If you’re looking for a budget friendly motel in West Hollywood, look no further than Alta Cienega Motel.
Nearby landmarks such as Site of 77 Sunset Strip (0.3 mi) and Pacific Design Center (0.6 mi) make Alta Cienega Motel a great place to stay when visiting West Hollywood.
Rooms at Alta Cienega Motel offer air conditioning, a seating area, and a desk providing exceptional comfort and convenience, and guests can go online with free wifi.
If you are driving to Alta Cienega Motel, free parking is available.
While in West Hollywood, you may want to check out some of the restaurants that are a short walk away from Alta Cienega Motel, including Craig's (0.9 mi), Pump Lounge (0.7 mi), and Saddle Ranch Chop House (0.5 mi).
There is no shortage of things to do in the area: explore popular historic sites such as Sierra Towers, Piazza del Sol, and Mansion owned by Johnny Depp.
The staff at Alta Cienega Motel looks forward to serving you during your upcoming visit.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Budget
Historic Hotel
Location
1005 N La Cienega Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069-4105
Alta Cienega Motel
91 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Booked the Jim Morrison room. it is gross. Seriously, it almost made us vomit. This is not a knock against Jim Morrison, someone who I had great respect for. But Room 32 is awful. My wife and I luckily were able to get our money back and find another LA motel. The staff was nice though.
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Date of stay: February 2023
Value
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I booked into this seedy dive for one reason only, and that was to spend an afternoon in Jim Morrison's room, Number 32.
It truly is a disgusting little hole in-the-wall, and I am surprised that anyone besides drug dealers and Doors fans actually frequent the place....that being said, it is a piece of Los Angeles history and I truly hope that the hotel, and Jim's room do not get knocked down to make way for something new.
The hotel leaves Jim's room as it is, and for this reason, it is absolutely covered from floor to ceiling with some amazing, and some disgusting, graffiti. Every SINGLE INCH of the room is covered. Even the inside of the shower and inside the little cupboard in the bathroom. Every light switch, and even the ceiling is plasted with lyrics and poetry.
We spent a few hours here just reading it all, taking photos, and visiting a few local Jim hangouts, such as Barney's Beanery.
If you are a Jim fan, I would definately recommend a visit.....I don't kno if I would want to spend a night in this hotel, but it was OK for a day. You do have to book and pay for the whole night, but I tjought the US$90 was worth it to spend some time in the last place Jim lived before moving to paris and passing away in 1971.
Definately visit Barney's Beanery just about 100m away at 8447 Santa Monica Blvd. Jim drank here almost daily while they recorded LA woman at the "Doors Workshop" accross the road. Barney's also saw a lot of drinking done by Janis Joplin, and was actually the last place she drank on the night she died. Quentin Tarantino wrote Pulp Fiction while sitting at one of the front tables here, and the staff will point out his booth if you ask. He wrote almost teh whole thing in there. The bar here was also featured in the Doors movie, where Val Kilmer is drinking with Billy Idol, and he urinates on the floor at the bar. This apparently did happen, according to the staff, and there is now a plaque on the bar which marks Jim's favourite seat in the house.
Accross the street is the Mexican restaurant, funnily enough, called "Mexico"! It is at 8512 Santa Monica Blvd. "Mexico" resides in what was the doors final recording studio, known as the "Doors Workshop". This is where they recorded LA Woman, and if you visit the restaurant, make sure you take a look in the downstairs bathroom, as this was the room Jim used for his vocals on LA Woman. He apparently liked the accoustics in this little room, and the management have kept it as-is, and have added some frame Doors albums and photos of Jim to the walls. There were candles burning when I went in, and it was quite amazing really! On the front wall of the restaurant is a plaque that recognises that this was the doors workshop. Jim had his office here and spent most of his time here in the last year he had in LA.
Jim would move around West Hollywood between his room at the Alta Cienega, Barney's, the Doors Workshop and would also pay regular visits to a liquor store called Monaco liquors, which is still there and you can visit it at 8513 Santa Monica Blvd.
Before you visit Jim's place, make sure you watch his arthouse film HWY. In one of the final scenes, Jim's room at the Alta Cienega is featured, where he is urinating in the toilet of room 32.
All in all, I would say.....If you are a Doors or Jim Morrison fan, DEFINATELY spend a day ithis little corner of LA. You will have to book the room specifically asking for Room 32, and it can be booked up well in advance so make sre you arrange it ahead of time.
If you are NOT a doors fan and have no interest, I would say you will really find nothing favourable about this hotel!
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Date of stay: November 2010
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Alta Cienega motel, located on La Cienega Blvd (between Santa Monica Blvd & Holloway St) is a dive by almost any measure.
But, it is also a piece of history for any rock music fan. Jim Morrison crashed regularly in Room 32. The walls are thin, so there's audible street noise until about 3:00 am. There is a lot of very intriguing (and some really stupid) grafitti left on the walls by DOORDS and Morrison fans, and the accommodations are nothing fancy. Periodically, the owner paints over the walls, and on Morrison's birthday & deathday there is a framed poster of Mr. Morrison hung on the south wall.
But it's only $70/night taxes included. So it's about the best bargain in West Hollywood if you do not demand or require much from a motel. For 10-cents you can photocopy the key (along with whatever fits on the photocopier) to prove you were there.
Other rooms at the Alta Cienega are $60/night. The owner is a recent Asian immigrant. His English is marginal, but the language of money is universal enough so that business transactions are usually not a problem.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Go back in time at Alta Cienega Motel in West Hollywood. For under $100 you can stay in the room Jim Morrison lived in during the lean years. In the heart of WeHo, a grungy oasis awaits for you to hideaway from the pristine surroundings. Grab a handle of your favorite brown liquor, maybe a pack of menthols, and a Bluetooth speaker and check in to checking out. Love Me Two Times...I'm goin away.
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Date of stay: July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are huge Doors fans and wanted to stay where one of our favorite lead singers frequented. This place has not changed much, from the clientele and lack of cars in the parking lot it looks like a place to have sex for a few hours or do drug deals. There is a 5 dollar room key deposit which scared us because we reasoned that other keys to the room could be floating around. There is no deadbolt on the door and you really feel like you need one. The vulgar graffiti all over the walls reminded my husband of a bathroom stall. The room was bare, just a room and a bed, dresser, tv and a table. There is no phone. There is also no mattress pad so you’re sharing the bed with others who have written “We had a great time in this room”. There was also a 30 pound dumbbell in there for some reason. We left after 20 minutes and didn’t even sit down. We’re calling them our 80 dollar pictures. This place is just scary, when we went back to our car there was another car parked directly next to ours and a drunken man was burping and looking into our car. This place isn’t safe one bit and we were really disappointed. The noise from Sunset is just autrocious, there is no way you could get any sleep in there. Stay away, the nostalgia doesn’t win over the lack of safety at this hole.
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Date of stay: August 2006
Value
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Business service (e.g., internet access)
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was my second time visiting the Alta Cienega Motel. My previous review was quite detailed so check it out if you want loads of detail.
This time I stayed the night, and I have to say, this place is really fine if you are not a snob. It's budget but clean. Very outdated but really, if you just want a bed for the night in West Hollywood, it's probably going to be ok. Nothing scary going on, nobody offering drugs, no bed bugs.
I think some people who review on here really haven't been anywhere but the US and they don't know what a really scary motel is! Thus isn't one :)
Don't be afraid to book and stay here if you need a cheap place or you just want to check out Jim history. The room hasn't changed since my visit in 2010, except new bed coverings.
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Date of stay: June 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Going to LA? Spend a night not a fortune! The Alta Cienega is a great little inn. Family owned since 1972, this classic 40's era MotorHotel is a great little secret. While not offering many ammenities the rooms are clean and comfortable. Lead singer of The Doors and famed poet, Jim Morrison called this place home for most of 1968-71. Resident owner/manager Charlie Yang and his wife will make you feel very much at home,offering coffee and danish when you wake up. For a bit if nostalgia at a affordable price you can't beat The Alta Cienega
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What a dump. Horrible location, like being on the street. Noisy. Filthy air. Questionable guests who are likely turning tricks. Yuck. I would not return here if I were paid to do so. On the other hand, ifb you like sleazy.....
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Date of stay: May 2014
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I went with a group of 4 people to visit the bar scene on sunset blvd and this was the only place to stay under $300....$100 but not even worth it! In santa barbara the motel 6 is $60 max and waaaay better. I cant believe they can over charge so much and not even maintain their rooms! There were cockroaches outside the door and coming from the room next door and ants in our room. There was a bullet hole in the table and the only place on the sticky carpet that was clean was directly under that spot. There was blood on the bigger beds boxspring and on the curtains by the smaller bed had semen right where your face is going to be. There were fingerprint marks like a druggie was poking it all night the night before and both the heater and ac looked like a major fire hazard if turned on. The beds felt like we were sleeping on a park bench. I actually contemplated sleeping in my boyfriends accord but got too scared the druggies outside would do something crazy if they saw me. The wiring of the lamp looked taped togethe....another fire hazard. The, most annoying part was the next morning the indian guy working there began banging on everyones door an hour before checkout trying to kick us all out so he could book foreigners waiting outside. I told him we have another hour and he says I need to leave in 10min or he will charge me a second night then stands outside our door (it was hot so we left it open) just giving the dirtiest look the whole time. I stayed another hour because we had to get ready... until actual checkout time and he just kept being rude the whole time. What a sorry excuse for a business.
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Date of stay: July 2012
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It was fantastic! If I was a person that didn't have any sort of interest in Jim Morrison or the Doors, this place probably wouldn't be first on my list...or on my list at all, but since I am... I Stayed there with my boyfriend for 3 nights and paid $267.00... a little more than we had expected, but I didn't even care...I had a grand time! I liked being able to watch the street below from the window of room 32, and for some reason this room was strangely comfortable! It's kind of small but was clean! The staff was really nice too! The cleaning lady would always say "Hello" every time and seemed extremely genuine. I also never felt unsafe at any point. The bathroom wasn't bad either, I liked the shower too, it was kind of dark with no light inside of it but I liked how it felt like a hole in the wall. The writing all over the walls was quite enjoyable too. Never ran out of stuff to read! After waking up, I was always able to find something new that I hadn't read before. Take a sharpie or other media and add your own contribution! I did! Overall, great expirience! hope to stay there again someday!
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Date of stay: November 2011
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â If your a Jim Morrison/ Doors fan, stay in Room 32!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the West Hollywood area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
alta cienega hotel west hollywood
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaWest HollywoodWest Hollywood North / West Hollywood
NUMBER OF ROOMS
21
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