My friend and I just stayed here to celebrate her birthday in the Arts District. I've always been curious about this hotel so I'm glad she chose it! You absolutely cannot beat the location. If you are looking for an Arts District experience, you're a few buildings down from either Arts District or Angel City Brewery in either direction, Truly LA on the same block, Wurstkuche across the street, and surrounded by all of the best and talked-about restaurants and bars (Manuela, Cha Cha Cha, etc). Walk another two blocks and you're in Little Tokyo. You really couldn't find a better location. Our room was very, very spacious (and inexpensive), with a king bed and set of bunk beds. It also had a minifridge, small table and chairs, 2 windows and minimalist decor. I liked that the room and hallways all smelled clean and fresh, despite how old this building is it's well-maintained. None of the rooms have their own private bathrooms. There is a shared bathroom for each gender on each floor, and a private single restroom with an individual toilet, shower and sink across from reception if you can snag that. The shared bathrooms have a few shower stalls, like dorms. I didn't stay long enough to use the shower so I can't comment on the water, toiletries, etc. but I noticed that the shower stalls didn't have individual private spaces to put down your dry clothes and belongings for getting out of the shower to change, like my actual dorm rooms did. One of the sinks was also broken, which left one women's sink for the floor. Why 3 stars, aside from the bathroom issues? (TL:DR excessive noise, no ice or cups despite a promise of both, parking) - The confirmation email stated that there would be an ice and water machine. Great! When there were no cups in the room and I went to ask the receptionist for cups and ice, she told me that they've never had an ice machine and we would have to buy ice from the convenience store downstairs. When I went to ask, the convenience store cashier told me that they've never sold ice and he didn't know why I was sent there. Ugh. The water dispenser was also out of cups, and after she went looking for more cups for us, she returned with a single cup. We pre-gamed with lukewarm drinks and a shared cup. - My friend asked for a quieter room and we were assigned the loudest room possible, at the top of the 2nd floor main entrance, just next to the 3rd floor stairwell and across from the facilities/housekeeping room. I was woken up early by people talking loudly and walking up the stairs, people stomping on the stairs above us, and housekeeping staff talking loudly. - It would have been nice to have shelves or surfaces by the bunk beds to place phones, water, or other belongings - No parking! There are a few lots close by, but they were all full. I parked a few blocks away on Hewitt. This wasn't as big of a deal, as you'd expect from an old building. I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars and I'm really glad I got the chance to stay here. I think there are a few details they could improve to make it a better stay, but this is very inexpensive and I love that a historic building is still in use as an affordable way to stay here. read more

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Just a heads up for anyone considering The American Hotel: the rooms do not have private bathrooms. Bathrooms are shared and located in the hallway. The website isn't very clear about this, so I called twice to confirm. Unfortunately, the staff member I spoke with was rude when I asked for clarification and even hung up on me. Not a great experience, especially when you're just trying to get accurate info before booking. For the price and the customer service, I personally wouldn't recommend it." And between us... yeah, communal bathrooms for a group of four getting ready to go out? Hard pass. You're right to be picky about where you stay, especially for a night out near Angel City Brewery. You're trying to have a good time, not share a hallway bathroom with strangers After that, my best friend called separately to confirm the same information, and the same staff member accused us of 'harassing' him, even though it was a different person calling. He also refused to give his name. This all happened today, February 3rd, around 3:40-3:50 p.m. Not a great experience at all, especially when you're just trying to get accurate info before booking. For the price and the customer service, I personally wouldn't recommend it. read more

Very clean, comfortable, and affordable rooms in an absolutely unbeatable location. Masuma and the guy working in the morning (didnt catch a name) were very helpful and overall seemed like lovely people. they were nice enough to upgrade us to the king suite, which was a large room with a king bed and two bunks with a mini fridge, and a small wall-mounted tv with 2 AC window units. nothing particularly special but for barely $100/night in that location itd be silly to expect much more. the shared bathrooms were clean and quiet. the mens bathroom was literally right outside our door which i thought was convenient and the womens was just down the hall. i think the shared bathroom situation is perfectly adequate for people just looking for a place to hang their head for a night or two after seeing a show or exploring the city, and want something a little more private and conventional than a hostel. noise was a nonfactor for us. its an old building in the middle of one of the biggest cities on earth, what do you expect? read more

Enjoyed my stay at the American. Rooms, hallways, bathrooms, stairwells always clean. Easy check in and check out. Corner store, coffee/breakfast, local breweries, restaurants within short walking distance. There is no free onsite parking, but there is a reasonable lot next door...make sure you've got cash on weekends. Next time I'm in LA, I will most definitely be staying here again read more

Great experience for a lower budget. I traveled solo and was initially a little worried as a young woman, but Masuma was warm and immediately made me feel safe. She complimented my jewelry and was very helpful in helping me find whatever I needed. Shared separate gender bathrooms at the two ends of the hallways and one unisex one on each floor. Room was comfortable and spacious. Bathroom was a little dingey (from old age of the building more than anything), but over all, clean. read more

This is my 5th time staying here. Love this place! Clean, affordable and the location. The bathrooms are shared like in dorm rooms. Masuma was super sweet and helpful. We will continue coming and recommending this place to our friends read more

Great staff cleanliness, could use a bit of updates, but not bad..I recommend you try

I stayed here for AX2024 (sorry it took so long to review!). The hotel has a wonderful staff and kick-ass furniture. Complementary satellite tv in the room, and as Lara below mentions, lots of cool stuff within walking distance, including Little Tokyo. Each floor has shared bathrooms that are super clean and have shower stalls. 6/5 stars read more

Stayed here for one night. The place was clean. The front desk receptionist was friendly when we checked in. I couldn't get a hold of anyone when checking out but then I noticed they had a box outside the receptionist office where you can drop off your room key. You need a code to get buzzed in the front door, which made me feel safe. The receptionist gives you the code when you check in. Overall, it was a good stay. read more

absolutely the place to be when traveling to LA, stayed for five days and could not have asked for a better spot in la. It's perfect for walking there was food all around including de la nona which has pizza till 130 and pie or die which was just downstairs. there was a corner store next door with a microwave and all the essentials cash only but they have an atm. there's also a parking lot right next to it for 25$ a night but the building across the street is closed so in the morning u can get free parking for the whole weekend. also they are right next to let's go a 70s bar and 88 and arcade bar. the room was huge clean came with fridge and tv. shared bathroom situation wasn't bad at all honestly didn't run into anyone and used the next floor bathroom when one was full. please stay here if your going to la arts district 20 min walk to little tokyo and great price for la read more

I was kind of shocked at the anger of the first review I suppose not everyone can really grasp how amazing the American Hotel really is ‍ This place is for real artists real artists that want to live and breath this amazing lifestyle ‍ it's so inspiring to live and work at The American Hotel‍ to be in the heart of The Arts District and to be working and living beside so many talented amazing people I'm GLAD that some people can't handle living in The Arts District ‍ That just leaves more room for girls like me who live their dream everyday read more

Although the rooms do not have a private bathroom, it wasn't an issue for me because I was only here for two nights. The female restroom had two shower stalls - both pretty clean. Room is small, but comfortable. Kind staff; location is perfect - short walking distance to Little Tokyo and cute little coffee shop nearby. Note: don't risk street parking..not worth it! Pay $20 for 11AM-2AM parking if you have to - available at E 3rd St. read more

American Hotel - Coffee shop nearby American Hotel. - Hotels Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The American Hotel is pretty fantastic!!! It's not a bougie hotel in Beverly hills or Hollywood, but rather a down to earth basic hotel in the arts district, which was exactly what I wanted. What I didn't realize was how great the arts district of LA is! There's several cutting edge restaurants, all in easy walking distance. There are art galleries and cafes. The area is buzzing with creativity and nightlife, and it felt like The American Hotel was at the epicenter. I could walk to Little Tokyo in 10 minutes, and the Broad and Contemporary museums in 20-30. Not really knowing much, I also found myself walking through the Toy District and Bong Row...both on the edge of sketchy "Skids Row". I then walked right through Skids Row on the way to both the flower and fashion districts. Those were all very unique to LA places I had known nothing about before then. I'm really glad I meandered into these areas, and it was all very walkable, but realize that the area between them and the arts district was perhaps not the safest blocks in the city. These areas may be better seen by Uber, which is what I did the next day. Then, DTLA and The last Bookstore are about ten minutes from the flower mart. Masuma at the desk in the hotel was very lovely, as was a gentleman whose name I didn't get. My room was a one bedroom suite with two ( much needed during a heat wave) ACs a couch ( that I think was a difa bed), a small table in the bedroom to eat at and a coffee table, dresser, tv table, and a place to hang up clothes, a safe and a refrigerator. My only issue was that a microwave would have allowed me to eat leftovers instead of tossing them. But I knew that there was not one when booking the room. I just also didn't realize what amazing food I was going to have! There are no private bathrooms in any of the rooms, there are two showers in both the women's and men's shared bathrooms and a shower in the unisex/family bathroom. Everything was spotless, the room, the hallway and the bathrooms. A niggly thing I noticed was that there was nowhere to change or a shelf to place clothes onto while showering as is standard in most shared facilities I've been in. I found I had to set them down in the sink so they would not get wet, and then later walk across the bathroom back to the sink in my towel and go into a stall to change. There was definitely an awkwardness to that. But the unisex bathroom was usually available. The corner store around the corner is great too if you are missing any tiny thing you left at home, and there is a pie place next to that. I chose this hotel because of its history. Please do read up on that. It makes an otherwise casual, ordinary seeming hotel much, much more, and puts murals and the shop downstairs into perspective. read more

I used to live at the American Hotel back in the days of infamy in the 90s when the giant airplane was still attached to the building, and No Talent Night was the best place to build a following as an unknown, underground band. Most people aren't aware that Al's Bar hosted Nirvana and Sonic Youth, as well as hundreds of other now-famous acts. In fact I've begun working on a musical about this place because the people and memories are still so vibrant and indelible 30+ years out: https://one.usc.edu/archive-location/als-bar-0. I was recently in town on a short trip to attend a film event at UCLA and was so delighted I could book a room here. I survived the 1994 Northridge earthquake remarkably intact in this sturdy building, got to see Beck's first bidding war in the Al's Bar Basement, and was right around the corner from the Rodney King riots, where I came face to face with the cannon of a gigantic army tank as I turned the corner headed to Little Tokyo for groceries the next morning. The painful irony is that the American Hotel was originally built so that African Americans could have a safe place to stay in a city with tremendous racial divides: https://doordash.atlasobscura.com/the-secret-history-of-los-angeles-most-rebellious-hotel/p/1 I'm so happy I got to revisit such long-lasting, intense memories, and relieved to see so much of the original underground charm of this place so lovingly preserved by the new owner. I can't recommend the American Hotel highly enough to those with a love of art, creativity and the amazingly rich history of Downtown Los Angeles. Please understand you are not just booking a room, you are investing in an historic gem so that it will remain vibrant and alive for other generations to enjoy: https://www.americanhotella.com/our-hotel/about-us.html. Note: What I find interesting about some of the negative reviews is that some people seem to expect expensive service and fancy amenities without being willing to pay for them. American Hotel does not pretend to be anything other than what it is - a cheap, funky, creatively communal hotel with one of the richest histories in the area. And downtown is so much safer than it used to be, with gated parking, hip stores, restaurants and artist's spaces. Also be assured the communal bathrooms are so far removed from what we had back in the day that it's clear major effort and care has gone into every upgrade of this place. And please check out the juice bar Kreation across the street - their Blue Boost is heaven in a glass bottle, and you get a discount when you return the bottle for reuse! https://www.kreationjuice.com/. read more

I was wary of spending the night here, due to its proximity to Skid Row, parking situation (or lack thereof) and reviews online. Also, I have watched many a Netflix documentary about LA hotels. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the room was mostly clean though not in the best condition (stains on carpet, worn parts of blankets and pillowcases, etc). The restroom on our floor had 2 stalls and both looked very clean. I did not use the shower, so cannot comment on it. They leave makeup remover wipes and ear plugs on the bedside table. I'm not sure if that's because people are typically loud - we didn't notice any traffic noise, so maybe they're for noisy guests. Late check-in directions were clear and easy to follow. Check-out is at 11:00. For a cheap night out downtown, this worked out well and was satisfactory. The location ended up being great - walking distance to Resident, Kreation, and more. read more

American Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I had a very good experience, special thanks to Masuma at the front desk who was awesome! Great room and view, I got what I was hoping for 100%. read more

Masuma was brilliant. Super helpful with informing us about where everything was and parking. Very clean and safe. History of the hotel is incredible and there is a documentary on it. Worth it and so many great local places to go to read more

My week-long stay in the American Hotel was an affordable treat. The rooms were clean, and the shared bathrooms were cleaned every day. The location is hard to beat, with great restaurants and Little Tokyo located just a couple blocks away. The staff were friendly and accomodating--Dylan and Masuma at the front desk were particularly helpful whenever I needed their assistance. I'll definitely be back. read more

No private restrooms . You have to share with everyone in the hotel building . the restrooms they do provide smell like poop. Hotel is located in a packed LA area yet it provides no type of parking for their customers . spent hours looking for parking . walked around with white socks in the room and they got black . the floors are dirty !! read more

Worked out really well for our night in town and the receptionist masuma was very helpful and even found parking via the cameras once we called! read more

I was kind of shocked at the anger of the first review, I suppose not everyone can really grasp how amazing the American Hotel really is. This place is for real artists, real artists that want to live and breath this amazing lifestyle. it's so inspiring to live and work at The American Hotel, to be in the heart of The Arts District, and to be working and living beside so many talented amazing people. I'm glad that some people can't handle living in The Arts District. That just leaves more room for girls like me, who live their dream everyday. read more

American Hotel - so amazing to see this wall everyday! - Hotels Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Poor customer service from the manager on duty. The room we were given was above the coffee shop downstairs, which means you hear the music, chatter, and furniture moving. He lied about there being no other rooms available to one of us, and said he couldn't do anything about it because we sat on the bed and messed the top sheet up and housekeeping was gone for the day. His one solution was to endure the night and see what the manager tomorrow can do. "I'm sorry" was not said. read more

Terrible management!!!!! I had to cancel my booking due to the schedule change but they still charged me for two nights! (I booked for one night only) They never replied to my emails. Even if I made a call to get refund, they gave me a partial refund - I have to call them again and recheck again and again like forever. What kind of management is that? Be sure that you do not get overcharged. Very dissappointed. read more

A very affordable, modern and comfortable place to stay in LA! The American is a great place to stay if you're just looking for a nice place to spend the night while you're out in DTLA for the day. We were able to uber to Venice beach for only $20 from the American Hotel. There's also so much to do in the surrounding area. You can also easily walk to the gold line which you can take to union station in order to get to a bunch of other cool destinations. Overall very clean, too. I loved the room-- we had a nice window view of the LA skyline. The room was very tidy and had modern furniture as well as it's own AC. As a fellow germophobe I can reassure you that these bathrooms are approved by me! When I first heard "shared bathrooms" I was like noooo way. But it was honestly not bad at all. They were just restroom stalls alongside sinks and showers. Hair blowers were even provided by the sinks as well. The showers also came with shampoo and shower gel. The only downside of the bathroom/shower combo was the humid feeling in there after someone took a hot shower. Besides that it's nothing to worry about. Mind you, I didn't have to park because I got dropped off. You can also utilize public transportation*** something us angelinos should try to do more of anyways ‍ read more

My husband and I stayed at this hotel is April 2017 for about 4 Days. It is located in the Arts District in LA. We were treated with respect and kindness from Management and guests. One thing we did not appreciate is that we had to find parking everyday. Sometimes we had to park the vehicle 2 blocks away for free parking otherwise your paying at least $20.00 per night for paid parking. Also we had to "SHARE" a bathroom with other guests on the same floor. This hotel is definitely set up Iike a dormitory plus there are "NO ELEVATORS". You will walk up and down 3-4 flights of stairs depending on your room number; we were unaware of this when booking the hotel. We will not book this hotel again. However if you want the atmosphere of a dormitory as a hotel plus the outside features of the Art District then this is your hotel! read more

One does not judge a baker by how well he grills. If you want a luxurious stay in LA, look elsewhere. America Hotel is a cheap place to sleep in LA. That being said, I had booked here for Anime Expo and had lower than average expectations. And boy was I impressed. The staff were really nice (though looking at others reviews, only if you're nice back lmao). I had a small mishap with my rooms but they gladly resolved the problem with little resentment. Of course, I didn't show any resent because I had none from my lower than average expectations. At this point, I was just thinking, "No worries, as expected for 2 rooms, 4 nights, ~$1200". As said before, I stayed here regarding Anime Expo and as such the American Hotel's proximity to Little Tokyo was quite appealing. 3 minutes walk to Little Tokyo Mall with a cheap Asian supermarket and bakery, Daiso, and All You Can Eat Korean BBQ. It doesn't just stop there. About an additional 10 minutes walk was the Little Tokyo Plaza full of more Oriental dining, shops of Anime or regular Japanese goods, and buildings all styles like premodern Japan. If Japanese culture is not your interest, on the same block of the hotel are Wurstkeche, Umami Burger, and the Pie Hole. All local favorites for hot dogs (of beef, pork, snake, rabbit, etc.), regular and vegan burgers, and pies and cheesecakes, respectively. Though I must admit that these three are quite pricey. Parking in LA is a nightmare. Payment for parking is natural and is a horror for my spoiled San Diego free parking life. Despite that, there is a parking area right next to the American Hotel which offers $20 a night with parking slot reservations. The guys working it were actually pretty chill. Some noteworthy mentions of the hotel itself are the lack of an elevator. It's just a little exercise, but I wouldn't book here if you have someone with mobility issues. There are shared bathrooms on each floor similar to a college dorm. An open male one, open female, and all gender closed one. Despite this, the bathroom are cleaned daily and I never had to wait in line since I could just climb some stairs to find unoccupied ounces if needed. For my expectations and their prices, the American Hotel surpasses their role as a cheap hotel near the center of LA. read more

Never never never again. Not only does a family sized room mean one bed and a couch. But the front desk nicked on our door at ten at night trying to give our room to another family because they screwed up the booking. No more than ten minutes someone tried breaking into our room saying they thought it was their room and no more than 4 minutes they were back again trying once more. My children were terrified and would not go out to use the "SHARED" bathroom they provide for the floor. There will be very little sleep tonight. Morning can not come fast enough read more

It breaks my heart to have to write this review, because up until this morning I greatly enjoyed my stay here. However, I had about $800 taken from my drawer by housekeeping & the apathy from the GM leaves me no choice. I am new to LA from NYC & this hotel was serving as an interim until I could put a deposit on a new place. The $800 was most of what I had saved. I had cash because I was about to visit the potential new place & wanted to have deposit $$ ready. When I went back to the room last night to get the money out (the room was cleaned earlier that day) it was gone. No one else had been in the room aside from myself and the lady who cleaned it. The front desk gave me the direct name of the lady who cleaned my room. I approached her sincerely the next morning to tell her I wasn't mad, but that money was all I had. She told me she didn't see it but she probably threw it away.... eight $100 bills.... was picked up and thrown in the garbage?!?!? Devastated & desperate, I asked to go through the dumpster. The front desk and GM refused. The GM told my boyfriend and me she couldn't have taken it because his staff "always returns what they find, even phone chargers". I found this to be insulting, as there is a HUGE value difference between a phone charger & $800. I am filing a police report, and now have nowhere to go after checkout. Please, please, PLEASE take caution with this "hotel". read more

This place changed my life. For better and worse. A true legend. We sat with Bukowski's ex wife the day after he died and everyone from the hotel shut the street down and had a funeral pyre with all the Burgundy wine a belly could hold. I mean rot-gut shit. The only way Charles would have it. Al's bar right below the hotel where Beck, The Circle Jerks, Agent Orange, Cypruss Hill, RHCP, Jane's addiction played for $3. Drag queens, junkies and lunatics gather in a clever ruse of an artists community. This place is a slice of Americana at it's finest. read more

I would say if you're looking for something simple and cost effective then this is the place for you. It's located in the heart of the arts district and there are plenty of cool places nearby such as local brewery's, Pie Hole (amazing), a convenience store at the corner, etc. You definitely get what you pay for with American hotel. The person who checked us in was such a sweetheart and very accommodating. She explained that this is a hybrid of a hotel and hostel; you have your own private room but the bathrooms are shared. Each floor offers a men's bathroom and women's bathroom. But don't worry!! They even have a private bathroom on each floor for those that require more privacy. Futhermore, there was no bellman to assist us with carrying our luggage up the flights of stairs both checking in and checking out of the hotel. It's an old building that was built in 1901 so there aren't any elevators, which isn't great for those with knee problems or handicapped folk. The restrooms seemed clean overall and not once did we have to wait to use the private bathroom which was conveniently next to our hotel room. Also, they do provide shampoo and gel body wash. The water pressure is excellent and it actually gets hot! For parking, street parking is available or there's a private lot adjacent to the building that is $20 for 24hrs. The nice thing is I never felt unsafe at any time. There didn't seem to be much crime, only a few harmless bums. All in all, it was a decent stay for very little coin in comparison to the surrounding hotel options. If you're able to look past not having your own bathroom, then American Hotel can do the job for you! read more

This is a horrible hotel - do not give them your money!! They ripped me off and would not offer a refund when I booked this by mistake online. I immediately spoke to someone there to cancel and to this day, they still claim I never cancelled my reservation. I was charged a lot of money for a place I never stayed in! I even went to my credit card company to complain and they fought the dispute the entire way. Horrible and the absolute WORST customer service... only stay here if you are desperate. read more