Pico House
Pico House
4
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Central L.A
How to get there
- Union Station • 4 min walk
- Civic Center/Grand Park • 7 min walk
Best nearby
Restaurants
2,117 within 3 miles
Attractions
648 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
19 reviews
Excellent
2
Very good
11
Average
6
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Grover R
Pensacola, FL21,880 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
This is a building that you will likely only see from the exterior; however, you will not miss it on the Old Plaza. Its prominence speaks to it history. It is the first and oldest luxury hotel in LA and when it was built in 1870 it was the largest building in LA if not California. It was built by Pio Pico, the last Mexican Governor of California. It is a beautiful building in its color and symmetrical design. It symbolized that LA was not a Pacific town but an emerging American city at the cusp before the railroad, oil and Hollywood would propel LA to what it is today.
Written April 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marta E
El Paso, TX859 contributions
Jul 2018 • Solo
As it was closed this Thursday afternoon when I came by on the way to the Mexican American museum..it is well worth a visit even just to view the extravagant architecture of yesteryear..On another prior visit, there was an art exposition there. I am thinking it is only open during special events, but i am not sure
Written July 22, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tsuyoshi M
39 contributions
May 2017 • Solo
Classic structure.
Visited on the way to Union Station. On the opposite of Brunswick building. Not for everyone but if you have certain interest in Western settlement, it should fill.
Visited on the way to Union Station. On the opposite of Brunswick building. Not for everyone but if you have certain interest in Western settlement, it should fill.
Written May 27, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DAVID L
Los Angeles, CA8,082 contributions
Aug 2015 • Friends
The nicely preserved Pio Pico house is a reminder of the history of Ciuidad de
Los Angeles and the Hispanic heritage of the city. Located in the El Pueblo historical area, it's easily reached from Olvera Street or from Union Station. Beautiful Spanish colonial facade to building. Interesting to walk around. ...
Los Angeles and the Hispanic heritage of the city. Located in the El Pueblo historical area, it's easily reached from Olvera Street or from Union Station. Beautiful Spanish colonial facade to building. Interesting to walk around. ...
Written December 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Openfj0re
238 contributions
It's good to see from an historical perspective, and see back into the past, but overall a little disappointing for what it is
Written January 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thangam M
Chennai1,460 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
Pico House at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument has the distinction of being the first grand hotel to grace the city of Los Angeles. It was commissioned by Pio de Jesus Pico, the last governor of California under Mexican rule.
Pico House is an impressive, grand, imperious building at the center of Main Street. It occupies the site of the adobe house of Jose Antonio Carrillo which was razed to make way for this magnificent edifice.
This building designed by architect Ezra F Kysor was the first three-storey building in LA and his brief was to build “the finest hotel in Los Angeles.”
Designed in Italian style with signature deep-set round arched windows and doors, Pico House is built around a central courtyard that had a circular cast iron fountain at its center. Records say the fountain gurgled while caged birds chirped in the courtyard! The name Pico House in large letters is painted on the pediments.
The hotel opened in 1870 and was considered to be the last word in luxury. Boasting 82 rooms and 21 parlours, it cost almost $50,000 to build and the furnishings are estimated to have added another $10,000 to that cost!
This was financed rather unwisely as it turned out, by Pio and his brother Andres by selling most of their vast landholdings in the San Fernando Valley.
Walnut furniture, rosewood décor in the bridal suite, chandeliers in the parlour, velvet carpets, hot water tanks even for the bathrooms on the first and second floors – this hotel had it all.
The building even had a dumb waiter for lifting baggage to the higher floors. Coaches could actually drive into the building’s central courtyard to unload. Guests included local luminaries such as the Avila, Sepulveda and Lugo families.
Tragically, the hotel’s heydays were short lived – the infamous Chinese Massacre of 1871, just a year after the hotel opened certainly did not help business.
Despite expensive refurbishing in 1875, Pico was forced to put up the hotel as collateral for loans taken and eventually lost the hotel by foreclosure in 1880. He also lost his mansion in Whittier and in 1894, died a poor, sad and broken man.
From 1880 onwards, Pico House had a series of owners and for some years starting 1892, was known as the National Hotel. Rented in 1897 by two Italians, G Pagliano and G Borniatico, Pico House was eventually bought by Pagliano in 1930 – his family sold it to the State of California in 1953.
The building which had become dilapidated was renovated and restored to its former glory and is once again the most magnificent building in El Pueblo and a California Historical Landmark.
Pico House has since featured in commercials of BMW, Honda, JC Penney and Target! Pico House lives on and continues to be sought after for special events and for commercial use.
Pico House is an impressive, grand, imperious building at the center of Main Street. It occupies the site of the adobe house of Jose Antonio Carrillo which was razed to make way for this magnificent edifice.
This building designed by architect Ezra F Kysor was the first three-storey building in LA and his brief was to build “the finest hotel in Los Angeles.”
Designed in Italian style with signature deep-set round arched windows and doors, Pico House is built around a central courtyard that had a circular cast iron fountain at its center. Records say the fountain gurgled while caged birds chirped in the courtyard! The name Pico House in large letters is painted on the pediments.
The hotel opened in 1870 and was considered to be the last word in luxury. Boasting 82 rooms and 21 parlours, it cost almost $50,000 to build and the furnishings are estimated to have added another $10,000 to that cost!
This was financed rather unwisely as it turned out, by Pio and his brother Andres by selling most of their vast landholdings in the San Fernando Valley.
Walnut furniture, rosewood décor in the bridal suite, chandeliers in the parlour, velvet carpets, hot water tanks even for the bathrooms on the first and second floors – this hotel had it all.
The building even had a dumb waiter for lifting baggage to the higher floors. Coaches could actually drive into the building’s central courtyard to unload. Guests included local luminaries such as the Avila, Sepulveda and Lugo families.
Tragically, the hotel’s heydays were short lived – the infamous Chinese Massacre of 1871, just a year after the hotel opened certainly did not help business.
Despite expensive refurbishing in 1875, Pico was forced to put up the hotel as collateral for loans taken and eventually lost the hotel by foreclosure in 1880. He also lost his mansion in Whittier and in 1894, died a poor, sad and broken man.
From 1880 onwards, Pico House had a series of owners and for some years starting 1892, was known as the National Hotel. Rented in 1897 by two Italians, G Pagliano and G Borniatico, Pico House was eventually bought by Pagliano in 1930 – his family sold it to the State of California in 1953.
The building which had become dilapidated was renovated and restored to its former glory and is once again the most magnificent building in El Pueblo and a California Historical Landmark.
Pico House has since featured in commercials of BMW, Honda, JC Penney and Target! Pico House lives on and continues to be sought after for special events and for commercial use.
Written January 31, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cshastry2
Bengaluru, India1,127 contributions
May 2017 • Family
The band stand performance close to Pico house was very good. There were lot of couples dancing to the tunes. In fact 'Pico house' itself is probably meant to ride on nostalgic memories. I had heard that my uncle stayed here way back in 1964 during his LA's visit. He was the first person in our family to hold a doctoral degree from UC, Berkley In fact, I told my wife & son about the old pictures, he had clicked. We got take some pictures too.
Written September 28, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Prawet J
Washington DC, DC12,790 contributions
Dec 2016 • Solo
The Pico House of in Spanish is called Casa de Pico is one of historical landmark structures in the El Pueblo de Los Angeles (Old Town historic Los Angeles). It was built as a hotel and currently is used for other functions. The beautiful architecture and the history of the building adds to the significance of the Old town area. It is worth to stop by to do your selfie with the building while walking around to see other things.
Written January 13, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Norbert C
Cerritos, CA42 contributions
Dec 2016 • Solo
At least one review below states that Pico House (1870) is the oldest extant house in LA, but that is not true--it is Avila Adobe (1818). Built by Pio Pico, the last governor of Mexican California, it was the go-to place to stay for travelers to LA before the Alexandria Hotel took over as the central gathering place. It is definitely worth a look.
Written December 6, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grover R
Pensacola, FL21,880 contributions
Jul 2016 • Couples
This is the first 3 story building in LA and one of the oldest structures standing in the community which is saying something knowing the areas history with earthquakes. It is simply beautiful in every detail of its exterior. Unfortunately, they are currently renovating the interior and it is not open. However, the exterior alone makes this a great building to visit and for pictures.
Written July 29, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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