Finding a cheap hotel in Los Angeles that does not trade price for safety or transit access takes more than sorting by rate. These five properties are in the budget tier of the Los Angeles market, where 2-star hotels price well below the city's mid-range, and each one earns its place through a combination of guest scores and Metro access. Addresses and transit data are verified against official property sources.
How we selected these cheap hotels in Los Angeles
"Cheap" here means the bottom of the Los Angeles market: 2-star properties that price well below the city's mid-range on a typical non-event night. Los Angeles mid-range hotels are generally 3-star properties; budget hotels are a clear step below that tier in both amenities and price. We do not publish per-hotel rates because they move constantly, so use the live price on the booking page as the final word. The city-wide bands below give you the scale to judge one against.
- 1. Budget tier first: every property here is a 2-star hotel priced at the low end of the Los Angeles market, below the 3-star mid-range tier.
- 2. Guest review score, which separates a workable budget hotel from a poor one. A score below 7.0 was disqualifying.
- 3. Transit access, so a car is optional; each pick is a short walk from a Metro rail station or busway.
Short-term rentals, hostel dorms, and apartment listings were excluded: this list is hotels only.
Cheap Los Angeles hotels compared
| Hotel | Star rating | Guest score | Nearest transit | Walk (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Hills Inn Eagle Rock - Near Old Town Pasadena | 2 | 8.5 | Metro A Line, Memorial Park station | 18 |
| Hollywood City Inn | 2 | 7.7 | Metro B Line, Hollywood/Western station | 5 |
| Super 8 by Wyndham Los Angeles Downtown | 2 | 7.5 | Metro B/D Line, Vermont/Sunset station | 8 |
| Rodeway Inn Convention Center | 2 | 7.3 | Metro E Line, Pico station | 12 |
| Studio City Court Yard Hotel | 2 | 7.0 | Metro G Line (Rapid Bus), Ventura/Laurel Canyon | 6 |
Booking tips for budget travelers in Los Angeles
- Post-holiday periods and slower tourism months tend to deliver lower rates in Los Angeles. Avoid booking during the Grammy Awards (February), Coachella weekends (April), and USC or UCLA home football games, when rates at budget properties can double overnight.
- Book directly through the hotel's official website when possible. Many 2-star properties in Los Angeles offer a small rate discount or free parking for direct bookings that third-party platforms do not match.
- If you plan to use Metro Rail, map your hotel against the specific line you need before booking. The B Line and D Line cover Hollywood and Downtown; the E Line connects Downtown to Santa Monica. A hotel one block from the wrong line adds 40 minutes to every trip.
- Midweek nights (Tuesday and Wednesday) run cheaper than weekends at most Los Angeles budget hotels. A three-night midweek stay often costs less than two weekend nights at the same property.
- We have a separate page for pet-friendly hotels in Los Angeles if you are traveling with a dog, since most properties on this list do not confirm pet policies.
Los Angeles pricing context: what budget, mid-range, and upscale actually cost
Across the Los Angeles hotels we work with, sampled midweek for two adults at four points in the year, the middle 50 percent of nightly prices lands here:
- 3-star: roughly $155 to $390, highest in July and August, lowest in November.
- 4-star: roughly $210 to $455, with a smaller summer swing.
- 5-star: roughly $430 to $1,240, and individual properties run past both ends of that.
Use these to sanity-check a price rather than as a quote. Los Angeles peaks in summer and eases through the autumn, the opposite of Miami, which matters if your dates can move.
Los Angeles hotel pricing varies more by neighborhood than by star rating. Budget properties cluster in Hollywood, Koreatown, and the blocks around the Convention Center, and they price well below the city's mid-range, which covers most 3-star hotels and the smaller boutiques. Upscale and luxury pricing in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica runs several times the budget tier.
Rates climb hardest around major events at Crypto.com Arena and SoFi Stadium, and around awards season in winter. If your dates are flexible, moving a stay off an event night saves more than switching neighborhoods does.
The hotels
The Hills Inn Eagle Rock - Near Old Town Pasadena
2300 Colorado Blvd.
8.5852 reviews
18 min walk to Memorial Park (A Line)The Colorado Boulevard address puts you within walking distance of Eagle Rock's restaurant corridor and a short rideshare from Old Town Pasadena.
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Hollywood City Inn
1615 N. Western Ave.
7.72,038 reviews
5 min walk to Hollywood/Western (B Line)A 5-minute walk to Hollywood/Western station makes this an easy car-free base for reaching the rest of the city by Metro at a budget rate.
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Super 8 by Wyndham Los Angeles Downtown
1341 W Sunset Blvd
7.52,035 reviews
8 min walk to Vermont/Sunset (B Line)An 8-minute walk to Vermont/Sunset puts the whole B Line within reach, connecting you to Hollywood, Koreatown, and Union Station without a car.
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Rodeway Inn Convention Center
1904 W Olympic Blvd
7.3499 reviews
12 min walk to Pico (E Line)A 12-minute walk from the E Line and a short drive from the Convention Center, this budget pick gives easy Downtown and Westside access.
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Studio City Court Yard Hotel
12933 Ventura Blvd
7.01,002 reviews
6 min walk to Ventura/Laurel Canyon (G Line (Metro Rapid Bus 901))The G Line bus at Ventura/Laurel Canyon reaches the North Hollywood B Line in under 15 minutes, a quieter, lower-priced base than Hollywood.
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Frequently asked questions
What counts as a cheap hotel in Los Angeles?＋
In Los Angeles, budget hotels are 2-star properties that price well below the city's mid-range tier, which generally covers 3-star hotels. Los Angeles has high operating costs, which push even 2-star properties above what you would pay in most other US markets. During major events like Coachella weekends or awards season, rates at these same properties climb well above their usual budget levels, so the budget label applies to standard demand periods.
Which cheap Los Angeles hotel has the best Metro access?＋
Hollywood City Inn on N. Western Avenue is 5 minutes on foot from Hollywood/Western station on the B Line, making it the strongest transit option on this list. From Hollywood/Western, you can reach Hollywood/Highland in two stops, Koreatown in four, and Union Station in about 15 minutes.
Are cheap hotels in Los Angeles safe?＋
Safety varies by block, not just by neighborhood name. The five properties on this list were selected in part because their specific addresses are in areas with reasonable foot traffic and street activity. Hollywood City Inn, Super 8 on Sunset, and The Hills Inn in Eagle Rock are in areas with good pedestrian activity. The Rodeway Inn on Olympic and Studio City Court Yard Hotel are more car-oriented but not unsafe. Check Google Street View for the immediate block before booking any budget property in Los Angeles.
When are Los Angeles hotel rates lowest?＋
Post-holiday periods and slower tourism months tend to bring lower rates across most of the city. Avoid booking during the Grammy Awards (February), Coachella weekends (April), and any weekend with a major event at SoFi Stadium or Dodger Stadium, when even budget properties see sharp rate increases.
Do any of these cheap hotels include free parking?＋
Most properties on this list offer on-site parking, but free parking is not confirmed at every location. Verify the parking policy and any nightly fee directly with the hotel before booking, since parking costs can add up and meaningfully change the total cost of a stay.
Can I get around Los Angeles without a car if I stay at one of these hotels?＋
Yes, for specific itineraries. Hollywood City Inn and Super 8 on Sunset are both within 8 minutes of Metro B Line stations, which connect to Hollywood, Koreatown, and Downtown without a transfer. The Rodeway Inn near the Convention Center is 12 minutes from the E Line at Pico, which runs to Santa Monica. Studio City Court Yard Hotel requires a bus connection to reach Metro Rail. The Hills Inn in Eagle Rock is 18 minutes from the A Line at Memorial Park, which is walkable for some travelers but car-dependent for most.
