El Royale Hotel

This throwback motor court motel is marked by a burst of greenery along a lackluster strip of Ventura Boulevard. The 12 connected cottages form a U-shape around the interior courtyard, where each unit comes with a dedicated garage to park your car. Despite the 1950s exterior, rooms are still sparkling from a 2014 revamp that installed shiny wood floors, flat-screen TVs and ivory shutters. The WiFi is free, there are microwaves, minifridges and coffeemakers in every room, and best of all, the lobby agents are always eager to help guests plan an outing to Universal Studios, which is just a mile away.