The Canterbury Suites

Back in the late 70s and early 80s, punk rockers used to live in this building. I was one of them and hung out there with the others a few times.

The room had plenty of space, a full kitchen with the pots, pans, and utensils for cooking, and a king bed that worked well for me at 6'2". It was clean, as was the bathroom, and the rain shower felt great while using less water than a standard showerhead. The building was being renovated, but still felt welcoming, and the rate was a good value. The staff were friendly, especially Timothy at the concierge desk, who was accommodating and knew a lot about the building's history. I'll stay here again.

The hotel turned out to be right in the middle of everything, so I could walk to most places in Hollywood. For anything farther, the metro rail was just a few blocks away. I wasn't sure where it would be in relation to the tourist spots, so that was a relief. My room was huge, clean, and had cute details that gave it an old Hollywood feel. Timothy at the front desk was gracious and friendly, and made me feel like a friend. He also told me about the hotel's colorful past and the neighborhood. I had a fantastic stay at the Canterbury Suites and will come back. I'd love to check out their Venice beach location too.

Walking in from the dim hallway to my room felt like stepping into another dimension. A lot of thought and design went into making the rooms look and feel this way. They're spacious, with unusual floor plans, and mine had a full kitchen that I didn't end up using. The furniture was new, the bed was large and comfortable, and there were more fluffy pillows than I could possibly need. The bathroom had shower and bath products I wanted to take home, plus plenty of hand towels, washcloths, and bath towels. The stairs and halls are dark and might still have their original wood. The renovation didn't seem to include soundproofing, but I could forgive that. Guests can use a gate code for the common areas, so visitors can find your room if you give them the code and room number. It seems like the building may once have been apartments before being converted into a hotel, and it's been done in an interesting way. It's a unique, pretty awesome place, and I'll visit again.