A lovely stay in a less-than-ideal location: A review of the Tommie Hollywood

Hyatt’s Tommie Hollywood opened in December 2021 with plenty of excitement. It’s part of JdV by Hyatt, the brand’s mid-range collection of independent hotels. The area has undergone a renaissance of sorts within the last decade, with multiple hotels popping up, including the Thompson Hollywood (another Hyatt hotel and sister brand to the Tommie) and the IHG Kimpton La Peer, both nearby.

Here’s how the Tommie Hollywood stacks up.

Quick take

The property itself is gorgeous (and I’m still dreaming about the tacos I had at dinner one night). During the day, the hotel is filled with natural light that makes for a bright and calming atmosphere. At night, the wood and leather textures make for a moodier feel.

The Tommie falls in that mid-tier price range and, as a Category 4 World of Hyatt property, it straddles the line between budget and more upscale properties. It’s definitely geared toward younger generations, with an option for checking in via kiosk, a lobby that serves as a place to get work done or hang out with friends, two vibrant hotel bars and a room design that follows more recent hotel trends (such as a lack of closet space). In other words, I think my friends in their 20s and 30s would likely have enjoyed the property, but I can’t say the same about my parents or grandparents.

Related: The 23 best Hyatt hotels in the world

Even though I enjoyed the property, there are a few downsides to consider before booking a stay — including the surrounding neighborhood and its lack of walkability. I personally didn’t feel safe walking around at night by myself, and noise from the rooftop bar and club next door can be disruptive on weekends if you’re an early sleeper. The parking situation is also less than ideal.

Getting there

The Tommie Hollywood is in the heart of — you guessed it — Hollywood, just a block from the iconic Sunset and Hollywood boulevards.

It’s about a 45-minute drive from the airport to the hotel, depending on when your flight arrives. You’d likely be looking at a much longer wait to get to the hotel in rush hour. Unfortunately, an Uber will likely cost you $100 or more for the trek. Thankfully, I had a rental car for the duration of my trip, and it was a pleasant drive with the windows down, and my radio turned up.

While it is technically possible to take public transportation from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), it’s a pretty convoluted process that involves multiple transfers and would take almost two hours.

The only option for dedicated hotel parking is valet, which will cost $45 per night, not including tips. The upside is that valet parking is easy and very convenient. The downside is that $45 can add up quickly, and there weren’t a lot of alternative options for street parking or nearby garages.

Booking details

The Tommie Hollywood is a Hyatt Category 4 hotel, and standard rooms will run anywhere from 12,000 to 18,000 World of Hyatt points per night, depending on when you plan to stay. If you book with cash, a standard room will cost around $200 per night.

There is a $25 daily “destination fee” added to your stay each night. While I’m never a fan of added fees, at least the Tommie Hollywood’s destination fee also gets you a complimentary drink voucher on arrival, a complimentary yoga class at local studio Love Yoga and some other area discounts. Thankfully, this fee is waived for World of Hyatt members staying on points or with a Hyatt Free Night Certificate.

Considering you’ll also have to pay that $45 valet fee if you want dedicated hotel parking, you’re looking at an extra $70 per night on your hotel bill if paying in cash.

TPG values World of Hyatt points at 1.7 cents each, so you’re not getting a stellar value by booking with points (just over 1.3 cents per point if you book during a standard period that costs 15,000 points per night). That said, you can earn 30,000 points after spending $3,000 in your first three months with the first threshold of the World of Hyatt Credit Card‘s current sign-up bonus. This could give you two free nights at the Tommie Hollywood.

Even with the added fees, the hotel is far from the most expensive in the area. The Thompson Hollywood, right down the street, starts at around $260 per night. Meanwhile, the West Hollywood Edition starts at $579 per night, and the Kimpton La Peer Hotel (also located in West Hollywood) starts at $339 per night.

Standout features

• I adored the overall design of the hotel. I’m not a designer or architect, but it felt very midcentury modern meets a fun Californian/Western vibe.
• Great dining and entertainment areas are connected to the hotel, from the lobby coffee shop to the on-site restaurant Ka’teen to the rooftop bar, Desert 5 Spot. The restaurant is expensive, but I’d say it’s worth it.
• There are multiple check-in options. You can use self-check-in kiosks, check in through the Hyatt app, or check in the standard way with a Hyatt staff member. I had a little trouble with the kiosk, but that was likely user error on my part.

Drawbacks

• Despite being close to popular daytime tourist spots — including Sunset Boulevard, Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood sign and Universal Studios Hollywood — I didn’t feel safe walking around solo after dark in the area.
• Noise disruption highly depends on where your room is located. On the upper floors, the rooftop bar and lounge can get loud, and on lower flowers, there is a nightclub next door that can also get rather noisy late at night on weekends.
• Standard rooms aren’t very spacious. There are limited seating options and small bathrooms (aside from the showers).
• There are no closets or places to put your suitcase. I recognize this is a common design trend with newer hotel brands, but I want a place to hang my clothes that isn’t on display next to the TV. There are two drawers under the bed that offer some storage, but it’s minimal.
• Guests order room service via a QR code rather than calling, but I couldn’t get the website to load.

The vibe

Compared to the surrounding neighborhood, stepping through the massive wooden doors into the Tommie Hollywood lobby is sort of like stepping into a calm oasis.

I cannot overstate how much I personally loved the design and feel of the lobby. Wood textures and neutral tones everywhere, muted lighting, comfortable leather seating, and tall ceilings — all with mid-century modern design touches. With the coffee bar front and center, it feels like a place you can hang out while waiting for your room, catch up with friends or get some work done.

Of course, once you head up to the rooftop, the vibe shifts toward something more lively and fun. A huge mural of the desert greets you, along with western-themed fringed pool umbrellas.

The room

The Tommie Hollywood is home to 212 guest rooms, including just seven suites (meaning suite upgrades may not be your friend) spread across nine floors.

While the standard rooms are certainly well-designed and the beds are comfortable, they are definitely on the smaller side.

There is no closet space aside from a few wall hangers, and there is a steamer in lieu of an iron. I know this is becoming more common among newer hotels, but I’d like to start a formal petition to bring back closets and irons. The rooms are small enough without having to cram my suitcase awkwardly into a corner.

There are plenty of outlets, which is great. I also loved the natural light from the windows that dominate the far wall. Thankfully, there are blackout curtains you can use at night (and I never travel anywhere without my sleep mask, just in case).

The bathrooms are also on the smaller side, though the shower is spacious.

Food and drink

I won’t lie — eating and drinking on the property will put a dent in your budget. Breakfast entree options at the lobby cafe range from $14 to $19, and dinner at Ka’teen can easily run $200 or more for two people.

That being said, there wasn’t a single thing I tried during my stay that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy — from the coffee to tacos at dinner. Planning a splurge meal at Ka’teen might just be worth it.

Ka’teen

The restaurant hotel serves food inspired by the Yucatan Penisula from Chef Wes Avila (who is well-known in the LA food scene).

The vibes? Immaculate. If you’re entering the restaurant from the street, you’ll walk through a covered hallway that transports you to an entirely different place.

The restaurant’s outdoor-focused seating area is stunning, especially in the evening when the plants situated throughout the restaurant are lit up. It truly feels like you’re whisked away from the busy Hollywood streets to a tranquil and tropical destination once you enter.

The food and drinks are also great. I tried the guacamole, ceviche, lamb shank barbacoa tacos and, of course, a margarita. It was all delicious, though definitely pricey. Cocktails (including the margarita) are between $20 and $24. The lamb tacos were $55, the guacamole was $18 and the ceviche was $24. The food is best for sharing, but you’ll easily pay $200 for two people to eat and drink.

It is LA, so you can find great guacamole and tacos on every other street corner. So even if you decide to skip a meal at Ka’teen, I highly recommend spending an evening there with a cocktail and enjoying the atmosphere.

Desert 5 Spot

The rooftop bar was temporarily closed during my stay, but it was easy to picture how much fun a nightcap would be at the bar. The Hollywood sign is visible from the rooftop, and the Western-themed design makes for a more vibrant atmosphere compared to the rest of the hotel.

The rooftop can get quite loud in the evenings, especially on weekends. If you’re looking for a calmer location to grab drinks, I’d recommend the bar at the Ka’teen next door instead.

Tommie Cafe

If you want a coffee and breakfast at the hotel before you head out for the day, there is a full cafe in the lobby. Like the restaurant, the food isn’t cheap. However, the breakfast burrito I had one morning and the almond croissant I had another day were both tasty.

There is also a grab-and-go market with an assortment of packaged food and drink.

Amenities and service

The Tommie Hollywood offers pretty standard hotel amenities, including a fitness center and rooftop pool. The hotel is also pet-friendly, though there is a steep $150 charge that is good for up to seven days if you do decide to bring your furry family members along. (If you are there for an extended stay longer than seven days, you’ll have to pay the pet fee again.)

The fitness center isn’t anything to write home about, though there is plenty of equipment to get a good workout in. You’ll find multiple cardio machines, free weights and benches and a few full-body machines.

The pool is on the smaller side, but the rooftop area as a whole is wonderful. There are plenty of comfortable places to lay out under the California sun, and the hotel even offers rooftop yoga classes on Saturdays.

Out and about

LA isn’t the most walkable city in America, so I’d definitely recommend having a car during your visit.

The hotel is near popular tourist spots that will appeal to a wide range of travelers. If you’re into hiking, there are plenty of nearby trails that can even get you close to the famous Hollywood sign. Families might enjoy Universal Studios Hollywood — only a 10-minute drive from the Tommie Hollywood — or the nearby Griffith Observatory. Film buffs will enjoy the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Paramount Studios headquarters. If you’re interested in LA’s nightlife or prime shopping, it’s not a far drive from the Sunset Strip over in West Hollywood.

Of course, if you’re hoping to spend more time at the beach, you’ll likely want to stay somewhere closer to the coast. A drive to the beach will likely take you around 40 minutes.

As I mentioned earlier, the primary downside to the location of the Tommie Hollywood was that I didn’t necessarily feel comfortable walking in the area alone after sunset. If you’re a woman traveling alone and want to walk places at night, you may want to consider a different hotel.

Accessibility

The hotel is wheelchair accessible. The hallways and doorways are wide enough for wheelchair users. There are rooms available with accessible bathrooms and lowered peepholes, door latches, thermostats and light switches.

Unfortunately, I did not see any accessible way to use the pool.

Checking out

If you’re looking for a chic yet more affordable place to stay in Hollywood, the Tommie is a solid choice. Good food, a nice atmosphere and friendly staff made my stay lovely.

However, valet-only parking, late-night noise disruptions during weekends and a location where I didn’t feel entirely safe walking around after dark are things to consider before booking a stay. If walkability and the beach are priorities for you, you might want to look in a different area of town.

Related: