If you want to save some cash but aren’t into the frat-party vibe of most hostels, Orange Drive is for you—this spot offers reasonably priced and surprisingly mellow shared accommodations in a serene spot off Hollywood Boulevard.
While hostels often evoke hair-clogged shower drains and drunken pub crawlers stumbling to their bunks in the wee hours, Orange Drive is a different story. The hostel’s lush front lawn and stately architecture—it’s housed in a prim white manor, est. 1910—are almost enough to make you forget you’re a mere two blocks from Hollywood Boulevard. This spot offers private rooms as well as communal dorms, and if you don’t mind sharing your space, group accommodations are a steal and include all the necessary amenities, like private lockers, free wifi and clean, spacious shared bathrooms. Orange Drive Hostel’s peaceful vibe doesn’t mean it lacks glamor: the hostel’s history is haunted by the ghosts of Golden Era A-list boarders including Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth. Spend a day indulging in some sightseeing, then retire to the lounge to make friends over a board game or recharge with a book from the communal library. And if you do happen to feel like partying, have no fear; the front desk will happily point you towards the pub crawl passes, too.
Location: Orange Drive’s central Hollywood location is the stuff of tourism dreams. There’s no shortage of walkable attractions, though the crowds can overwhelm; we recommend you supplement your sightseeing with a trip to nearby Runyon Canyon Park, or more low-key neighborhoods like West Hollywood and Los Feliz.
Nearby:
Yamashiro: Use the cash you saved when booking at Orange Drive to splurge on dinner at the truly decadent Yamashiro. Nestled in the Hollywood hills, this former art museum offers bold and flavorful Asian fusion dishes alongside one of the best views in L.A.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery: Find some peace and quiet while you picnic amongst L.A.’s latest and greatest like Rudolph Valentino and Cecil B. DeMille in the city’s most breathtaking historic cemetery. If you visit in summer, you’re likely to stumble into a free screening of cult classic films, complimentary of local film nonprofit Cinespia.
Museum of Broken Relationships: This unique museum displays discarded relics of lost love that are alternately funny, tender, sad or all three. Whether you bring a date is up to you.
Musso & Frank Grill: No Hollywood best-of list would be complete without the neighborhood’s oldest and most famous steakhouse. Make like the stars of yore—Charlie Chaplin was a regular—and grab a martini, a steak, and side of house-made sourdough bread.
Good for: While hostels, in general, tend to cater to college-age and solo travelers, Orange Drive is an economical spot for extroverts of all ages. That being said, shared accommodations might not be appropriate for kids, so parents might want to opt for a private room or book elsewhere.
Amenities: Free wifi, laundry (self service), concierge
Time Out tip: Ask the front desk for deals on L.A. attractions—from Universal Studios passes to airport shuttles, the Orange Drive Hostel concierge can point you towards the best sights to see, and save you some major moolah, too.