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1923
The Biltmore Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
506 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90071
Original Property Opened in 1923
Historic Hotels of America member since 2024
movies
presidential
tours
Designated as a Los Angeles Historical-Cultural Monument in 1969, The Biltmore Los Angeles is a true living legend. This iconic hotel in the heart of the city set the stage for one of the film industry’s most celebrated events, the Academy Awards, going on to host eight Oscars ceremonies throughout Hollywood’s Golden Age. The hotel has even had a starring role in many motion pictures, television shows, and music videos, from Chinatown and Columbo to Oppenheimer, Lessons in Chemistry, and Ed Sheeran’s smash hit “Thinking Out Loud.” However, celebrities are not the only illustrious (and infamous) guests to grace the building’s gilded halls. While The Biltmore Los Angeles ushered in the presidential nomination of John F. Kennedy during the Democratic National Convention of 1960, in its early years, mobsters Al Capone and Bugsy Siegel were frequent patrons of the hotel’s clandestine speakeasy during the height of Prohibition.
Today, with its center-of-it-all location not far from Tinseltown, The Biltmore Los Angeles is ideally situated for exploring the best that the city has to offer while also providing guests with no shortage of colorful history within its walls. In fact, the hotel still retains many of the opulent features that made The Biltmore Los Angeles an overnight success when it first debuted back in 1923, from brilliant bronze reliefs and 24-carat-gold accents to breathtaking Greco-Roman-inspired frescoed ceilings dripping with glittering Italian chandeliers. Along with its elegant setting and rich heritage, guests at The Biltmore Los Angeles also enjoy luxurious amenities like an indoor saltwater pool reminiscent of a Turkish hammam and a decadent selection of culinary venues.
Discover
- Discover the star-studded history of The Biltmore Los Angeles, which witnessed the founding of the Oscars during a meeting of the minds attended by some of the who’s-who of Hollywood. The hotel went on to host eight Academy Awards ceremonies throughout the Golden Age of Tinseltown, where icons like Bette Davis, Clarke Gable, Ginger Rogers, Jimmy Stewart, and Shirley Temple received their career-defining Oscar statues. However, The Biltmore Los Angeles not only helped shine a spotlight on film’s brightest stars. Since then, its gilded halls have even played a starring role in movies, television shows, and music videos, including Splash, Ghostbusters, The Bodyguard, Independence Day, Ocean’s Eleven, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, This Is Us, Taylor Swift’s “Delicate,” Britney Spears’ “Overprotected,” and many more.
- Admire the resplendent design of The Biltmore Los Angeles. Towering over Pershing Square from its perch on Grand Avenue, the distinguished hotel glitters with opulent details, befitting its grand debut during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Ornate chandeliers glisten off brilliant bronze reliefs and elegant accents crafted out of 24-carat gold, while floral friezes evocative of those that graced the halls of ancient Pompeii bedeck the Galleria. Even more breathtaking are the Greco-Roman-like frescoes that soar over guests in several rooms of the hotel, each painted by Italian-born muralist John B. Smeraldi. Architecture enthusiasts will also note The Biltmore’s eye-catching fusion of Mediterranean Revival and Beaux-Arts styles, which nod to Los Angeles’s Hispanic roots and effortless sophistication.
- Follow in the footsteps of nine former U.S. presidents. For a hotel known as the grand dame of downtown Los Angeles, it is no wonder that The Biltmore has welcomed its fair share of foreign dignitaries and political movers and shakers. In fact, along with Nelson Mandela, United States senators and secretaries, and one vice president, the hotel has opened its doors to U.S. commanders-in-chief ranging from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Bill Clinton. In 1960, The Biltmore Los Angeles even hosted that year’s Democratic National Convention, which saw Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy and Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson face off over the coveted nomination from their respective campaign headquarters in the Music Room and Renaissance Room (now the Emerald Room). They eventually joined forces under a unity ticket, ultimately defeating the incumbent Republican Vice President Richard Nixon with only 0.2% of the popular vote. Following their election, the Kennedy Administration would become one of the most consequential in American history through the expansion of federal programs aimed at dismantling poverty.
- Take a dip in the hotel’s star-dusted indoor pool, which made a splash when it debuted in 1926, just three years after the opening of The Biltmore Los Angeles. Still boasting its original blue-and-cream, hand-laid Italian tilework, statuesque columns, and distinctive brass railings, this stunner of a swimming pool is meant to evoke an elegant Turkish hammam or the storied city of Pompeii. The Roman-style saltwater pool is so atmospheric that it even took to the silver screen in films like Bugsy, Alias, The Fan, and Cruel Intentions. Soak up the scene and the pool’s glitzy Hollywood history from one of the handsome teakwood deck chairs, or sweat it out for a while in the wet steam room, hot tub, or dry sauna.
Explore
- Explore one of the city’s incredible art museums. Los Angeles thrums with creative energy, from the studios and backlots of Hollywood to the vibrant street art of the downtown Arts District and Venice Beach. Those hoping to be fully immersed in Los Angeles’s artistic spirit will not want to miss one (or all) of the area’s many art museums. From the European artworks and panoramic hilltop views of the Getty Center and the ancient Greek, Roman, and Etruscan treasures of the Getty Villa to the more modern leanings of the Museum of Contemporary Art and Geffen Contemporary, there is something for art lovers of all stripes. And be sure to visit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for a photo amid Chris Burden’s iconic art installation, Urban Light, which twinkles with 202 antique street lamps.
- Take a step back in time with a visit to the La Brea Tar Pits. A time capsule of life in the Los Angeles area during the Pleistocene Epoch, the La Brea Tar Pits is the world’s only actively excavated Ice Age fossil site within a city. Since the early 1900s, archaeologists have unearthed fascinating discoveries, both large and small, rescuing everything from tiny plants and insects to massive mammoths and sloths from the bubbling asphalt’s sticky depths. Today, visitors can enjoy a window into the region’s past by stopping by the onsite museum or see science in action at the Fossil Lab and Project 23, the Tar Pits’ live excavation site, during the daily Excavator Tour (free with museum admission).
- Wander along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Opened in 1961 and recognized as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1978, the world-famous destination is a living ode to the titans of Tinseltown. Today, this star-studded stretch of Los Angeles spans both sides of Hollywood Boulevard, from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue, and Vine Street, from Sunset Boulevard to Yucca Avenue. Currently, the Hollywood Walk of Fame features the names of more than 2,700 celebrities, with an average of 30 stars added each year. Guests might even have the chance to attend one of the city’s Walk of Fame ceremonies, which are free for all to enjoy.
- Escape the hustle and bustle of downtown Los Angeles for a stroll along the Santa Monica Pier. A favorite of locals and tourists for more than a century, the world-renowned pier plays host to the Pacific Park amusement park, home to the only solar-powered Ferris wheel on the planet. Other waterfront attractions include the Heal the Bay Aquarium and the Santa Monica Pier Carousel, a 1922 Loof Hippodrome merry-go-round and National Historic Landmark that had a star turn in The Sting. Keep an eye out for the “End of the Trail” sign marking the conclusion of the iconic Route 66. Then, take a short walk to California’s original Muscle Beach, which has drawn fitness fanatics to Santa Monica in the early 1930s.
Experience
- Experience the iconic Hollywood sign from popular vantage points around Los Angeles. Erected in 1923, the “Hollywoodland” sign was initially intended as a $21,000, 18-month-only billboard for a new real estate development by Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler. More than 100 years later, the Hollywood sign has ascended far beyond its original intent, representing not just Tinseltown but Los Angeles overall. The landmark can be seen from several places around the city, whether from the stars of the Walk of Fame or the handprints of the TCL Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. However, some of the best views of the Hollywood Sign can be had from the Griffith Observatory and Lake Hollywood Park, which rests just below the Sign in the Hollywood Hills.
- Attend a showing at the storied TCL Chinese Theatre. Opened in 1927 and declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1968, this renowned movie palace is yet another iconic destination in a city of icons. Since its debut, the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre has hosted countless film premieres, and lucky movie lovers can still take part in the Hollywood tradition to this day. Film fans can also learn about the movie palace’s fascinating history during a 30-minute walking tour, size up their handprints against those of celebrities (and possibly even catch an imprint ceremony), or simply see a showing of the latest blockbuster.
- Do some stargazing of a different kind at the Griffith Observatory. Perched on Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, the Observatory is a hillside gateway to the universe and has welcomed visitors since 1935. Today, the Griffith Observatory is the planet’s most-visited public observatory, with daily programs held in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium and telescopes erected on the lawn and roof each evening, all available for free to visitors. The Observatory’s lofty location also makes it a popular spot for taking in the Los Angeles skyline and the Hollywood Sign.
- Go on a treasure hunt at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Held rain or shine on the second Sunday of each month in nearby Pasadena, this famed flea market has been beloved by fashionistas, interior designers, antique collectors, or simply anyone looking to take home a unique gem for more than 50 years. With over 2,500 vendors to choose from, shoppers will not go home empty-handed, but 20,000 buyers each month means the competition can be fierce. So, be sure to arrive bright and early with a large shopping bag in hand. Carrying cash gives shoppers the upper hand in price negotiations. However, many vendors also accept credit cards and app-based payment methods like Venmo or PayPal.
Taste
- Taste the rich culinary heritage of The Biltmore Los Angeles during afternoon tea, a tradition first introduced to Angelinos by the hotel in 1931, in the resplendent Rendezvous Court. Once the hotel’s main lobby, Rendezvous Court makes for a breathtaking backdrop to this elegant English tradition, whisking guests back to a different, more dignified time. Here, diners sip on custom-blended teas and nibble on a selection of finger sandwiches and sweet treats, many of which were on the menu during the 1920s and 1930s, in the glow of fold-leaf accents, all while the soothing strains of piano music and the tinkling of the marble fountain echo off the vaulted Moorish ceiling. It is a fine dining experience that guests will not soon forget.
- Take a tasty tour of the city’s culinary heritage at Grand Central Market. Opened as the “Wonder Market” in 1917, Grand Central Market is the largest and oldest public market in Los Angeles. A crossroads of cuisines and cultures, the Market has witnessed the delicious evolution of the city’s vibrant food scene, fueled by the colorful immigrant communities that call Los Angeles home. Vendors are as varied as the city itself, peddling everything from tacos, tostadas, and Tajín-kissed fruits to burgers, gourmet egg sandwiches, German currywurst, Japanese bento boxes and ramen, Salvadoran pupusas, and Chinese classics. Needless to say, be sure to show up hungry.
- Sample some of Los Angeles’s most famous eateries. There is no shortage of legendary restaurants in the City of Angels, whether humble-yet-iconic spots like Pink’s Hot Dogs, Tito’s Tacos, In-N-Out Burger, and Randy’s Donuts or glitzy, celebrity-chef-led venues like Nobu Malibu and Wolfgang Puck’s Spago. Or, for a meal with a side of history, enjoy breakfast or dinner at Musso & Frank Grill. The oldest restaurant in Hollywood, dating back to 1919, this timeless steakhouse was once a favorite of Charlie Chaplin and Raymond Chandler and even featured in films like Ed Wood and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The restaurant’s Original Fettuccine Alfredo recipe was brought back to Hollywood by silent film stars and Musso regulars Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. As the story goes, the lovebirds discovered the dish while honeymooning in Rome, where they dined at the restaurant of Alfredo De Lelio, the creator of the modern fettuccine Alfredo. After presenting the restauranteur with golden cutlery, he gifted them his recipe of the Italian favorite.
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