10 Hotels Near Universal Studios Hollywood For Families, Couples and Friends

One of only two hotels within Universal City, Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City puts park visitors within walking distance of the Universal CityWalk and the park itself.

But even without the convenience of its location, Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City would be an excellent hotel option. The four-star experience extends from the panoramic views to the cabanas by the pool, to the 21-and-over Atrium Lounge and even to the Sunday Brunch buffet at Café Sierra. (Pro tip: Café Sierra is known both for its brunch buffet and its seafood and prime rib buffet on weekends. Work up that appetite at the park.)

Along with the Hilton, the Sheraton Universal is within walking distance of the theme park and Universal CityWalk; cross just one street, and visitors are standing in one of Universal’s parking lots. Universal Hollywood Studios is uphill, but there’s also a nearby complimentary shuttle for those looking to save their effort for wandering the studio lot.

The recently renovated (a $25-million effort, completed in late 2018) hotel features the Sheraton Signature Sleep Experience, high-end designer linens, for each room, views of the park, and coffee makers with Starbucks coffee, ready for that morning pick-me-up. Find serenity by the heated terrace pool or in a drink at the In the Mix, the lobby lounge.

Want to buy that extra memento at the park? Blvd. Hotel and Spa is a budget-friendly option for travelers who want to stay close to Universal Studios Hollywood without compromising on quality.

Less than a mile from the front gate, the Studio City boutique makes sure that your time away from the park is an adventure as well. The on-site Backdrop Lounge features expert bartenders whipping up cocktails, fun companions for a group of friends swapping park stories or a couple settling in for the evening.

The Viya Spa offers pampering massages, including a deep tissue one that’s perfect for relieving the muscle fatigue of a day wandering a massive theme park. And the indoor pool keeps the sun away to help cool off on those hot summer days.

It’s only a mile from the very modern Universal Studios Hollywood, but The Garland Hotel feels like it’s of another Hollywood era. That’s with good reason; the hotel was opened in 1970 by star actress Beverly Garland and her husband. It was handed down to her son and revamped, becoming the family-friendly boutique hotel it is today.

For Universal Studios Hollywood visitors, the hotel’s standout quality might be its trolley, which takes guests to and from the theme park and the Universal City subway stop. But there’s plenty to do at the property as well, including daily activities like arts and crafts, courtyard games and even face-painting for the kids. For the adults, there are regular craft beer and wine tastings, along with yoga and Pilates classes—something visitors will need to work off those bottomless mimosas from the weekend brunch.

It’s rare for a two-star hotel to get the kind of praise that the El Royale receives, but it’s real; the Studio City 12-room charmer currently has a 9.0 combined rating on trivago with special praise for its service and cleanliness.

It’s possible that you’ve already seen the El Royale in shows like CSI and The O.C. (though following a 2014 renovation, you may not recognize it). The actual hotel has charms beyond acting as a show location, though, from parking right in front of your door to treatments at the on-site Tulsi Spa. And its location on Ventura Boulevard is central to a larger number of eateries, including some of the city’s best sushi restaurants.

When you hear “in the middle of it all,” the suburb of Burbank may not be what comes to mind. But the Best Western Plus Media Center is not only less than two miles from Universal Studios Hollywood, but also similarly close to Warner Bros. Studios, Walt Disney Studios, and for those arriving from out of town, Hollywood-Burbank Airport.

When you’re not at a television show taping, you can cool off in the hotel’s outdoor pool or heat up at the fitness center. Each morning, before immersing yourself in Hollywood culture and lore, you can also fuel up for the day with a free continental breakfast.

For lunch, walk a couple of blocks and go to the oldest Bob’s Big Boy still remaining. Built in 1949, it hosted The Beatles for a meal during the band’s 1965 tour.

From the outside, Burbank’s The Tangerine looks like a classic Hollywood motel, two stories of rooms with doors opening directly into the parking lot and air conditioners protruding from the walls. Take a step inside, though, and The Tangerine becomes a splashy, colorful boutique with wall-sized murals and contemporary art in each room.

While some hotels offer free continental breakfast, the pastries here come directly from one of the Los Angeles area’s favorite bakeries, Porto’s. For dining later in the day, the hotel is also close to the Smoke House Restaurant, a Burbank institution in operation since 1946 and setting for scenes in La La Land among other films.

At first glance, Loews Hollywood Hotel doesn’t appear to belong on this list. It’s on the other side of the “hill,” the ridge of the Santa Monica Mountains that separates Hollywood from the San Fernando Valley, where Universal Studios Hollywood is located.

However, since the studio and theme park have their own subway stop, visitors can simply go one station south and stay directly on Hollywood Boulevard, not adding much time to the hotel-to-park commute. Plus, there’s a shuttle that takes riders between the subway and the theme park and CityWalk.

The Loews’ location is a perfect one for families looking to take in more of the Hollywood scenery, too. It’s situated along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where plaques line the sidewalk, dedicated to stars past and present. The Loews is also on the same block as the Chinese Theatre, where film icons have left their handprints in concrete for decades. For the family looking to get its fill of Hollywood lore, Loews makes an attractive home base.

While it’s not the closest hotel to Universal Studios Hollywood on this list, the Hotel Amarano is a “preferred hotel partner” of the studio and theme park. This means that guests of the hotel, if they book the Universal Studios Hollywood Package, get early admission to the popular The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction along with free shuttle service to and from the park.

When not casting spells or drinking butterbeer (the butterscotch-like beverage from the Harry Potter books), couples can lounge by the open-air pool or enjoy cocktails and California cuisine at Library Lounge, the onsite bar, and restaurant. It’s a neighborhood favorite known for friendly bartenders and an outdoor patio. Unwind here with a martini after a long day exploring Potter’s world.

Visitors looking to enjoy some of Hollywood’s famed nightlife can get their fill two subway stops away from Universal Studios Hollywood at the Hotel W Hollywood. Along with easy access to the theme park, the W offers first-class dining, a rooftop pool with panoramic views of the city, and short walks to some of L.A.’s hottest spots.

The hotel’s amenities are unique, including a “sound suite,” where guests can record their own music, and a lobby bar punctuated with a stunning spiral staircase. But the location may be its best feature; it sits across the street from the Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles’s home for Broadway touring musicals, and a block away from the Fonda Theatre, where some of the best musicians on the planet perform. This is the home base where you can best sample both the thrills of Universal Studios Hollywood and the sounds of Hollywood Boulevard.