school compared with West Hollywood’s design hotels, but that can translate into noticeably better rates in a neighbourhood where rooms are rarely cheap. There’s an outdoor pool and fitness room, and you’ve got restaurants, cafés and everyday shops immediately around you. The central WeHo location also makes Beverly Hills, Melrose and the Sunset Strip relatively easy to reach. GayMapper tip: choose it for location and value — particularly if you expect to spend considerably more time in the gay bars than admiring your hotel lobby.

Hotel 850 SVB feels more like staying in an exceptionally stylish West Hollywood guesthouse than checking into a conventional four-star hotel. There are just 23 rooms, with a shared living room, kitchen and rooftop terrace creating a much more residential atmosphere. The location is excellent for LGBTQ+ travellers. You’re on San Vicente Boulevard, with the main Santa Monica Boulevard gay bars close enough to walk to, while Beverly Hills begins only a few streets away. Continental breakfast is served each morning and there’s a complimentary wine hour in the evening, which gives the place a friendly social element without turning it into a party hotel. GayMapper tip: a lovely couples’ choice if you want intimate boutique style and gay WeHo practically on the doorstep.