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Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles
Enjoy your stay at the millennium biltmore hotel los angeles, a true southern california cultural landmark..
First opened in 1923, the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles is a one-of-a-kind gem. Featured in countless movies and television shows over the years, the Millennium Biltmore drizzles with luxury. With exotic embroidered tapestries, stunning hand-carved marble fountains, elegant crystal chandeliers and beautiful artwork, the hotel’s interior will make you feel like royalty.
The opulence carries over to the hotel’s 683 guest rooms and suites, all of which feature high-end furnishings, comfortable amenities and conveniences, and little touches that make a big difference. Guests can also take advantage of a sauna, steam room and stunning swimming pool with a unique style inspired by classical antiquity.
Located in Downtown Los Angeles, the Millennium Biltmore is close to many of the city’s most prominent attractions, including the Staples Center, L.A. LIVE, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Broad Museum, the Los Angeles Convention Center and much more. Head just a few miles west to explore the heart of Hollywood, where you’ll find world-famous points of interest including the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Dolby Theatre, the Hollywood sign, and, of course, the L.A. sightseeing experts at Starline Tours!
Starline Tours is pleased to serve guests of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles.
With a history dating back to 1935, Starline Tours is L.A.’s oldest and best-known provider of celebrity tours and sightseeing excursions, helping visitors to the city enjoy an authentic taste of California culture. Our main terminal is located in the heart of Hollywood, just outside the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. However, if you’re staying at the Millennium Biltmore, you won’t need to worry about coming to us — we’ll come to you!
Guests of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles are eligible for our free pick-up and drop-off service, available for practically all of our tour packages. Simply advise our staff when you book your Starline Tours outing, and we’ll do the rest. Our courtesy shuttle will pick you up from your hotel in plenty of time for you to make your tour, and at the end of the day, we’ll also drop you off free of charge as a thank-you for spending time with us.
To learn more, or to book your Starline Tours outing, please give us a call toll-free at 1-800-959-3131 (within the United States) or (+1) 323-463-3333 (international callers).
+1 (323) 463-3333 [email protected]
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The History of The Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles
Taylor Swift danced on the reception desks, Al Capone made himself comfortable in the Presidential Suite, the Oscars came to life on a napkin here, the Beatles had to ‘sneak’ in by landing on the roof, and Rocky boxed his way to victory in the ballroom. The Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles is one of the world’s most storied grand hotels with a history that’s truly one-of-a-kind. Discover the stories of Presidents and ghostbusters, famous frescoes, and speakeasy escape routes, in our guide to the history of The Biltmore.
Birth Of The Biltmore
Hotelier John McEntee Bowman was the man behind The Biltmore and partnering with the architectural genius of Schultze & Weaver, as well as the Italian artistry of Giovanni ‘John’ Smeraldi, they created one of the first great hotels in the western United States. Conceived in the early 1920’s as the movie industry was entering it’s golden era, The Biltmore was built in 18-months, and invited it’s first guests in the fall of 1923. At a cost of $10 million dollars (equivalent to more than $150 million today) no expense was spared in the design, the finishes or the excess that would make The Biltmore the most talked about hotel’s in the U.S. for many years to come. The architect’s intention was to build a hotel that paid homage to grand European palaces; and with over 1600 rooms, eleven stories high, and covering more than half a city block, the scale of the hotel when it opened was certainly palatial. But the real spectacle awaits behind the doors, where a combination of Smeraldi’s artwork alongside the lavish use of crystal, marble, tapestries, gold, and cast bronze elevates it from palace-homage, to truly grand in its own right. A building this impressive deserved an impressive opening night, and The Biltmore’s opening gala did not disappoint. The main ballroom was filled with more than 3000 guests, where they mingled with the A-list of the era. They dined on seven courses, were surrounded by flowers, and seven orchestras accompanied by caged canaries entertained the astounded partygoers. Visitors to the hotel can still be treated to a taste of that opening night where the gala’s most famous dress is on display in a glass case. Worn by socialite and costume designer Peggy Hamilton, the dress is a romantic fabric reimagining of the Crystal Ballroom complete with a hand painted reproduction of one of the ceiling’s frescoes and ‘balcony’ pockets.
From the Black Dahlia to The Beatles, and Britney Spears to JFK, only the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles could connect them all.
LA’s Grande Dame Has Quite A Story
At nearly a century old, The Biltmore has unsurprisingly seen quite a lot. From the excess of the roaring twenties to the struggles of the Great Depression, through wartime and Beatlemania, and from neglect to a glamorous rebirth. Discover some of the history of The Biltmore hotel in LA as we take a quick decade-by-decade tour.
1920’s – The Biltmore quickly gain a reputation as the place to be
The twenties saw the guestrooms and ballrooms filled with the most famous faces of the time, earning it the nickname ‘The Host of The Coast’. The Gold Room was one of LA’s most famous prohibition-era nightclubs, Peggy Hamilton helped change the face of fashion over afternoon tea, and the Academy Awards was conceived in the Crystal Ballroom. Even the design for world’s most famous and coveted movie award, the Oscar, was first doodled on one of The Biltmore’s napkins.
1930’s – The Biltmore played host to the Academy Awards
Throughout the thirties, The Biltmore’s connection with Hollywood’s biggest stars was well established. Journey back in time and the ballroom was the dancefloor of choice for luminaries like Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Jimmy Stewart, and Ginger Rogers. Despite the turbulence of the Great Depression, Baron Long, the new hotelier, established the world’s largest nightclub, The Biltmore Bowl.
1940’s – A unique use of the hotel
Los Angeles saw a boom in industry and activity during the war years, as well as a unique use for the hotel. Swapping the battlefront for The Biltmore, servicemen recovering from fighting in World War II were hosted in a military rest facility on the hotel’s second floor. Shortly after the end of the war the hotel found itself in the middle of one of the most infamous unsolved murders of the twentieth century. Last seen in the hotel lobby, the actress Elizabeth Short, would be found murdered hours later, and the Black Dahlia continues to captivate decades later.
1960’s – Chosen as the base for the 1960 Democratic National Convention
The Biltmore was the pivotal starting point of JFK’s Presidential campaign. As well as Kennedy, the hotel has welcomed Presidents Truman, Roosevelt, Carter, Ford, Reagan, Bush and Clinton. Even Nelson Mandela spent some time in the Biltmore in 1990. It’s not only political heavyweights that have made themselves at home in The Biltmore. In ’64, at the height of Beatlemania, the Fab Four were staying in the hotel’s Presidential Suite, but once the fans heard where they were staying, they crowded the sidewalks. Unable to even get to the door, John, Paul, George, and Ringo arrived by helicopter and landed on the roof.
1970’s – Sad years for The Biltmore
Sadly, after the highs of the sixties, downtown LA saw a decline during the following decades. One of The Biltmore’s last big hurrah’s was in 1977 with the 50th anniversary of the Oscars. The Biltmore was forgotten, the doors closed, and what was once the pride of the city was destined for demolition. Recognising its historic value and beauty, architects Gene Summers and Phyllis Lambert stepped in to save her. They paid just $5.4 million to buy the building, and then proceeded to spend a further $30 million refreshing and modernising the hotel.
1980’s – Back to The Biltmore original glory
The Biltmore would change hands once again, this time the new owners brought it for a more significant $75 million and spent another $135 million bringing the hotel back to its original glory.
The Millennium hotel group became the new custodians for The Biltmore in the year 2000 and have continued to ensure that not only is the heritage of the hotel preserved, but that the guest experience is equally memorable.
Architecture & Design of The Biltmore LA
The Millennium Biltmore Hotel has an endless collection of heritage features that have earned it a rightful place as an Elite Member of the Historic Hotels of America. From the floors to the ceilings the architecture and design of The Biltmore is a love letter to elegance and opulence. One of the most beautiful and important historic features in the hotel are the Smeraldi murals that can be seen throughout. After studying with some of Italy’s master painters, Smeraldi went on to paint frescoes in the White House, Grand Central Station, and the Vatican. Giovanni ‘John B.’ Smeraldi was the perfect choice to bring old-world elegance to the hotel. Reminiscent of Michelangelo, Smeraldi spent nearly a year on scaffolding painting ceilings in the hotel. He saw it as his greatest work, and even requested to return later in life to refine some of the murals. With so many architectural details to take in, it’s easy to miss some of the highlights.
- The hotel’s Gallery Bar and Cognac Room is a reproduction of the royal hall where Queen Isabella first heard of Columbus’ discovery of America. - The Rendezvous Court is a favourite for afternoon tea, but in between your pastries, take a moment to admire the Moorish Revival style ceiling with it’s 24 carat gold accents. - You might not notice when you’re working out in the pool or gym, but the ornate styling was inspired by Roman baths and the glamour of 1920’s ocean liners. - And make time to wander the hotel’s South Galeria where the gilded gates, panelled walls, columns and friezes took their inspiration from the villas of Pompeii. Comprising part of the hotel’s 70,000 square feet of event space are two of the hotel’s most special spaces, the Gold Room and the Crystal Ballroom. Getting its name from the two Austrian 22-foot crystal chandeliers the crystal ballroom is a stunning event space, and hosts everything from ballroom dances to the most upscale weddings. The domed ceiling with its grand frescoes was Smeraldi’s ‘most satisfying artistic endeavour.’ Head on over to the Gold Room and LA’s most famous speakeasy and dance hall still retains all of its original glitz. You might not need to use the 1920’s hidden exit to escape the police or worry about the flash bulbs of paparazzi behind a secret window, but the Gold Room will make you feel like a celebrity.
Big Screen at The Biltmore
Even if you’ve never visited The Biltmore, you’ll recognise it. From Bill Murray busting ghosts to Ed Sheeran dancing the night away, the hotel has been the star of some of Hollywood’s biggest features, countless binge-worthy TV shows, the shooting location of choice for music royalty, and even inspired a spooky Disneyworld ride. Music Videos In recent years Taylor Swift felt a little ‘Delicate’ here, Britney Spears was ‘Overprotected’ in the hallways, Ed Sheeran recorded the video for his Grammy winning ‘Thinking Out Loud’ and John Legend explored the hotel in his video for ‘Penthouse Floor’. Talking of legends, the hotel has also featured in music videos from Jennifer Lopez and Janet Jackson. TV The hotel’s iconic gallery arcade set the scene for Don Draper to make a pitch in Mad Men, doubled up as the White House in some scenes from Scandal and the West Wing, and featured in everything from ER to 24. Movies From classics like the original Oceans II, Chinatown, The Sting and Ghostbusters, to Spiderman, Rocky III, The Italian Job, National Treasure and Independence Day, the Biltmore has been connected with cinema from the start. Thrill Ride The Biltmore’s long and thrilling history has led to some spooky tales. So spooky in fact that we helped inspire Disneyworld’s Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride
Stay like a movie star in LA’s most famous historic hotel. As part of Leng’s Collection, the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles is as iconic now as it ever was.
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The Millennium Biltmore Hotel: The Story of an L.A. Icon
Check into one of l.a.'s most storied hotels.
Updated on December 27, 2017
It's hard to remember that just past the turn of the 20th century, Los Angeles was a small city known more for its oil reserves, orange groves and great expanses of land than anything else. There was little here outside incredible year-round weather, and that is what lured the first film production companies away from the East Coast. Initially, they came on a part-time basis to avoid the cold winter months, but stayed full-time soon after. L.A. quickly became the center of the industry and experienced a population boom. Even so, it was still very young in the eyes of the rest of the country. At a time when this area was still evolving and finding its identity, the arrival of the opulent Millennium Biltmore Hotel in 1923 was a "statement to the rest of the world that Los Angeles had arrived as an American metropolis." Its impact was undeniable and its grandeur would become an integral part of the history of our city.
Originally opened as the Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel on Oct. 1, 1923, the celebrations began almost immediately on a scale that few had ever seen. The following evening, 3,000 people poured into the hotel for a party that included Hollywood luminaries like studio head Jack Warner, Cecil B. DeMille, Mary Pickford and then-starlet Myrna Loy. It was such an elaborate affair that guests were served a seven-course dinner and serenaded by seven orchestras across the hotel's Galleria and glittering ballrooms. And, with a slightly surreal touch that seems straight out of the movies, the symphony of music was accented by singing canaries.
This was far from the only elegant event at the Biltmore. At this point in the city's history, Downtown Los Angeles was the center of its entertainment and the theater district was still thriving along Broadway. Much of the social scene of the 1920s was at the Biltmore, including the era's most glamorous stars, from Gloria Swanson to Theda Bara. Even in this time of Prohibition, the hotel's Gold Room acted as a speakeasy complete with a hidden door to help revelers avoid the police (and often the press and paparazzi) with an escape onto Olive Street. The door is still there - it connects to a room that has a wooden counter top, coat hooks and bathroom - though the exit on Olive has been sealed in brick. The Presidential Suite - a spacious room that has seen six U. S. presidents, royalty, and notorious gangsters like Bugsy Siegel and Al Capone - still has a recessed spot to hide liquor, which remained illegal in most of L.A. until 1933.
From the beginning, the Biltmore was a backdrop for Hollywood in more ways than one, and the hotel is heavily intertwined with that history. Within its first year, it was already a shooting location for DeMille's 1924 film Triumph . It would continue to offer itself for scenes in film, particularly those trying to capture the polish of the past, such as Ocean's 11 (1960), The Sting (1973), Chinatown (1974), and Bugsy (1991) as well as television's Mad Men .
Because of its elegance, the hotel was a favorite place to meet and be merry in the 1920s and 30s. Whether it was stars going out on the town or studios throwing a big bash, the Biltmore was the place to be. Even the party for the opening of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (now known as the TCL Chinese Theatre ), located across town in Hollywood, was held here. In fact, many of the most important moments of Hollywood history have happened at the Biltmore. In 1927, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) was born at a gathering in the hotel's Crystal Ballroom. Legend has it that MGM's great production designer Cedric Gibbons even sketched the first Oscar statue on one of the hotel's linen napkins.
It seems only appropriate then that the actual Oscar ceremony would be held here. After a couple of years at the Roosevelt (1929) and Ambassador (1930) hotels, the Academy Awards came to the Biltmore. It took place in the Biltmore Bowl, a ballroom that was added to the original hotel in 1928 and its grandest - approximately a third wider and longer than the others and could hold some 1,000 guests. The Oscars would return in 1935-39 and 1941-42. As a result, the number of stars who stepped through its doors is staggering. Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Jimmy Stewart, and Gary Cooper all won their Oscars here. So did Bette Davis, Joan Fontaine, Ginger Rogers and Claudette Colbert. The Biltmore is where It Happened One Night (1934) set a record by sweeping the Oscars' top honors - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress. Claudette was so convinced she wouldn't win that she went to Union Station to board a train and had to be brought back to the Biltmore to accept her award. These are just some of the stories from those glory days. For anyone who loves film of the 1920s and 30s, the Biltmore is sacred ground.
Once you see the Biltmore, you will understand why it was - and still is - so revered. It is a work of art in and of itself. John McEntee Bowman, the founder of the hotel, wanted the best of the best from the very beginning. He already had great success with hotels in New York and exotic locales like Cuba, and saw the future of Los Angeles. Bowman hired the architecture firm of Schultze & Weaver, which also designed the exclusive Jonathan Club in Downtown L.A., to build his masterpiece. The man responsible for the decorative artistry inside the hotel is Italian genius Giovanni Battista Smeraldi, who was renowned for his work on two of the most famous buildings in the world - the White House and the Vatican - when he was commissioned to work on the Biltmore.
With inspiration from the Italian and Spanish Renaissance everywhere you look, the hotel's three towers stretch above the ballrooms below to give its guests a view of Pershing Square across the street. With more than 1,000 rooms when it was built, and each with its own bathroom (pure luxury at the time), it was the "largest and grandest" hotel west of Chicago. The original lobby, now called the Rendezvous Court , reminds you of a Spanish cathedral. It’s three stories high with travertine walls and arches that intersect with a vaulted ceiling. Two bronze light fixtures imported from Italy hang between the ceiling's ribs. There are elaborate carvings wherever you look, and the room is finished with paint that’s accented in 24-karat gold. It's hard not to think of all the people who walked through this grand room and swept up its double staircase to reach the rest of the hotel. This kind of welcome makes you understand why the Biltmore was known as the "Host of the Coast."
Past the stairs and elevators, one first enters the Galleria, a 350-foot long hall that is as spectacular as the grand rooms it connects. The best known of these rooms is the Crystal Ballroom . It was simply called "The Ballroom" when it was built, then changed to the "Blue Room" before being named after its two signature Austrian crystal chandeliers. They're so delicate that staff climb up to clean them (rather than having them drop down) and then must do so in sections "like an onion." The lights, which give the room a soft glow, are at the center of a concave-domed ceiling covered in a single canvas hand-painted by Smeraldi. This is only the beginning of the grandeur. All around the room, cream columns stand between balconies and French doors. Three great windows stand at the top of the room and almost reach the ceiling. It can seat 700 people, but the Biltmore's Tiffany Room is right next door and can open up even more space for the main Ballroom.
The Emerald Room is very different and reminds one of a hunting lodge. Its ceiling looks like it is built of beams of dark wood (apparently almost everything is made of plaster) and it's painted with many animal motifs, including different dogs between each of the columns, which seems like something of a wink from Smeraldi. Like the Crystal, the Emerald Room’s name evolved over the years. It was once used as the main "Dining Room" for the Biltmore and then later was renamed the "Renaissance Room" before coming to its current moniker. One of the Emerald Room's claims to fame is that it was Lyndon B. Johnson's war room during the 1960 Democratic National Convention, which was held at the hotel. Likewise, the Music Room - now the working lobby of the hotel - was the war room for Johnson's opponent and the future president, John F. Kennedy. One can imagine pages running frantically between the campaigns, including Adlai Stevenson in the hotel's Gold Room, during that historic convention.
The Gold Room has another connection to a very important player in the Biltmore's 90+ year history. One of its owners, the colorful Baron Long, started as a "small-time bad boy to a major player in night clubs, hotels and horse racing." He was a partner in Agua Caliente, a luxury gaming resort in Tijuana where the elite went to stay and play without limits during the Prohibition era. This is where a young Margarita Cansino - later known to the world as Rita Hayworth - was first discovered while dancing there with her father. Frequent guests of Agua Caliente included Louis B. Mayer, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Charlie Chaplin and Gloria Swanson.
Following the Repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the country was free to drink again. Long bought the Biltmore and brought his party to Downtown Los Angeles. He even added hints of Agua Caliente in the Biltmore. What was once known as the "Palm Room" was redecorated and renamed the Gold Room after the room at his Mexican gaming resort where million-dollar bets were placed. The Biltmore's Gold Room quickly became the premier place for evening drinks.
You feel every bit of this history as you walk through the hotel and it still blows you away with its opulence. It was described as "luxury heaped upon luxury" by the Los Angeles Times when it was built and none of that has changed. It seems like a dream to stay there, especially with its original indoor pool and steam room, and even more so following its renovations.
Even if you don't check in, a visit is still a must. There are two wonderful on-site restaurants, Smeraldi's and Bugis Street Brasserie, as well as the Gallery Bar and Cognac Room for a sophisticated evening of cocktails. For a lovely afternoon, the traditional tea in the Rendevous Court is well-known and has become so popular that other hotels have scrambled to start their own. And if you'd like to take a historic tour of the Biltmore, the Los Angeles Conservancy offers one at 2 p.m. on Sundays - click here to make your reservation. The hotel is such a landmark of Los Angeles, it was declared a historic monument in 1969.
There has been much renovation and restoration in Downtown Los Angeles in recent years, and as a result it has become a hot spot once again. Because the Biltmore is located close to so many cultural attractions, including OUE Skyspace , Walt Disney Concert Hall , The Broad , and Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) , it continues to be a popular destination.
There's so much to love in its history and you can channel so many eras within its walls. The 1920s and 1930s saw the start of a glamorous relationship with Hollywood - both on and off-screen - that has continued to this day. That same period saw the romanticism of Prohibition and the Jazz Age. The 1940s saw the hotel playing a patriotic role when it housed servicemen during World War II. The 1950s brought guests back who wanted to celebrate in style. And the following decade saw the beginning of Camelot at the hotel with John F. Kennedy and the 1960 Democratic National Convention that brought the idealism of a new age.
That aspirational feeling has not left the Biltmore. It is an architectural masterpiece that offers guests and visitors elegance in our modern times.
Welcome to the Millennium Biltmore Hotel .
10 Scariest Ghost Tours To Try Around Los Angeles… If You Dare
Cemeteries, haunted places, and urban legends are abundant in Los Angeles, but if you’re looking for a truly chilling experience, you won’t want to miss these tours to the city's spookiest spots.
Ghosts are a spooky topic! Even though science hasn’t proven they exist, many of us have stories about strange noises, odd shadows, or ghostly figures we’ve seen. Some places have more ghost stories than others, with tales of eerie events that happened there. Check out some of the best and scariest ghost tours in L.A. to hear these chilling stories!
1. Chinatown Ghost Tour
Get ready for a captivating 1.5-hour paranormal tour in Los Angeles with The Haunt, where you’ll explore Chinatown’s ghostly past and its haunting architecture. Use professional ghost hunting tools and dive into hands-on paranormal investigations.
Discover the spooky side of this vibrant neighborhood and hear tales that’ll keep you on your toes. It’s an unforgettable adventure into the world of ghostly encounters!
🎫 Get your tickets
2. DTLA Murder Mystery Ghost Tour
This downtown LA haunted walking tour is operated by The Real Los Angeles Tours, covering 2 miles of eerie landmarks. Visit the Biltmore Hotel, where the tragic Black Dahlia, Elizabeth Short, was last seen alive, and the notorious Cecil and Alexandria Hotels.
Uncover chilling tales of infamous murderers like The Night Stalker and Charles Manson. This experience is perfect for adults, as it’s not recommended for children under 15.
📲 Booking info: (213) 316-8687 – [email protected] 💸 Price: $50
3. Hollywood Boulevard Ghost Walk
Join a thrilling 2-hour Hollywood Boulevard ghost walking tour filled with outlandish stories based on everyday people’s ghost encounters. Discover haunted pool parties at the Roosevelt Hotel and the impatient ghost of a Warner brother trying to reach his office.
Explore paranormal happenings at iconic sites like the Chinese Theater, the original downtown LA Pig N Whistle, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, and the Knickerbocker Hotel. With 10 spooky stops, this tour by American Ghost Walks will show you a different side of Hollyweird…
📲 Booking info: 1 833 446 7813 – [email protected] 💸 Price: $35
4. Manson Family Murders Tour
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True crime lovers rejoice are going to love this, as Grave Line Tours takes you to a Manson Family Murders Tour, where you’ll meet at Ovation Hollywood for a gripping three-hour exploration around L.A. in a funeral limo.
Discover how the infamous cult was created, delve into Manson’s motivations for his horrific crimes, and honor the victims of his twisted mind. It’s a chilling journey through one of the darkest chapters in SoCal history that you won’t want to miss!
📲 Booking info: (747) 208-8012 – [email protected] 💸 Price: $85
5. LA Ghosts: Terrors of Tinseltown Tour
Experience the sparkle and allure of Hollywood while delving into its haunting history on this ghostly tour by LA Ghosts. Accompanied by an expert guide, you’ll explore some of the area’s most notorious haunted spots, learn about local crimes, accidents, and traumas linked to iconic locations. If you’re feeling bold, you might even have the opportunity to reach out to some spirits!
📲 Booking info: (213) 212-2853 – 💸 Price: $29
6. Night Walk at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
If cemeteries weren’t creepy enough, imagine taking a walk through one at night! On the Hollywood Forever Night Walk , you’ll spend 2 1/2 hours visiting some of the most famous (and haunted) celebrity graves. Hear the eerie stories behind these stars’ final resting places and discover the spooky side of Hollywood’s past.
📲 Booking info: (818) 517-5988 💸 Price: $85
7. NoHo Ghosts
Step into the NoHo Ghosts Paranormal and Historical Tour, where you’ll travel back in time to discover how the choices of those who conquered and settled the land still shape the present. This 1.5-mile walk, lasting around 2 hours, features guides equipped with professional spirit contact tools to reach out to the other side.
📲 Booking info: 818-538-6579 – [email protected] 💸 Price: $24
8. Santa Monica Ghost Tour
Santa Monica is so much more than the Ferris wheel, scenic pier, and surfers . On the Santa Monica Ghost Tour, you’ll uncover a hidden history thick with tragedy and wild passions, tied to the western expansion.
This seaside town, mired in ghosts and superstition, holds over 145 years of rich history. In just 1 hour, you’ll explore the darker, mysterious side of Santa Monica that most locals and visitors never see…
📲 Booking info: (424) 786-6595 💸 Price: $29
9. Haunted Orange County
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Explore the eerie past of a 1930s-era mansion that once belonged to film and entertainment icon Walt Disney. This 1.5-hour tour you through the prominent estate, not only known as Disney’s former home but also tied to an infamous Hollywood tragedy.
Explore the darker history hidden within this famous residence. Due to the nature of the content, this tour is not recommended for children under 16.
📲 Booking info: 866-446-7803 – [email protected] 💸 Price: $150
10. Haunted Catalina Ghost Tours
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Remember Shutter Island? This Catalina tour might just give you the same eerie vibes. Led by local historians, the tour shares personal paranormal encounters and verified (but unexplained) happenings on the island. As you explore, you’ll learn the true history behind Avalon, its famous landmarks, and the fascinating people who’ve called this place home.
📲 Booking info: 310-510-8445 💸 Price: $30-$65
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Rooftop Tour
Limited Capacity: 12 Guests per Tour A truly memorable experience featuring rare photo opportunities, this exclusive guided tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the design and construction of Biltmore House in areas unavailable on the regular house visit. Imagine yourself a Vanderbilt (or cherished Vanderbilt guest) as you take in stunning views seen only from the house’s rooftop and balconies.
Advance reservation required. Tour includes 250 stairs with no elevator access. Wheelchairs, strollers, and baby backpacks are prohibited. Backpacks are not allowed on any guided tours. Guests are required to leave backpacks in a locker or in their vehicle. To participate in this tour, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties.
Hours of Operation
Directions & parking, help center.
A Walking Tour Into Los Angeles' Abandoned Speakeasy Tunnels
By Jason Cochran
Unknown to most tourists, there's a network of tunnels underneath the city of Los Angeles . By some estimates, 11 miles of them. One growing walking tour company is taking visitors into them.
Most outsiders perceive L.A. as an expanse of swimming pools and freeways. But much of that sprang up only in our lifetimes. The original heart of the city, its urban downtown area, was booming for a century before that. A hundred years ago, the tight urban streets were so congested that locals burrowed underground to solve transportation issues. Some tunnels were for streetcars. Some were for moving cash between banking institutions.
And some were for illegal hooch. Many of the tunnels were forgotten because they were never properly mapped. Secrecy was important if you were shuttling liquor between the estimated 400 speakeasies that raged in Los Angeles during the 13 years of Prohibition (1920-1933). It was one of the most corrupt cities in the country back then, and it was honeycombed with shady doings.
By word of mouth and through urban exploration, vestiges of the illicit speakeasy era are resurfacing today. Downtown Los Angeles suffered after World War Two as the city's center of gravity shifted west, first to Wilshire Boulevard and then to the sprinkler-fed lawns around Beverly Hills and beyond.
Now DTLA, as downtown is often known, is again booming, this time with new condos, artists' spaces, hipster bars, progressive and award-winning restaurants, and the sublime pleasures of uncovering the architectural surprises of a city that was built with powerhouse wealth and then abruptly abandoned to collect dust. Strangely, the rise of the automobile both ruined Los Angeles and saved it—when the population lost interest in downtown and left in the 1950s, a lot of wonders remained intact, from painted-on ads for newsreel shows (on Broadway's Tower Theatre) to the grand bank that risked funding Walt Disney's early films (restored as the newly opened NoMad Hotel ).
Cartwheel Art Tours , founded and led by some of the creatives who are rediscovering and restoring the fabulousness of DTLA's heyday, is a local outfit, so its organizers earned the trust to obtain special permission to dip into privately owned portions of the old underground network. On the "Underground LA" tour, which takes two and a half hours, urban explorers have permission to pass through the unmarked doors that lead to the secret stairs that once fed streams of revelers into the old bars.
In one space located in the vaults beneath an ancient hotel, you can still see walls, skillfully painted by some unknown hand, that evoke a cartoonish beer hall. We don't know the name of this speakeasy—getting drunk was against the law, so it wasn't published—but we do know that it escaped closure by pretending, from the outside, to be a piano store. (That, and because cops loved drinking there.) On the tour, you can still see the collapsed dumbwaiter, the rusting knife sharpener on the kitchen counter, and the opening where a passageway once linked this spot with secret saloons all over town. Like most of DTLA's longest stretches of tunnel, it was bricked up years ago, waiting to be cracked open again one day.
Speakeasy of unknown name, underground Los Angeles
Guests are required to sign forms swearing they'll never reveal the locations of the speakeasies—many are connected to still-operating businesses and homes.
The entire tour isn't spent underground. Upstairs, in the visible world, the tour gives a picture of what life was like downtown 100 years ago, after the great quake of 1906 sidelined San Francisco and propelled Los Angeles into its position as the most powerful U.S. western city. Walkers stop at ornate bank buildings now used by artists or housing bookstores, at onetime lavish hotels that accommodated East Coasters fresh off their rail journeys, or for a drink at Cole's, a wooden saloon established as Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet in 1908 to serve Red Car drivers after their shifts. In back of Cole's today, there's a new speakeasy, this one for hipsters, not Prohibition-breakers.
In DTLA, preserving and sharing the past is a passion—something that may shock Americans who have been told the city has no past. It's that history-minded, adaptable spirit—the one that's quickly reclaiming and preserving DTLA's prewar glories instead of bulldozing them and starting over—that governs Cartwheel's tours. Guides don't fly on autopilot; they know the local secrets and will shape any tour to suit the interest of the group. The founder is active in promoting L.A's art and knows everyone on the scene, so if you're curious about the artists who work in the city's alleys, the upstairs portion of the tour will dive into those. If the group is more interested in the old theatres or public transportation infrastructure, that can be folded in, too.
What you won't find is the same old retread of Marilyn Monroe hangouts and stars' homes. That's Hollywood. This is Los Angeles, the complicated city that goes back to its pueblo days and beyond. I got hooked up with Cartwheel during a recent stay at the Hotel Indigo , which partners with the tour company to share L.A. history. The full list of Cartwheel Art offerings, which besides tunnel tours include forays into cocktails, Chinese or Mexican settlers, and high-art graffiti, can be found at www.cartwheelart.com .
The renovated underground Monterey Room speakeasy, rediscovered in 2009
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Real experiences of the real Los Angeles
See the real la, tripadvisor.
Did a full day walking tour of LA. Our tour guide Damien was very knowledgeable & passionate about giving us all the information in a clear & concise way. The tour was very well planned & organised & was not tiring.
Lisa Montesanti
We did The Real Hollywood tour & loved it! The tour was at a great pace & the guide (Vicky) was very knowledgeable & made the tour fun. Thank you!
Stuart was so knowledgeable & was worth the day with him. I had been to LA multiple times before but this is the first time I had taken a tour – so thrilled to have this experience with my mom & sister. I would recommend this tour again & again.
Lucrezia Scamarcio
We had an amazing DTLA Murder Mystery Ghost tour with Damien & Dante… thank you very much from the Italian girls… very interesting & funny… absolutely recommended!
Passport17369220499
This tour was awesome! Stuart is very knowledgeable, likeable & fun. The stops on the tour were very interesting & I learned a lot. I’ve been on quite a few tours of this nature & this was one of my favorites – highly recommend!
Did a walking tour of LA (LA in a Day). Vicky started us off with the Hollywood tour & Damien (who is also the owner) was our guide for the rest of the day. The entire day was awesome, I suggest this tour. There isn’t that much walking, to be honest. It’s very fun!
Michelle B.
My boyfriend & I took the DTLA Murder Mystery Ghost tour with Stuart as our guide & had the most amazing time! We had experiences we will never forget! We were able to see parts & people of Los Angeles that we never would have without Stuart. I give this 10/10. If we visit again, this will be at the top of our to do list!
Sara Pozueta
Absolutely amazing! Highly recommend taking both The Real Hollywood Tour & the Central Downtown LA tour! Our time in LA wouldn’t have been the same. Great way to learn about the city, see it from a different angle, explore the local life & learn about its history & filming industry. Damien our guide was fantastic!
Sylvie was our host & was fantastic. She had a lot of local knowledge & gave her unique perspective as someone who had moved to the area many years ago, so she had an outsider’s as well as an insider’s perspective. The tour gave us a great overview of Santa Monica & Venice & set us up for a great rest of the day.
Paula Lindgren
We took 2 tours, the Santa Monica & Venice Bike tour (with Sylvie) & the Real Hollywood tour (with Damien). Both were great & highly recommended. Sylvie & Damien were informative, knowledgeable & easy to talk to. They were like you were with friends. We were traveling as a family of 4 with 2 boys (15 & 12). We all enjoyed the tours.
DTLA Murder Mystery Ghost Tour
$50 / pp Free / ghost (any age)
2 miles An easy walking distance
6pm – 9pm (3 hours) Saturday
On our DTLA Murder Mystery Ghost tour we go on an investigation of the noir underbelly of Los Angeles – and enjoy cocktails in a couple of haunted bars.
First we visit the Biltmore Hotel, the last place the tragic Black Dahlia, Elizabeth Short, was seen alive. Next we stop at Clifton’s and learn about the anti-corruption drive of its Christian founder (who had a few secrets of his own). After that we move to the dreaded Hotel Cecil, which has a hellish history of murders, suicides and killers (including the Night Stalker). From there our DTLA Murder Mystery Ghost tour moves to the once grand Alexandria Hotel, where Rudolph Valentino’s ghost still haunts his old penthouse, then the Barclay Hotel, home to two serial killers – and also the scene of some of their most brutal murders. We visit the site of the Chinatown Massacre of 1871 (still the largest mass lynching in US history), before the tour finishes at the Halls of Justice, the site of many dramatic trials, including those of Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel (twice) and the infamous Charles Manson. Join our DTLA Murder Mystery Ghost tour and have sleepless nights for weeks!
Our tours can sell out. If you can't make a booking email us at [email protected] , telling us when you want to do the tour and how many guests are in your party, and if we can squeeze you in we’ll let you know.
Logistics & Details
*Cost: $50 pp.
*Walking distance: 2 miles.
*Tour starts 6 pm, Historic Broadway Metro station , corner of 2nd Street and Broadway ( photo of meeting point ).
*Tour finishes 9 pm, Angels Flight .
*We can go into 2 different bars for cocktails on this tour, each for about 15 minutes. You do have to be over 21 y.o. to order an alcoholic drink – but you don’t have to be over 21 y.o. to do this tour.
*We donate $1 for every guest to Climate Cents, a climate change organization.
You can book this as a private tour starting at just $325 for up to 10 guests
Private tours can be booked for any day and any time between 9am-6pm
Disclaimers
This tour is in English. If your English isn’t fluent this may not be the best option for you. Tour available in Spanish and German as private tour ONLY. Email [email protected] to arrange.
Drinks/cocktails are not included.
This is a walking tour and we move at a reasonable pace. If you have mobility issues please book a private tour.
This tour is not recommended for children under 15 y.o.
We never cancel tours in advance due to the weather conditions.
Aim to get to the meeting point 10-15 minutes early. If you’re late you may miss the tour.
Contactless payment for gratuities available, please allow 15-20%.
Full refund or exchange available up to 48 hours before tour. Please check dates/times carefully BEFORE booking though.
You must book in advance.
Subject to change at our discretion
IMAGES
COMMENTS
Smoking policy: Smoking is not allowed in guestrooms. Biltmore Los Angeles is a 100%non-smoking hotel and any violation will be subject to a $500 deep cleaning fee. If found in violation during a guest stay, Biltmore Los Angeles reserves the right to ask a guest to depart the hotel without refund. Pet Policy: Dogs up to 50 lbs. are welcome.
12 Millennium Biltmore Hotel Garden & park tours. 13 Millennium Biltmore Hotel Entry tickets. 14 Millennium Biltmore Hotel Guided tours. 15 Millennium Biltmore Hotel Outdoor activities. 16 Millennium Biltmore Hotel Landmarks & monuments. 17 Millennium Biltmore Hotel Walking tours.
First opened in 1923, the Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles is a one-of-a-kind gem. Featured in countless movies and television shows over the years, the Millennium Biltmore drizzles with luxury. With exotic embroidered tapestries, stunning hand-carved marble fountains, elegant crystal chandeliers and beautiful artwork, the hotel's ...
1920's - The Biltmore quickly gain a reputation as the place to be. The twenties saw the guestrooms and ballrooms filled with the most famous faces of the time, earning it the nickname 'The Host of The Coast'. The Gold Room was one of LA's most famous prohibition-era nightclubs, Peggy Hamilton helped change the face of fashion over ...
See 1 Experience. 444 Flower Building. 2 Reviews. 444 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071-2901. 3 minutes from The Biltmore Los Angeles. The Rooftop at The Standard Downtown LA. 38 Reviews. 550 S Flower St at Sixth St, Los Angeles, CA 90071-2501. 4 minutes from The Biltmore Los Angeles.
The Millennium Biltmore Hotel . Address: 506 S Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90071. The Millennium Biltmore Hotel housed the famous Gold Room that was a popular Prohibition-era speakeasy/nightclub. The entrance was through a hidden door that led onto Olive Street and helped revelers to avoid the police and the paparazzi.
Steeped in Hollywood glamour and elegance, The Biltmore Los Angeles is ready for its close-up. Known as "the host of the coast" since 1923, The Biltmore's le...
Los Angeles. Hotels. More. Now £183 on Tripadvisor: The Biltmore Los Angeles, Los Angeles. See 1,748 traveller reviews, 1,638 candid photos, and great deals for The Biltmore Los Angeles, ranked #74 of 365 hotels in Los Angeles and rated 4 of 5 at Tripadvisor. Prices are calculated as of 29/09/2024 based on a check-in date of 06/10/2024.
Website. The Biltmore Los Angeles. The Biltmore Los Angeles is a historic hotel opened in 1923 and located opposite Pershing Square in Downtown Los Angeles, California. The hotel has 70,000 square feet (6,500 m 2) of meeting and banquet space. Built with 1500 guestrooms, it now has 683.
Book your Millennium Biltmore Hotel tickets online and skip-the-line! Save time and money with our best price guarantee make the most of your visit to Los Angeles!
The Biltmore Los Angeles. 1,755 reviews. NEW AI Reviews Summary. #76 of 365 hotels in Los Angeles. 506 S. Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071-2602. Visit hotel website. 1 (213) 624-1011. E-mail hotel.
Book the most popular Tours in Millennium Biltmore Hotel. Best price and money back guarantee! Read the reviews of your fellow travelers. Language: English En. Currency: USD ($) Wishlist; Cart; ... Our most recommended Millennium Biltmore Hotel Tours. 1. Los Angeles: Small Group Sightseeing Tour with Hotel Pickup ...
Enjoy a bus tour with stops along the way to explore a number of the sites on foot. Some of the locations seen on the tour include Pueblo de Los Angeles, Avila Adobe Pico House, Fort Moore, Biltmore Hotel, Hollywood Tower, Knickerbocker Hotel, Roosevelt Hotel, and Charlie Chaplin Studios.
Welcome to the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. At a time when this area was still evolving and finding its identity, the arrival of the opulent Millennium Biltmore Hotel in 1923 was a "statement to the rest of the world that Los Angeles had arrived as an American metropolis." Its impact was undeniable and its grandeur would become an integral part ...
The Haunted Millennium Biltmore Hotel In Los Angeles Ca#Angelica&TJAdventures #millenniumbiltmorehotel #hotelsProducts I Endorsed on The Channel scentsy warm...
Tours at Biltmore. Stroll through Biltmore House & Gardens and the Winery at your own pace or with one of our knowledgeable guides. For additional information and reservations, call 1-800-411-3812 or stop by our Guest Services locations on the estate. To participate in a tour, guests must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or stay ...
This downtown LA haunted walking tour is operated by The Real Los Angeles Tours, covering 2 miles of eerie landmarks. Visit the Biltmore Hotel, where the tragic Black Dahlia, Elizabeth Short, was last seen alive, and the notorious Cecil and Alexandria Hotels. Uncover chilling tales of infamous murderers like The Night Stalker and Charles Manson.
10 Secrets of Los Angeles's Historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel. Laura Itzkowitz. 9. The Biltmore is full of ghost stories. Rumor has it that there's the ghost of a nurse on the second floor ...
To participate in this tour, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate's splendid overnight properties. 800-411-3812 $45 plus tax per person
A walking tour company in Downtown Los Angeles brings visitors into long-forgotten tunnels once used for bootlegging under city streets. By Jason Cochran. Unknown to most tourists, there's a network of tunnels underneath the city of Los Angeles. By some estimates, 11 miles of them. One growing walking tour company is taking visitors into them.
6pm - 9pm (3 hours) Saturday. Book Now! On our DTLA Murder Mystery Ghost tour we go on an investigation of the noir underbelly of Los Angeles - and enjoy cocktails in a couple of haunted bars. First we visit the Biltmore Hotel, the last place the tragic Black Dahlia, Elizabeth Short, was seen alive. Next we stop at Clifton's and learn ...
The Millennium Biltmore Hotel, originally the Los Angeles Biltmore of the Bowman-Biltmore Hotels group, is a luxury hotel located opposite Pershing Square in...