The "Real" Chateau Marmont

February 22, 2006 at 1:52 PM | 2 Comments

For your fine viewing pleasure, ladies and gentlemen here is Bjorn Turoque aka Dan Crane playing some fine air guitar (he was the New York champion) on a bed at the The Chateau Marmont.

This hotel is easily one of the most recognizable hotels in the world today. It's featured inside every trashy tabloid mag when Jessica Simpson or Lindsay Lohan spend the night there with a guy. John Belushi died there. Howard Hughes went crazy there and everyone who's anyone spent some time doing debauchery there. Shoot, it's even become the inspiration for a doggie kennel and fashion store in Los Angeles---Chateau Marmutt.

But what's the real deal on staying there? With so many celebs in-house we wonder, do they even let "real people" stay there?

More on the Chateau Marmont post-click.

Some of the reviews on Trip Advisor don't look so good.

The staff at the hotel clearly separated the guests between those that were in the 'in crowd' and those that weren't. I felt we were put into the latter group.

Another guest who stayed in one of the pricey cottages had issues with the decor:

It was pretty dark and claustrophobic. The bathroom was so small the bathroom door could only be opened half way as it knocked against the toilet. While I can appreciate that there is a certain charm in keeping the old 1930's decor, some of the fittings were truly dreadful. I am at a loss to understand why celebrities come here. Are they given rooms for free?

Maybe that's the secret behind the Chateau--free rooms for celebs.

However, we checked with some of our normal but hotel-savvy friends who described their experiences as "wonderful" and "amazing." And still, another guest who described the funky smell in the room as a "cross between rotting meat and fresh vomit" and bad service as totally unacceptable said:

That�s the whole point of the Chateau. It is so unique, and so much fun to stay there, that somehow none of the above matters. We would definitely stay here again, and it is puzzling how warmly we remember a place that is so badly run.

We think the only way to get to the heart of the matter would be to tell the true story of seven strangers, picked to live in the Chateau and have their lives taped, and find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting REAL.

Or if you have your own experience at the Chateau that would like to tell us about, register (for free!) to add a comment below or email us.

Related Stories:
· Chateau Marmont reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Chateau Marmont coverage [HotelChatter]

Tags: Hotels

by juliana

Getting Sceney

"i have also been going to the chateau since
college days. My friend Jen and I used to go there to
have tea and chat late at night. The staff used to be
much friendlier and less "hollywood". In the past 5
years or so, it has been overrun with plenty of
attitude and isn't the quiet oasis in the middle of
hollywood that it used to be."

2 Comments

Return to » The "Real" Chateau Marmont

juliana

HotelChatter
February 24, 2006 at 10:09 AM

Clockwork Orange-esque
We got a tip from a reader who said:
"I also stayed in the Bungalow and was really surprised about how "Clockwork Orange" it felt. Great bath amenities, but I was surprised about how old all the appointments were. Kinda had a musty smell and was very eerie!!!!"

juliana

HotelChatter
February 24, 2006 at 10:10 AM

Getting Sceney
Another reader wrote us to say:
"i have also been going to the chateau since
college days. My friend Jen and I used to go there to
have tea and chat late at night. The staff used to be
much friendlier and less "hollywood". In the past 5
years or so, it has been overrun with plenty of
attitude and isn't the quiet oasis in the middle of
hollywood that it used to be."

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