Starting with check-in: I couldn't find anyone at the front desk. A very nice gentleman cleaning rooms offered to find someone for me. Strange encounter. The clerk wasn't outright rude, but for the first several minutes seemed pretentious, like I wasn't good enough to stay there. He didn't introduce himself or ask my name; I introduced myself and asked his name after check-in, and he warmed up a bit. It felt like I'd caught him doing something wrong or arrived before he was ready. I had to ask multiple questions because he didn't offer information or engage. My customer service was on point--his, not so much. I'd been driving all day and was exhausted, wearing very casual clothes, but he felt very judgey. I asked to see the rooms after reading reviews. The first was rundown and not worth the $150 he quoted. He kept going into the back office between questions, implying he was busy or nearly full (there was only one car outside). When I asked to see the other side of the hotel, which had allegedly been updated, he bragged about being fully booked, though I only ever saw three cars. Odd. The second room was just okay, but I was too tired to find another hotel, so I stayed one night. Few things frustrate me more than visible neglect and lack of detail. There were drywall screw heads popping out, scuffed walls, holes, and water-damaged bathroom drywall from a poorly placed glass shower door--crumbling onto the floor. The floor itself was dirty. The outer entry door was peeling badly, shedding bits of clear coating onto the floor and my hands. The blinds appeared to not have been cleaned in months--which should be done regularly. The bed frame was filthy--dust, debris, bits of wrappers and food. It was clearly dirty, with oils, handprints, and dried liquids (I'll leave that to your imagination). The closet doors, off-white, had visible hand grime. The disinfectant wipes I used were brown - yuck. The lamp was dusty, an outlet near the bed had a broken metal piece stuck inside, and both the bathroom vent and hair dryer were caked with dust. The dryer filter hadn't been cleaned in ages. The countertop above the mini fridge was detaching, the bathroom shelf was decaying, and the shower glass hadn't been cleaned. The creamy drip marks on the wall--hopefully conditioner or soap--remained, and the grout was mold-stained. A simple bleach spray would've fixed it. The shower water pressure was awful, with calcification that needs vinegar soaking. It also leaked from the stem. Meanwhile, the sink had too much pressure. The cleaning staff were wonderful--always offering help. The issues here clearly stem from management, not staff. I realize this isn't a four-star hotel and that my standards are higher than average. Having worked in property management and emergency response, I've been in many homes across all conditions and know what "clean" should look like. I attached photos (which don't even capture all of it) so others can decide for themselves. Public beds and showers should be cleaned frequently so dust, germs, and bugs don't build up. The initial clerk did warm up by the end, and wasn't outright rude, just awkward and pretentious at first. When I checked out, a different man was working. He was extremely pushy, insisting I stay longer despite me saying I had to get back on the road. Then he handed me a clipboard and said it was mandatory to fill out--a sheet listing my name, room number, and space for comments, stacked under previous guests' notes. I told him I'd review the hotel online instead. He insisted I fill in each section, so under "comments" I wrote "review on Yelp." Other than being pushy, he was friendly--but it was an annoying end to a stay that wasn't worth the cost. Not the worst stay I've had, but definitely not one I'd repeat. read more

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This was hands down one of the best if not the best experience I've had with a hospitality service. The room itself was immaculately clean and perfectly located in the center of all of the action in studio city. Minutes from Universal Studios and surrounded by shops and bars. Our room included car port parking which was a great surprise and we took full advantage! We always felt safe and taken care of. The staff was incredibly welcoming and friendly and even gave us a parting gift for the road. If I'm ever staying in the area again, this will be where I stay! read more

El Royale Hotel Studio City - Hotels Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This spot is my favorite spot to stay at when I go to Universal Studios, I've stayed here multiple times and every single time it's been amazing. I've brought multiple friends and they've both loved it there as well. The check in guys were both super sweet. The older guy and the younger one too. Very friendly and personable. I would 110% recommend this place to others as it is a complete steal! Everything is perfect in the hotel, comfy bed, full bathroom and plenty of lights. They offer small breakfast and offer water as well. The employees definitely go out of their way to make your stay special. They are also extremely flexible and were very kind when we were a few minutes late to our check in time. read more

El Royale Hotel Studio City - only picture i took here haha very nice bathroom mirror! - Hotels Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great quaint place with nice staff and cozy accommodations small dab in the middle of a bunch of great restaurants. This place has its own parking in a semi secure area off the main street. The rooms are these little bungalows, some with a garage type area. They've got all the basic needs covered and the room rates are highly competitive. read more

Good service from Sean upon checkin. The bungalows and carports are adorable. 10 am is an early checkout time. And there is no coffee in the room. But overall we were very happy with our stay read more

I'm torn on my opinion of this place, because while it definitely isn't good, it's also not entirely bad. When we arrived to check-in, it was a little confusing which area to go to because there were two lobbies, with no signage/indication that checkin was not available at one of them. Thankfully, one of the managers was helpful with the problems I had with Booking.com, so that was nice. We got into our room, and the beds were nicely tucked in, but it was desolate of furniture/decorations. For a whopping $500, you can have two nights of an A/C that doesn't fully run, scuff marks all over the walls, rotting(?) mirror frames, and exactly two framed photos. The shower was nice. Bathroom didn't have a lock, kind of weird. Hardly any accessible outlets, and if they were accessible, they were hidden. The continental breakfast that's listed on their website is actually just a small pot of god awful coffee and exactly 4 unlabeled muffins, possibly banana. I just expected more I guess. Oh, and upon checkout, a different manager complimented my henna but then told me my tattoo was a sin in Christianity and Catholicism. Yikes! I won't be coming back personally, as I would rather go to a hotel that fulfills its promises. read more

The service was friendly and structured, though slightly slower in one part. Still, the overall impression was positive and comfortable. I would consider using it again. read more

The perfect stay to go to Universal Studios! The room was very clean, bed was cozy, shower was great and the location was perfect. Also free parking with a gate that closes at night was a great perk. read more

Family trip to Universal Studios. This was about 6min away driving and around 12 min walking, 3 minutes if you run, lol! This is a small property. They have the basics. There is no ice machine or usb outlets. So don't forget your standard plug attachments. There are two sides. Two different parking lot entrances. One side has little cottages. They are individual with no shared walls. The other side is motel style. We were greeted by Xavier. He was very funny, friendly and helpful. I recommend this hotel. read more

El Royale Hotel Studio City - Hotels Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Very cute vintage bungalow motel, but also has a more modern, standard adjoining section. They originally put me in the modern section, but when I pouted, he moved me to a bungalow. Both rooms were new and clean. The bed and pillows were extremely comfortable, the air conditioner was powerful but not too noisy (and gave a steady hum, rather than turning on and off constantly.) The room itself was really quiet-- I don't think any of the bungalows share walls. I really hate these new can lights that a lot of places are putting in the ceiling-- they're bright white and horrible. Fortunately, my room also had a table lamp, which I used exclusively, but I didn't need to read anything. The bathroom is very modern, but oddly there's no place to hang your towel or clothes-- not even a hook or a shelf. That was awkward. I also noticed that some prior tenant must have used a spray hair product that got onto the exterior of the glass shower enclosure and had not been cleaned off. (It wasn't going to wipe off easily-- it was really stuck on there.) Other than that, the place was spotless. Since it had obviously been renovated fairly recently, I was confused by the holes in the walls where things had been screwed in and detached. Did they renovate, and then renovate again?? I used a third party vendor, mostly because it was advertising a single, whereas the hotel site gave a king bed as it's lowest priced room available-- I didn't want a king room. (I ended up with a queen.) I booked the room only the day before and it was a bit more than I'd expect for a basic room, but probably not for the area. (There's a cheaper but dumpier place across the street.) The hotel doesn't have a phone number to call, and neither did the third-party vendor (one I wasn't familiar with and had some low reviews), so I was nervous about the reservation, but it was all fine. Both the vendor site and hotel stated there was no breakfast provided, but when I checked in the host said there was coffee and muffins in the morning. There was actually a little more than that, but I wouldn't call it breakfast. It was actually all a little odd. The coffee was like concentrate-- very thick; I treated it as such and added hot water, but there was no creamer. (I finished the coffee in the pot and told the attendant, but the pot was so heavy that when she lifted it to check, she assumed there was still plenty.) They had flavored oatmeal packets, but no milk. The muffins were pre-wrapped and weren't anything I wanted. The only tableware were paper cups and plastic utensils. It was the kind of layout aliens might set out if they were trying to pass as human-- almost okay, but just a bit off. But there's a grocery store right up the street and restaurants nearby. I noticed all the bad reviews are prior to 2023. The place must have been taken over by someone new and fixed up. read more

My boyfriend and I opted into staying at this amazing hotel so that we were in close proximity to Universal Studios. This is hands down one of the best experience I've had at such a small hotel establishment. Our living quarters were very spacious and there was ample parking we even had our own garage. Upon checking in we were given a very easy to follow map on how to get around the city and during checkout the owner gifted us with cookies from Trader Joe's. The beds were extremely comfortable and the soap and shampoo dispensers made it and easy transition from our home to this hotel. There's no doubt in our minds that we won't be staying here again during our next trip to studio city read more

The room was spotless, appeared recently renovated, spacious and well appointed. I was so pleasantly surprised by this hotel! Parking was convenient, right in front of the room with handicap spots available. There's a refrigerator and microwave in the room as well. I will definitely be staying here again!! Oh, and it was a 5-7 minute drive to universal. read more

El Royale Hotel Studio City - Bathroom Bouquet - Hotels Near Me - Los Angeles, California

In case you haven't checked the expedited booking hotel sites, it is tough to find lodging less than 1.5 miles from Universal Studios and CBS Radford because everything seems to be "better" but way more expensive or cheaper but way more sketch. So, this was a great choice. It was important to me to be close to CBS Radford because I was in town to shoot the game show "Blank Slate" on the Will and Grace lot (Rosita says hi). A non-disclosure agreement keeps me from telling you if I won the $10,000 prize, but let's just say that next time I am in town, I'm probably staying in the discarded needle suite at the "Bed Bug Inn". PROS. SERVICE. Check-in is at four, but the guy was gracious enough to let me get into a room around 2:30pm, not exercising his right to make me wait. (This only works if you are nice, so don't act entitled or quote my review). And, when I got there my room smelled like cleaning products, Members Only cologne, and an essential oil spill at The Body with the strength of a clothing store mall. It was Abercrombie and Retch. My point is, the guy assured me that this smell is from the non-toxic cleaning supplies, a scent that goes away in a half hour, and one of the reasons they air out a room before premature guests (like me) come in). And, he offered me a different room, offering two other choices. He also said I could leave the door open even though I was leaving for a haircut. CLEANLINESS. The room was clean, modern, and simple, with no carpet, curtains, or clunky bedspread. Big comfortable bed, flat screen TV, and mini-fridge. The massive air conditioner was already on when I checked in. They have a "Fan Only" option that allows for white noise. Don't mistake it for the "Only Fan" option which makes it cross its eyes and stick out its tongue. The bathroom has a wide sink with the incredibly bright lighting like a Sugarfina store, allowing you see your back teeth through the pores of your nose. The fluffy towels of assorted sizes had the slight smell of bleach that would turn on a German and the shower was wide with a big shower head, glass doors, and products that actually lathered. COTTAGES. I highly recommend the south side of the property has about ten freestanding cottages, which means you have your own carport (except for Room 101, closest to the entrance) and you have nobody above you and you have no shared walls. The north side is more like a typical motel with parking spaces and neighboring walls. PRO/CON. LOCATION. As I said, the grounds are close to Universal Studios, CBS, and other studios. Freeway close to 101/170, with high walkability. High walkability has it's advantages (across the street from a nice pub, walking distance to drugstores and food options) and disadvantages (like all of LA, there is a tiny bit of riff raff, with a tattoo and weed spot nearby, and all the businesses attract noise). THE GATE. The cottage side has a gate for extra security. The downside is that you need to call ahead if you want to get in after midnight or leave before 7am. AIR CONDITIONER LIGHT. If you don't want a nightlight, cover the controls with a washcloth. CONS. Including this list (which I admit is nitpicking) allows me to keep up the five star review without reservation. The room is clean, but it could use a few small touch-ups (scuffs). My fridge (101) made a clunking sound twice a minute so I had to unplug it to sleep. Also, my alarm clock did not work, and no, I didn't mix up PM with AM or AD or BC, the radio wouldn't even play when I tested it. Though the extra large shower head allows for tall people and provides a lot of water, the water pressure could be better (it's not bad, but it's not stellar) and the water sneaks out between the glass door gap. The biggest issue for me (at least for Room 101) was the all-night road noise of Ventura Blvd that I couldn't drown out with the fan. And, of course, there may be an initial overpowering smell of cleaning supplies that require airing the room out, Advil, or sticking broken cigarettes up the nose like cops finding a school bus full of corpses. read more

El Royale Hotel Studio City - Room 101 - Hotels Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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What a cute, quaint place right off ventura! Easy access to the highway, universal, weho, basically wherever you want to go in hollywood. Staff was impeccably friendly and hilarious. Rooms were spacious with parking adjacent as well. You are able to walk to some restaurants and bars off ventura from the hotel as well. I will definitely be staying here again in the future read more

super clean, friendly. cozy rooms. here for universal studios! would definitely come back read more

El Royale Hotel Studio City - Hotels Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Room full of roaches. Left as soon as we woke up and saw them. The hotel staff...Jennifer was going to refund, however, only half has been refunded. In addition, she continued to say, "I will call you, I will email you", which did not happen. Each time I called I sat in hold for 1.5 to 2.5 HOURS and never spoke to her. She had someone else get on the phone. I will be calling corporate because she will not give me a number for her superior. Total disrespect. read more

Very friendly staff. Very clean rooms. 10 out of 10. Definitely staying every time we come universal studios.

Hotels have gotten a lot more expensive. Sometimes you just need a safe, clean, and convenient place to stay, without a lot of extra frills, and this place fit the bill. I initially indicated that I wanted an early check-in, but my plans went awry and I ended up not checking in until about 11 p.m. I appreciated that at about 10 p.m., they called and texted to check on me to see if I was still coming. When I checked in, they offered me complementary bottles of water and they directed me to a parking stall right outside my room which was on the newer side of the property, El Royale Gardens. They even made sure that my key worked and that I got into my room okay, which was much appreciated given the late hour. The room itself was comfortable and included a fridge and microwave. The bed was comfortable and the shower was large and had good water pressure and temperature. The room could have been cleaned a little better...I typically use wet wipes to wipe down surfaces, and some of them had some stuff on them. However, it was a good experience overall, and I would stay here again when in the area. read more

So, they totally try hard. The rooms have been renovated, but the couch had tears. But, for the price point, it was a good deal. Nice amenities in the bathroom and plenty of towels, but it took a good 10 minutes for the shower to warm up. Walkable to Universal Studios. read more

Robert and Sean couldn't have been more gracious, as I was traveling a long distance, and they bent over backwards to be welcoming. El Royale Hotel got great reviews, and they went above and beyond to be so helpful and accommodating. Lovely place to park yourself in the LA Basin, and I will come here again! read more

Absolutely so beautiful on the inside and the adorable cottage feel is cozy. The man who checked me in was so very kind and wish all hotel people would have a guy like him! He made me feel safe and welcomed. I had two rooms. As a woman, I also appreciate that they lock the gate after midnight for safety! 100% would come again. read more

Great place to stay! One of the best places I've stayed in. Very clean and the staff is amazing. 5/5 for sure.

Adorable cottages in a great location. Interior feels brand new. Staff friendly and kind. The a/c may need some adjusting. We were intermittently cold and hot overnight. read more

Absolutely the BEST place I have stayed at !, right smack in the center of everything!! Detatched little bungalow with your own open garage. Clean rooms, comfortable and private. Loved everything about it! Front office staff very courteous and helpful. I can't wait to come back, I felt safe and slept so comfortable. I wish I had gotten the Gentleman's name that greeted us they were the best. read more

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Great staff, charming, homey rooms; immaculately clean. Comfortable beds... We will be back‼‼ read more

We had a fantastic stay at El Royale Gardens, which is El Royale Hotel, but adjacent rooms. The staff were extremely kind. The rooms were clean. The beds were comfy. They aren't a big chain hotel, so don't expect that vibe. But they were very attentive and hospitable. In the middle of an urban environment, they gave us an experience of safety. Water was hot on command. Would love to stay here again if we make another trip to Studio City. read more

Could not believe the great price and even greater room! Not only is this place very clean, but the room smelled amazing when we walked in, they had the tv on for us when we got inside, and the bed was wonderful...an actual full size king bed!!!! Amazing check in process, very friendly and helpful!! Will absolutely stay here again and will recommend this place to everyone! read more

such an amazing staff and clean rooms!! a very walkable area with so many places near by!! great air conditioning which is super important to me!!! read more

Clean room, great staff, and nice stay. Bed was comfortable, shower was big. Room is updated and nice air conditioner. Need more pillows, only three on the bed. Just a recommendation, putting some grab bars in the shower would be nice. read more

Outstanding property, and even better proprietor. We did not stay at the hotel, but at the El Royale Gardens which is part of the same property. The hotel is set up like condominiums, while the gardens are set up like an old drive-in motor lodge.. surprisingly, the old school motor lodge property seem to be the nicer of the two. The rooms were large and modern, and the property very well kept. Robert the proprietor was outstanding when we were preparing for our visit and when my wife and daughter got there. He answered questions, was super helpful, and even helped us fix a booking issue. I can't say enough about Robert and the El Royale! We will definitely stay there when we are in the area next time. read more

El Royale Hotel Studio City - Hotels Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Don't judge a book by its cover or a hotel by its website photos! The photos were beautiful. This hotel from the exterior was not. However our stay was plesant. The room was clean though the second day we started noticing ants. It's fairly close to Universal, but on a very busy street so you'll hear traffic and police cars all night. The shower head didn't let out a lot of waywr so that was disapointing. The room had been recently remodeled and was great. There are only 6 or 7 cottages but a few do not have the carport. One in the corner looked really run down. Had tapping and tarps and plastic all over. there was no breakfast, and upon check out, the man at the counter made his and write a comment on the check out form. First it was handed to the manwith the name and email and phone requested and the man handed it back and said, oh no, you need to leave a comment. A happy face will do. Umm what? Forcing customers to leave comments is wrong. It's a bit pricey for what you get. The fancy hotel right next to universal is only like 80 bucks a night more. read more

recently had the pleasure of staying at El royale hotel and it was truly a great experience. From the moment we arrived, the staff provided exceptional hospitality, making us feel genuinely welcome. The check-in process was seamless, and I was quickly escorted to my appointed room highly recommend el royale hotel to anyone. Whether you're visiting for business or leisure, this hotel exceeds expectations in every way. I will definitely be returning! It's Really close to universal as well read more

I stayed at this hotel for 1 night due to its very close proximity to Universal Studios. It's down the street, about a 5 minute drive. The employees at this hotel are VERY nice and welcoming. The room was as described, clean and spacious enough for the night. The shower worked great. Bed was very comfortable. Each room comes with its own covered parking space right by the room. I never got the WiFi to work. I asked the two front desk people what the password was and they gave it to me. I tried multiple times to log onto the WiFi but it kept saying incorrect password. My issue with the hotel was when I was using the bathroom before going to bed. I saw quite a large cockroach roaming the floor in the bathroom. I can't stand roaches lol. I killed it (took awhile) and left it under the trash can. read more

El Royale Hotel Studio City - Ugh. Found this in the bathroom at night. - Hotels Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Nice little place less than a mile from universal that is decently cheap. It's a small little place, which from the outside, you would probably steer clear from, but it has been upgraded and modernized with large showers. The room was very clean, although there was a small stain on the sheets and the shower knob took about 5 minutes to get working. The check-in process was a bit weird. I had to stand there and wait for the manager to come out from the back room because the "receptionist" didn't know how to work the computers. Then I was told to forward my hotels.com confirmation to the hotel email address (shouldn't they already have that?). After I was given my key, the "receptionist" followed me as I drive to the other side of the building and directed me to a very particular parking spot that was near my room. All in all, a decent little place. read more

Definitely did not expect this. Amazing frindly staff. We checked in at 9:00 p.m. and the gentleman that checked us in was very friendly helpful and attentive. it was towards the end of his shift but you would think he just got to work, all energetic and all smiling. Rooms are very clean and beautifully decorated. They have been recently updated. parking is very easy. Healthy breakfast of scrambled eggs and fruits for offered at no extra charge. It's rare for me to give any establishment 5 stars but these guys definitely deserve it read more

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A great location and the rooms were clean and well equipped. However our ceiling leaked a large amount of water onto the floor and the bed our daughter was sleeping in during the night. Heavy rain so I had sympathy for the hotel but there was damage to the ceiling where it had happened before so obviously not completely unexpected. They moved our rooms and promised to discount our stay. And we never heard from them again. Many excuses about the manager's whereabouts and clearly an empty promise. I think some kind of recompense for my 8 year olds bed being soaking wet, my bag soaking wet etc warrants a bit more effort. Don't recommend. ***edit*** the manager called us 4 days later and gave us a refund of around 50% of a night's stay which we are happy with. read more

My wife and I stayed for three nights at this place. Everyone was nice and helpful our first two night. Night three after a long day at Disney land we come back to our room at 1am to find ants everywhere. On our bed, in my wife's bag, on the floor, etc . We ask for a different room (because they sent a dude in at 1:30 to wipe the ants away with a towel.) and we're given a smaller bed and had to move all our stuff. I'm 6'4" 360lbs I need a big bed to sleep comfortably especially while sharing it with my wife. Needless to say didn't get good sleep that night and were driving 7 hours home that day. So the Next morning I ask if they could compensate us for the ants and loss of comfort which we paid for. We were talk to and treated as if we brought the ants in the room ourselves, made to feel dirty from bringing food to the room and throwing it in the garbage, and all that after being told it wasn't the first time this has happened. He would not comp us and kept saying it wasn't his fault. My wife went in after I did to talk to them and was told the same and after she told them it was discussing, as was their handling of the situation, the owner followed her out to tell me how rude and disrespectful my wife was. I told him the handling of the situation was rude and disrespectful and her being upset was a result of that. It was not a good experience and was not handled professionally or kindly. I have never been in a hotel that you can't bring food into, but if you are staying here don't. We told the owner we would be writing a review and posting pictures of the ants. Had already killed some there was at least 40 ants that we saw. read more

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Update-I stayed again at the El Royale Hotel with my infant (traveling alone as a petite woman with an infant) when I needed to go to LA on short notice. I contacted Robert, the owner, and he immediately remembered me. He kindly offered me a discount and reserved a room for me on very short notice. Another thing happened on this trip-(nope, the baby didn't get sick this time! yay!) However, I had trouble breaking down the portable crib. I tried repeatedly to break down the portable crib and fit it in my trunk-but I couldn't get one of the sides to collapse completely. Long story short-Xavier kindly broke down the portable crib for me and helped me put it in the trunk. It's an unwieldy, large portable crib (I should really get something easier to travel with)-and he worked on it and was incredibly kind, personable, and we had a great conversation. Thank you so much, Xavier! I also appreciated the insights you shared-you are very thoughtful/insightful! As usual, the hotel is clean, extremely well maintained, very safe (I wouldn't want to stay at a hotel that wasn't completely safe both in the hotel & in the surrounding neighborhood/vicinity) as a woman traveling alone with an infant. The staff are responsive, accommodating, professional, and incredibly kind. It's always a pleasure to stay here-and I love the set up of the bungalows. It feels like you're going to your own little bungalow/hideaway cave-and the hotel is situated near major freeways, great food, and lots of shopping (if that's your thing). Things are convenient and the rooms are lovely. Highly recommend! And many thanks to Xavier, George, and of course-the wonderful owner, Robert Sherman. read more

Older and quaint, our room was clean but had a mildew smell. Service was top notch, staff was super friendly.

Tried booking a room, they had me calling back every day for 4 days while other online booking sites showed they had vacancies, ridiculous. Glad we booked somewhere more reliable and less sleazy. read more