We adored the Magic Castle. It was a real delight to find such clean, comfortable, friendly and quiet accommodations just a block away from the madness of Hollywood Boulevard. From the moment we arrived (and were upgraded to a suite) until we checked out we could find nothing to fault. Our only minor quibble is that our suite was on the back with a view of a wall. However, since we were receiving a spacious suite for the price of a standard room it would have been ungracious to complain.

The hotelв's leek decor, the spacious rooms (at least the suites; we didn't see the standard rooms) the delightful courtyard, and the excellent continental breakfasts (pastries from Susina's Bakery are terrific!) have been mentioned in other reviews and we concur with all of the positive comments. Worthy of special mention is the outstanding staff. Everyone was very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable of the area. Thanks to Nick and Sean (spelling?) for all your good advice and the drinks and snacks!

By the way, one of the best reasons for staying here is to gain access to the Magic Castle Club. The only way you can get in to see the magic shows is to be a member of the Academy of Magical Arts or to stay at the hotel. The Victorian building in which the Club is located is a real hoot, dinner was good, and the magic shows were absolutely terrific.

I am a return visitor to this hotel and it will be my first choice anytime I stay in the area. I have never been to a hotel where they treat you like you are someone so special. I went there with a big group of friends and we were there to see a rock & roll show. We had multiple rooms. Gretchen and her staff took care of our every need. We are still talking about our trip and how special our time at the Magic Castle was.

The hotel has a great retro look and you can feel the history there. The rooms are clean and large enough for friends and family to hang out in. It's the perfect place for a large gathering.

The hotel is located one block from Hollywood Blvd so it's a short walk to go see the sights. You really get the feel of Hollywood staying here. The pool area is lovely. Whether you are sharing pizza under the stars with your friends at 2am or a wonderful continental breakfast in the morning sunshine it's a warm inviting place.

Thank you Gretchen for making us feel so welcome. We will see you again soon.

Like some of the other reviewers we arrived after a 12 hour flight from new zealand. When we arrived I have to say I was dissappointed as the place definately needs a lick of paint and some ceilings had obvious evidence of a bath overflow in the apartment above. That said I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this hotel. We had our 2 kids with us ages 10 & 12 and they wanted to do everything there was to be done in L.A. We did the lot and the front desk staff Mary-Jane and Shawn were fantastic!!! They arranged car hire to be delivered to the hotel and picked up again when we were finished. Saved us money really as Mary-Jane said the subway to Universal Studios was the way to go as the subway station is around the corner from hotel, so we waited until the following day to hire the car. They seemed genuinely interested in what we were doing and always were there with recommendations. And what a location!!!50 meters from hollywood walk of fame, graumann's theatre and all the madness that is hollywood boulevard!!! Big selection of DVD'S for the kids to hire with a box of goodies all free of charge. And you must eat in Yamashiro, the Japanese restaurant at the top of the hill. So thats it. Great spot.

i was lucky enough to find this hotel last september when a large group of us came from around the world to see tom petty and the heartbreakers at the hollywood bowl. the hotel is so great and charming, not the huge stuffy hotels most people stay in. i actually told a few friends this past weekend that the castle brings me back in time to the 60's where you would expect the 'rat pack' to stay. so when we needed a hotel for this past weekend to see 2 shows by 'the dirty knobs' , it was a no brainer where to stay. once again we had a huge turnout and everyone was amazed at how gretchen and the staff handled everything. there is nothing they can't provide for you, 2am pizza party by the pool, no problem, it's yours. signs on your room door welcoming us, candy baskets in our rooms (and thanks for the wine too gretchen). this hotel and staff just literally bend over backwards to make all your dreams come true. the hotel location is just perfect, easy 1-2 block walk to the prominade for shops and restaurants, walk of fame, grauman's chinese theater, disney malt shop and so much more. going the other direction is the hollywood bowl and further up the hill is universal studios theme park. this hotel is at the top of my list and will be my home whenever i visit LA. thanks gretchen and staff. hope to see you again soon.......ben