Los Angeles is more than a city: it’s 10 cities wearing a trench coat. What’s most remarkable is that each of these contrasting areas has its own mood, often seeming to exist in an entirely different era to the next. Down a shot with the statue of Motörhead frontman Lemmy at the Rainbow Bar & Grill before swaggering down the Sunset Strip to catch a show at the Whisky a Go Go and you could be back in the heyday of ‘80s hair metal. Just a few miles away in Hollywood you can watch an old film at Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre, opened in 1922, and then cross the street for a Martini at Musso and Frank’s, which hasn’t changed all that much since 1919. Time travel is just a ride-share away.

There’s just as much variety on offer when it comes to choosing somewhere to stay. Many of the most storied and fascinating hotels in the city cluster around West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, and they’re a wise choice if you want a central base from which to explore the full extent of the city’s sprawl. There are also great options east in the grittier Downtown area, while you’ll need to head west if you plan to wake up with a view of the beach in Santa Monica or Malibu.

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