4* The Charlie Hotel

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.

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.

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.

Behind the gates of The Charlie Hotel, Los Angeles suddenly feels oddly English. The collection of Tudor-style bungalows and gardens was once owned by Charlie Chaplin and still feels more like a private Hollywood hideaway than a hotel. The individually named suites are unusually spacious, with full kitchens, living areas and washer-dryers, which makes this a particularly comfortable choice for a longer stay. Melrose and plenty of West Hollywood restaurants are close by, while the LGBTQ+ bars along Santa Monica Boulevard are walkable. There’s no big lobby scene or rooftop DJ here — privacy is very much the point. GayMapper tip: a charming alternative if you want gay West Hollywood nearby but prefer your LA fantasy to involve gardens, history and your own little bungalow.

Staying aboard The Queen Mary is really a trip within a trip. The historic ocean liner remains permanently moored on the Long Beach waterfront, with original Art Deco details, wood-panelled staterooms, exhibitions and guided tours bringing its transatlantic history to life. Long Beach has its own LGBTQ+ community and nightlife, so there’s plenty to do without heading north every evening. Just remember that this is not a sensible base for West Hollywood or central LA sightseeing — Los Angeles distances are very real, and you’re a long way south. Restaurants, bars and events aboard the ship mean you can quite happily make the Queen Mary part of the destination rather than simply somewhere to sleep. GayMapper tip: perfect if the ship itself appeals, or you’re combining Long Beach with a cruise — less perfect if your holiday revolves around WeHo.

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.