The Chateau Marmont is a historic five-star hotel located at 8221 Sunset Boulevard. The hotel was designed in 1929 by architects Arnold A. Weitzman and William Douglas Lee based on the Château d’Amboise, a royal retreat in the Loire Valley of France.
The hotel, featuring 63 rooms, suites, cottages, and bungalows, is well-known for being one of the favorite residences, whether short or long-term, of celebrities. Room 64 is said to have always been reserved for Howard Hughes, and it is now the favored stay of Bono from U2.
In 1926, Fred Horowitz, a prominent Los Angeles attorney, chose the site on Marmont Lane and Sunset Boulevard to build an apartment building. Having recently traveled to Europe for inspiration, Horowitz returned to California with photos of a Gothic castle along the Loire River. In 1927, Horowitz commissioned his brother-in-law, architect Arnold A. Weitzman, trained in Europe, to design the seven-story L-shaped building based on his photos from France. When the building’s name was decided, Chateau Sunset and Chateau Hollywood were rejected in favor of Chateau Marmont, a name conceived by the small street running in front of the property.
On February 1, 1929, Chateau Marmont opened its doors to the public as the new residence of Hollywood. Local newspapers described the Chateau as “the newest, finest, and most exclusive apartment building in Los Angeles […] magnificently situated, close enough to active business to be accessible and far enough away to ensure quiet and privacy.” For the inaugural reception, over 300 people passed through, including the local press.
Due to high rents and the inability to keep long-term tenants during the Great Depression, Horowitz sold the apartment building in 1931 to Albert E. Smith, co-founder of Vitagraph Studios, for $750,000 in cash. Smith converted the building into a hotel, an investment that benefited from the celebration of the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. The apartments were turned into suites with kitchens and living rooms. During the ’30s, the hotel was managed by former silent film actress Ann Little.
Designed and built earthquake-proof, Chateau Marmont survived the major earthquakes of 1933, 1953, 1971, 1987, and 1994 without suffering any significant structural damage. Nine Spanish cottages, as well as a pool, were built next to the hotel in the ’30s and were acquired by the hotel in the ’40s. Craig Ellwood designed two of the four bungalows in 1956 after completing the experimental Case Studies Houses.
During the ’60s, the hotel experienced a period of decline. In 1975, Chateau was sold to Raymond R. Sarlot and Karl Kantarjian of Sarlot-Kantarjian, a real estate development company, for $1.1 million. They repaired and improved many elements of the hotel but tried to stay true to the character and history of the hotel. In 1976, after their acquisition and improvements, the castle was named a Historic-Cultural Monument of Los Angeles. In The New York Times, writer Quentin Crisp praised the Chateau, “avoiding undue modernization and deliberately remaining in the romantic past.”
Acquired in 1990 by André Balazs, the hotel was modernized while preserving its character. For the restoration, Balazs worked to create the illusion that the hotel had remained untouched despite the renovations. The entire facility was re-carpeted, repainted, and public spaces were enhanced.
Over the years, Chateau Marmont has gained recognition from prominent artists like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Anthony Bourdain, Tim Burton, Courtney Love, Jay McInerney, Helmut Newton, Dorothy Parker, Nicholas Ray, Terry Richardson, Quentin Tarantino.
