Gay LA Los Angeles City Guide

Curation by Yasmina Rodríguez, words by Jeff Katcherian

Flanked between a rock and the Pacific Ocean, rich in contrast and unpredictably beautiful, Los Angeles is a global city that constantly reinvents itself. As a unique cultural blend forms the heart and soul of this remarkable city, it provides an exploration into the various lives you could be leading. Where Hollywood glamour meets shabby-chic, and splendid world-class museums compete with dazzling everyday street art, the City of Angels indeed has it all: a big spectrum of outdoor activities, beaches and mountains, arts and culture, west coast design, culinary adventures, health and fitness; all accompanied by blue skies and never-ending sunshine. Although some individuals love to hate LA, they always come around for more- with such a versatile array of possibilities, there is no other city like LA. Looking for the ultimate LA travel guide? Mr Hudson has got you covered.

The best hotels in LA

Los Angeles rewards the discerning traveller not only for where it takes you, but for how beautifully it lets you arrive — and the city’s finest hotels are destinations in themselves, each offering a distinctly different vision of what a stay here can mean.

For those who prefer their glamour with a side of seclusion, Hotel Bel-Air is in a class of its own. Part of the Dorchester Collection and nestled within twelve acres of canyon-side gardens on Stone Canyon Road, this legendary property sits minutes from the boutiques of Rodeo Drive yet feels entirely removed from the city’s frenetic energy. The iconic pink bungalows balance vintage Hollywood romance with heated limestone bathrooms, private patios, and the kind of attentive service that makes leaving feel like a small tragedy. Resident swans glide across the celebrated Swan Lake, whilst the La Prairie Spa — with its outdoor treatment suite set amongst the gardens — and the warmly dimly lit Bar and Lounge, perfect for a handcrafted cocktail and a discreet brush with someone famous, complete an utterly distinctive picture.

Hotel Bel-Air

Firmly in the heart of West Hollywood — the beating pulse of the city’s LGBTQ+ community and steps from the Sunset Strip — the London West Hollywood brings classic British elegance to SoCal glamour. The all-suite format is genuinely generous: private terraces, custom wet bars, and capacious Waterworks bathrooms set a high bar, whilst the exclusive, guest-only rooftop pool deck, with its plush private cabanas, fire pits, and sweeping 360-degree city panorama, is reason enough to book in itself. Nearby on a quiet residential street, the Petit Ermitage offers something rather different: a bohemian-chic boutique retreat where hand-picked antiques, original artworks, and intimate fireplaces create a genuinely romantic, deeply personal atmosphere. Its Private Rooftop — a certified butterfly sanctuary complete with a saltwater pool, a clothing-optional sun deck, and bespoke cocktails — draws a cosmopolitan, creatively-inclined crowd beneath the open Los Angeles sky.

For those drawn to the Pacific, the Santa Monica Proper Hotel is one of the most visually arresting stays on the Westside. Designer Kelly Wearstler has woven her signature layered aesthetic through all 262 rooms and suites, drawing on sandy palettes, light hardwoods, and the organic textures of the surrounding coastline. The property spans a gracefully restored 1920s landmark building and a striking contemporary extension — a conversation between history and modernity at every turn. Atop it all, the rooftop Calabra restaurant and bar, the only rooftop pool deck in Santa Monica, draws an impossibly stylish local crowd for Mediterranean-inspired dining with Pacific Ocean views. The Surya Spa’s Ayurvedic programme, rooted in thousands of years of Indian wellness tradition, provides genuine restoration for both body and mind.