Wondering which listing wins the title of “best Airbnb Los Angeles”? You’re not alone. As it turns out, California dreamin’ is a much sought-after state of mind: Airbnb recently revealed that Los Angeles was its top destination for long-term stays in 2022.
Oh, the glamorous yet effortless allure of the city of angels. 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. Or, as vaccine rollout continues apace, fabulously fun to actually visit.
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 nine 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.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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.
Saddle Peak Home (Topanga)
It feels strange to describe an area of Los Angeles as “rugged,” but that’s exactly what Topanga is. A remote enclave high up in the Santa Monica Mountains between Pacific Palisades and Malibu, its brush-covered hillside and surrounding canyon stretch out for what feels like miles. That’s not to say this Airbnb is incredibly out of the way: it’s an easy drive to attractions like the Santa Monica Pier and the Getty Villa. But with its floor-to-ceiling windows, infinity swimming pool, and expansive views, you may not ever want to leave.
Trousdale Estate Modern Retreat (Beverly Hills)
“Beverly Hills, that’s where I want to be,” as Weezer famously sang. And that must be you, too, if you’re into this Airbnb. Located in the neighborhood Trousdale Estates (Beverly Hills, if you want to get technical about it, is a city-within-a-city), this modern masterpiece comes with everything you’d ever want in a dream house: an infinity pool, a hot tub, an exercise room, and five parking spaces. (Trust me, you don’t know how rare that is.) Added bonus? An office, perfect for those taking a “work-cation.”
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
