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]