4* Petit Ermitage

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.

Few LA hotels embrace the full California beach fantasy quite as enthusiastically as Shutters on the Beach. It sits directly on the sand in Santa Monica, styled more like a very expensive coastal home than a traditional five-star resort. The Pacific is literally outside, with the pier just along the beachfront path and Venice easily reached by bike. There’s an oceanfront pool and spa, while Coast and 1 Pico mean you can happily stay beside the water for dinner too. West Hollywood nightlife is a significant drive away, so this is emphatically a beach holiday rather than a gayborhood stay. GayMapper tip: the serious Santa Monica splurge when morning walks on the sand matter far more than walking home from The Abbey.

Sitting right where Beverly Hills meets West Hollywood, Hotel Beverly Terrace gives you a quieter neighbourhood base without putting the gay bars too far away. Santa Monica Boulevard and the western end of the WeHo scene are comfortably walkable, while Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills lie in the other direction. This is a small mid-century hotel rather than a glossy resort, with just 39 rooms wrapped around a leafy courtyard. Café Amici downstairs is a popular neighbourhood Italian restaurant, and the roof terrace is a pleasant spot when you want some LA sunshine without committing to a full pool day. There are plenty of cafés, restaurants and shops around Doheny and nearby Robertson too. GayMapper tip: particularly good if you want gay nightlife within walking distance but prefer a small, relaxed hotel rather than staying right in the middle of the party.

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.

Chamberlain West Hollywood hides on a residential street between Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard, which gives you a surprisingly peaceful base for somewhere so close to the action. The LGBTQ+ bars around the Rainbow District are an easy walk away, but at the hotel the mood is much calmer. Every room is a suite, with proper sitting space and private balconies, while the rooftop pool and bar come with sweeping views across LA and the Hollywood Hills. You can also walk to the Sunset Strip, with plenty of restaurants and cafés scattered around this part of WeHo. GayMapper tip: a particularly good choice if you want to walk to gay nightlife but would rather not hear it through the bedroom wall when you finally call it a night.

The former Mondrian has entered a new chapter as The Valorian Los Angeles, Curio Collection by Hilton, keeping its prime Sunset Strip address but giving the whole property a fresh identity. White Rabbit Sky Lounge now takes over the famous rooftop, with a pool, DJs, cocktails and huge views across Los Angeles. There’s also Casa Madera downstairs, while the hotel’s complimentary house car can drop guests within two miles — particularly useful when you’re heading down to the gay bars on Santa Monica Boulevard. You can walk to much of West Hollywood, but that car service makes evenings considerably easier after a long day. GayMapper tip: a strong option if you want the social energy of a Sunset Strip hotel and quick access to the gay scene rather than actually sleeping above it.