The California bungalow is a style known to be harmonious with quaintness and comfort, so it’s no wonder some of LA’s top hotels also offer bungalows that you can vacation in.
In fact, Old Hollywood was once covered with these craftsman-type homes and many are even looked upon as collectible architecture by celebrities. Brad Pitt and Angela Jolie once owned an enclave of 5 of these homes in the hills of Los Feliz, which is adjacent to Hollywood.
Whether your getaway centers around the beach or you really want to hole up with privacy and have a pool to yourself, these 5 luxury hotels with bungalows deliver.
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA, 90401
Located just off downtown Santa Monica and the trendy 3rd Street Promenade, this luxury resort and urban getaway sit on five expansive acres atop the bluffs, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
A short jaunt gets you right to the beach, so bike riding, surfing, and soaking up some rays are all part of the fun while enjoying seclusion in your bungalow suite.
With 10 bungalows to choose fun, you get a variety of room sizes and bedrooms, along with private patios and courtyards.
Bungalow One
Bungalow One is one of Fairmont’s more luxurious accommodations, and it’s almost like staying in a residential home – except you get world-class room service.
The Bungalow One is an exquisitely customized three-bedroom suite, with 3 bedrooms and 3/4 baths.
Bungalow One is a Southern California beach house with the glamour of a mid-century pad. Because of all the real estate owned by celebrities, LA is a hotbed for top interior designers, and these bungalows were the vision of designer Michael Berman. He also designed the cool furniture inside.
Amenities include a private patio that sits alongside the beautiful Miramar Gardens. The beds are ViSpring luxury handmade beds designed with Shetland wool, raw silk, and cashmere.
Finally, imagine drifting away in a round La Cava tub to the sound of seagulls. Suffice to say, life’s a beach in this luxury hotel with bungalows.
As long as you’re spoiling yourself in Los Angeles, don’t miss a night on the town at these luxe movie theater experiences.
The Beverly Hills Hotel
9641 Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
With a short stint up the famous Sunset Boulevard strip, we find the ultimate beacon of glamour.
Spanning for more than a century, movie stars have gone full circle at this hotel inking deals, staying the night then filming here. All in one take.
Affectionately known as the “Pink Palace,” the hotel is concealed behind 80-year-old palm trees and banana leaves.
The Beverly Hills Hotel had her name long before the city even existed and she continues her legacy of providing elite hideaway bungalows for those seeking an LA getaway.
The Presidential Bungalow at this luxury hotel with Villas
This majestic hotel bungalow is an unforgettable blend of vintage glamour and modern luxury. Surrounded by 12 acres of tropical gardens and exotic flowers, rest and relaxation become incidental. Speaking of gardens, one of the many amenities that’s included with your villa is fresh flowers in your suite.
Inside, you’ll find a spacious living room with 12 ft. raised beams ceilings, a private study, and a professional chef’s kitchen.
Outside, you’ll find your private furnished patio featuring a waterfall-edged, infinity plunge pool. To top things off in this exclusive bungalow, you have fireplaces in both the living room and master bedroom, a gourmet minibar, and a welcome bottle of champagne. Once you check-in, you’ll be swimming in the lap of luxury.
Chateau Marmont
8221 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Located in West Hollywood, Chateau Marmont features luxury bungalows and suites reminiscent of old Hollywood during the mid-century era. We see this style beautifully amplified in this Hollywood icon by the talented hand of interior designer Shawn Hausman.
Architectural Digest praised how “Hausman came up with a layered look, mixing furnishing of different styles and periods” to convey the building’s storied past and craft a feeling of luxury both nuanced and understated.
We know this is a popular playground with the stars as tabloid headlines that are about to tattle-tale usually start out with “…and they were seen together, leaving Chateau Marmont.”
Except for Scarlett Johansson and Benicio Del Toro in 2004. Apparently, these two lovebirds never made it out of the elevator at Chateau Marmont.
Here are the cliff notes on other celebrity stories that involved Chateau Marmont, including John Belushi who lived in one of the bungalows where he overdosed on drugs in 1982.
Let’s see, Lindsay Lohan was banned in 2012 for racking up a $46,350 room tab she skipped out on. Britney Spears (banned for stuff in the Garden restaurant), Errol Flynn (something about 3 wives), and Heath Ledger – all of the above were spotted doing “things.” The list is endless.
The Charlie Hotel
819 N Sweetzer Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069
When it comes to luxury hotels with bungalows, you’ll find this beautiful property in the heart of West Hollywood. It’s a historically designated hotel, previously owned and lived in by Charlie Chaplin.
Situated around lavish greenery and numerous water fountains, there are 14 English bungalows that are named after celebrities who once called the hotel their private abode. This includes starlets such as Marilyn Monroe and Gloria Swanson.
The rose-filled gardens between the property’s cottages were designed under the guidance of a woman who was Chaplin’s secretary.
Through her recollections, Chaplin enjoyed to take tea in the afternoon by the shaded outdoor fireplace, and that he offered the cottages rent-free to struggling actors.
Charlie Chaplin’s home
Of course, we’ll focus on the Charlie bungalow, which was once home to Charlie Chaplin himself. Charlie is one of our most private and luxurious bungalows on the grounds.
It is a gorgeous two-story unit comprised of one bedroom and one bath. Old-fashioned typewriters, classic memorabilia, and period decor come together to accurately restore the home to its past. Spacious living room with dining table and quaint kitchen.
The Charlie also offers an office area if you’re looking for some inspiration on that next big deal you’ve got in the works. If writer’s block kicks in, step outside to the private patio and sip some tea. Charlie would tip his hat and approve.
Hotel Bel-Air
701 Stone Canyon Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90077
Upon arriving at this secluded luxury hotel with bungalows, we find ourselves surrounded by classic Hollywood architecture and a beautiful lake out front.
In 1946 the Hotel Bel-Air was built high up in the Los Angeles canyons to better attract a privacy-seeking clientele. This ultimately included Grace Kelly, Cary Grant, and Marilyn Monroe.
In 2008 the hotel undertook a US$100 million renovation that toned down the Spanish Colonial–style into a more streamlined contemporary look. In a perfect mix of old and new, the Bel-Air’s signature pink stucco façade is the same as it was in the ’40s.
The grounds cover 12 acres of garden setting within a residential neighborhood and there’s also a lake with beautiful swans bobbing around amongst the stone fountains.
Canyon Bungalow
The Canyon Suite is one of eleven free-standing villas with sweeping hillside views of a canyon. Perched on a hillside and overlooking the famous Stone Canyon Road, this top luxury hotel with bungalow accomodations offers warm wooden textures and modern technology.
To maximize the sunny Southern California weather, indoor and outdoor elements blend together with retractable walls of glass opening up to a large private patio. The patio has comfortable seating areas, a fireplace, and a spa pool.
The real payoff of these luxury bungalow hotels is that you literally get to walk in the footsteps of Hollywood’s most famous and glamorous stars from days gone by.
And don’t forget to top off your bungalow adventure with this secret LA bar, where you have to walk through a refrigerator to gain entry. That’s how we roll in the big city.
Hopefully, this should inspire you to dream big just like those who walked the very same path before you. If you want to mix some Western adventure with those big dreams but still want to stay in a bungalow, then these luxury bungalow hotels in Scottsdale will do the trick.
If you need some sunshine and your convertible hasn’t been taken for a spin lately, then take a nice coastal drive for about an hour. You can still fulfill your craving for bungalow lodging at this bed and breakfast in Santa Barbara.
