A Stay at the Palihotel Hollywood, Steps from the Walk of Fame

Once a circa-1958 motel, Palihotel Hollywood, which opened last year, has been thoughtfully transformed into a 74-room boutique property by the Palisociety hotel group. Cloistered away from the street noise of Sunset Boulevard, the property feels intimate and fun, with a courtyard pool as its centerpiece, surrounded by ample lounge chairs that seem to beg for a bit of day drinking.

Lobby cocktail bar / Photo: Courtesy of Palihotel Hollywood

From the peach checkerboard pool deck, you can peek over the rim of the hotel to spot towering palms that hint at the world outside. The lobby cocktail bar, framed in festive botanical wallpaper, offers margaritas, of course, as well as a slew of signature cocktails including the Painkiller Slushie (aged rum, pineapple, coconut cream, orange), the Eastside (mezcal, cucumber, mint, lime) and the Pink Hare (gin, pamplemousse, Campari, lemon).

On-site restaurant Benny’s on the Blvd. plates a Texas taqueria-inspired menu for breakfast. Standout morning tacos include shiitakes with egg whites and black beans, chorizo with egg and queso fresco, and avocado with egg and queso fresco. Rooms, many of which look out on the pool, consist of doubles, queens, kings and suites. All are more design-focused than one might expect for the price point, with Diptyque bath amenities, Bellino linens and robes, cute Smeg mini-fridges, 43-inch HDTVs and rain-style showers that drop a deluge of water as hot as you could possibly want it.

Breakfast offerings at Benny’s on the Blvd. restaurant / Photo: Courtesy of Palihotel Hollywood

The smoke-free hotel also has on-demand massage and spa services and overnight valet parking for a daily fee. And it’s pet-friendly: Dogs up to 30 pounds can stay for a flat fee of $125, which includes an organic treat upon arrival, a dog bed, plush toy, bowls for food and water, and courtesy bags for dog walks.

The Queen guest room / Photo: Courtesy of Palihotel Hollywood

Palisociety chose the location well. It’s a five-minute walk to Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame, and a pleasant 20-minute stroll from Runyon Canyon, the surprisingly wild 160-acre urban park where you can hike a network of both paved and dirt trails, people- (and coyote-) watch, and catch fantastic views of the city below and Hollywood Sign above.

The hotel is also an easy car-service ride to the nightlife scene of West Hollywood and the Sunset Strip. If hunger pangs strike, as they often do after an evening of barhopping, not to worry—an In-N-Out Burger next door stays open until at least 1 a.m.

The 19-property Palisociety hotel group, which has several brands within it—some more luxe farmhouse, some more urban lodge—has properties in cities such as Austin, Seattle and Memphis, with a concentration in California: Carmel-by-the-Sea, San Francisco and Santa Barbara all have Palis. Los Angeles alone has seven.