Oh, the glamorous yet effortless allure of the city of angels. Welcome to Los Angeles, where there are the designer boutiques of Rodeo Drive and the trendy shops of Abbot Kinney, the flashing billboards of Sunset Boulevard and the seafood shacks of the Pacific Coast Highway, the look-at-me style of Beverly Hills, and the curated vintage vibes of Silver Lake. Add in a healthy dose of palm trees and perennially sunny weather (Los Angeles only gets 30 days of rain a year) and you have a locale that’s fabulously fun to fantasize about.
When this writer first arrived in Los Angeles, she was asked a very important question: “Are you a Hills person, or a beach person?” This meaning: Los Angeles is a vast, sprawling city, predominantly navigated via car. The neighborhood you pick doesn’t completely define your L.A. experience—but it does play a large part in it.
So on that note, here are our twenty picks for the distinction of Best Airbnb: Los Angeles. Whether you want a humble bohemian enclave or a buzzy Hollywood Hills modernist mansion, there’s certainly something to fit your West Coast wanderlust ideal. (And, if you decide an urban getaway isn’t for you—don’t fret. Instead, check out some of our favorite homes in Joshua Tree.)
Modern Treehouse, Topanga
Los Angeles homes have long embraced indoor-outdoor living. Nowhere is that more apparent than this geometrical Kayu wood home in Topanga, where floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto a wraparound deck where one can stare out into the expansive canyon below. Sunlight streams into a yoga studio, and in the back, there’s a perfect backyard alcove to enjoy your morning coffee. (Design aficionados, take note: the living room features a Togo sofa.)
Rooms: 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms
Amenities: Yoga studio, ping pong table, backyard, gym, outdoor furniture, parking
Location: Topanga
Hillcrest, Beverly Hills
This Beverly Hills home listing is meant for those who want to live large while in L.A.—complete with seven bedrooms, a records room, and a movie lounge, it feels more like a movie star abode than an Airbnb. It’s also right off Sunset Boulevard, meaning you’re a quick drive to all the restaurants, bars, and haute haunts West Hollywood is known for.
Rooms: 7 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms
Amenities: Pool, tennis court, movie theater, wet bar, fireplace, outdoor dining area, gym, parking, poolhouse
Location: Beverly Hills
Stone Manor, Malibu
Overlooking Paradise Cove in Malibu is this Arts & Crafts-style mansion that sits upon three acres of terraced land and boasts a water view from almost every window. As the name suggests, stones are the defining feature of the house, inside and out. The rocky exterior is aesthetically continued indoors with old-world-feeling flooring of the same material.
Rooms: 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms
Amenities: Pool, hot tub, piano, outdoor bar, reading room, media room, fireplace, backyard, outdoor dining area, parking
Location: Malibu
Bird Street Estate, Hollywood Hills
High in the Hollywood Hills’s “Bird Streets” is this mid-century masterpiece. With floor-to-ceiling windows, you can gaze all the way past the urban sprawl to the Pacific Ocean—and finally understand what Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling meant when they sang “City of Stars” in La La Land. Part of Airbnb’s Luxe collection (so, only the most premiere of listings), it’s for those who want to do L.A. in extravagant style.
Rooms: 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms
Amenities: Pool, hot tub, housekeeping, fire pit, parking
Location: The Bird Streets area of Hollywood
Bohemian Hillside Retreat, Silver Lake
Silver Lake’s got the reputation of the coolest neighborhood in Los Angeles. (The “Brooklyn of L.A.,” if you’re into the comparison. Which, if you’re from California, you’re probably not!) This stylish Airbnb, on a hillside right above Sunset, will put you right by its trendy center.
Rooms: 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Amenities: Backyard, fire pit, outdoor dining area, parking
Location: Silver Lake
Mid-Century Modern House, Atwater Village
This Atwater Village home has an impeccably designed interior as well as an outdoor patio you’ll want to lounge in all afternoon long. You’re within a short drive of the trendy neighbors of Los Feliz and Silver Lake. But, if you want to hang out closer to home, Tacos Villa Corona serves a mean breakfast burrito.
Rooms: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Amenities: Patio, fire pit, hot tub, gym, outdoor dining area, free parking, EV charger
Location: Atwater Village
Spanish-Style Villa, Hollywood Hills
This Spanish-style villa dates back to the 1920s, and includes an iron staircase with a swirling floral motif banister, white oak floors, and wooden French doors. An added bonus? The covered patio, which is perfect for entertaining, rain or shine. (Except the former is highly unlikely—this is Los Angeles we’re talking about, after all.)
Rooms: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Amenities: Backyard, patio, outdoor furniture, parking
Location: Hollywood Heights
Wolford House, Mt. Washington
The Wolford House is a registered architecture monument perched atop Mount Washington. Designed by Jim de Long, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, it epitomizes mid-century modern style. If you’re looking to be in the thick of things, this away-from-it-all listing is likely not for you. However, for those who seek rest and relaxation in Los Angeles, this is certainly a serene spot.
Rooms: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Amenities: Backyard, outdoor furniture, fireplace, parking
Location: Atop Mount Washington
Architect’s House, Venice Beach
An architect is the host of this Venice Beach listing, which, thanks to its bunk beds and outdoor playground, is perfect for families. Bonus: it’s only a short drive to the beach, as well as the charming neighborhood of Marina Del Rey.
Rooms: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms
Amenities: Shared backyard, outdoor furniture, beach essentials, parking, EV charger
Location: Near Marina Del Rey and Venice Beach
Spanish Architecture Villa, Hollywood Hills
This Spanish-style abode in the Hollywood Hills has a cozy, colorful interior and a sparkling view of the cityscape. Soak up the sun on your outdoor patio, which is full of lush greenery and a jasmine-covered pergola.
Rooms: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms
Amenities: Backyard, patio, outdoor furniture, fireplace, parking
Location: In Outpost Estates
Hollywoodland A-Frame, Beachwood Canyon
Music buffs, this listing is for you: it’s said that one night, in 1963, David Crosby was introduced to Graham Nash by Mama Cass at a party thrown in this very home. Located at the tippy-top of Beachwood Canyon (or, Hollywoodland), the A-frame is the architectural epitome of L.A.’s rock n’ roll era. Although that’s certainly not the only style you’ll see in those hills—Beachwood also has a hodgepodge of homes built in the Storybook and German castle, style.
Rooms: 5 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
Amenities: Backyard, hot tub, bikes, fire pit, outdoor furniture, beach essentials
Location: Hollywoodland near Griffith Park
Billionaire’s Beach Contemporary Home, Malibu
As the name suggests, this contemporary Carbon Beach listing—which sits on one of the most expensive stretches of real estate in the country—is for those with a blowout budget. The interiors are adorned with marble and contemporary art. As for the exterior? That would be the sprawling Pacific. Watch the waves roll in from your expansive private deck, and, if you can get a reservation, walk down the beach to the ever-trendy Nobu Malibu.
Rooms: 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms
Amenities: Balcony, foosball table, playroom, beach access, fireplace, parking
Location: Carbon Beach
Rustic Treetop Cabin, Beachwood Canyon
This Airbnb—a private, cabin-like space with one bedroom and a kitchenette whose host is a Hollywood producer-slash-cameraman—is on the humble side space-wise. Yet, nestled high up in Beachwood Canyon, its reviewers often compare it to a treehouse. (If, well, a treehouse had crisp white-and-natural wood interiors and a sprawling view of Los Angeles from the hills to the ocean.)
Close to both Griffith Park and Brush Canyon Trail (that’s the one you hike to see the Hollywood sign), it’s perfect for those interested in exploring Los Angeles’s more relaxed, nature-and-wellness side. Grab lunch at nearby Beachwood Café.
Rooms: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Amenities: Kitchen, patio, parking
Location: Near Franklin Village and Griffith Park in Hollywood Hills
The Box House, Laurel Canyon
You must climb 52 steps to reach The Box House, an Airbnb that is made almost entirely out of glass. But you are rewarded once you do. It offers 270-degree views of the bohemian-beloved Laurel Canyon, and inside is adorned with mid-century modern furniture such as the classic Eames lounge chair. No wonder it was once the subject of famed architectural photographer Julius Shulman. An added bonus? The host, a choreographer and dancer who once had a stint on Dancing with the Stars, offers a full concierge service.
Rooms: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
Amenities: Patio, backyard, hot tub, parking
Location: Laurel Canyon
Casa Laurel Canyon, Hollywood Hills
This Hollywood Hills home right off of Laurel Canyon Boulevard feels like a quaint oasis: the interiors are adorned in crisp whites, leafy green plants, and wood-beamed ceilings, while an outdoor space is covered in purple blooms and has a wood-burning fireplace. But that doesn’t mean it’s off the beaten track: minutes away from Sunset Boulevard and the buzz of West Hollywood, you can very much indulge in Los Angeles’s vibrant social scene.
Rooms: 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms
Amenities: Backyard, fire pit, outdoor furniture, gym, parking
Location: Hollywood Hills
The Deck House, Malibu
It’s all about the views. Perched above Pacific Coast Highway, take in the scene from a stately modern home. From the 10-foot Restoration Hardware dining table to the outdoor furniture overlooking the coast, there’s ample opportunity for entertaining.
Rooms: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
Amenities: Beach access, ping pong table, backyard, fire pit, outdoor furniture, hot tub, parking
Location: Malibu
Via Vallarta, Encino
This dodecagon is a geometric masterpiece situated atop a hillside with panoramic views. Housing up to 14 people, a group of friends or family reunion can enjoy a comfortable space in a serene setting. Bask in the California light filtered in from floor-to-ceiling windows. Spend cozy nights around the fireplace chatting about the day’s adventures.
Rooms: 7 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms
Amenities: Pool, patio, hot tub, outdoor furniture, pool table
Location: Encino
Architectural Abode, Venice Beach
Beachy tranquility awaits those at this eclectic home. Choose to relax beside the Zen waterfall or next to one of the two fire pits. Venture to the roof for a sweeping scene of Los Angeles and the iconic Hollywood sign. The house unites whimsy and leisure through its playful take on California relaxation.
Rooms: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
Amenities: Patio, fire pits, roof deck, beach access, parking
Location: Near Marina Del Rey
Storybrook Cottage, Los Feliz
Trade in sand for foliage at this cottage tucked away in a quiet neighborhood. Spend a night cooking dinner in the chef’s kitchen or dig into a lunch out on the patio. Our favorite part? The massive hammock is perfect for lounging in luxury.
Rooms: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Amenities: Backyard, patio, outdoor furniture, hammock, parking
Location: Franklin Hills near Silver Lake
1940’s Home, Bel Air
This cozy bungalow is situated in the famous digs of Bel Air, offering quaint charm in a desirable location. A secluded patio lends way to its breathtaking canyon backdrop. Mid-century touches and striking artwork brighten up the interior bringing personality to the home.
Rooms: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Amenities: Patio, outdoor furniture, parking
Location: Near Benedict Canyon in Bel Air
This article was originally published on Vogue.com
