A 74-room Sunset Strip landmark, the Art Deco Sunset Tower draws A-list celebrities and treats everyday guests like stars with impeccable service and a vibe that channels the glamorous history of Hollywood. Despite its small pool, the Tower is still a great value. For an Art Deco icon overlooking the ocean, consider the Hotel Shangri La Santa Monica.

Just off the Sunset Strip, The London West Hollywood offers the highest levels of luxury and service at reasonable prices. With 200 beautifully appointed, 750-square-foot rooms, a rooftop pool and fitness area with panoramic views, and an upscale restaurant the hotel attracts a sophisticated set who expect service as great as the value.

A-list rockers have been flocking to the Sunset Marquis, located steps from the Sunset Strip, since it opened in 1963 as a cheap motel for musicians. It offers 152 sleek, spacious rooms featuring up-to-date amenities -- including large flat-screen TVs, iPod docks and Molton Brown toiletries. Hotel highlights include a top-notch restaurant, a cozy bar, two pools, and a wonderful spa.

It's no longer as hip or famous as its West Hollywood neighbors (the Chateau, Sunset Tower, and Mondrian), but there's plenty to like about the Andaz, which was once (in)famously known as the "Riot Hyatt". The hotel boasts rotating art exhibits, a lovely rooftop pool, free Wi-Fi, and sleek rooms with sweet views and free snacks and drinks.

The 80-room, upscale Petit Ermitage is an exercise in off-beat but high-end bohemianism. Artistic and international flair is everywhere: hand-trowled Venetian plaster covers the walls, and Moroccan and South American tiles and hand-woven Turkish rugs line the floors. The boutique hotel's best feature is its private rooftop area, with a heated saltwater pool, quirky cocktail bar, stylish fireplace deck, and peaceful garden, where guests can enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Large suites (most with working fireplaces and pull-out sofas, and some with kitchenettes) feature 50-inch flat-screen TVs, minibars, beds with bamboo mattresses, and loads of ornamental touches. Travelers who prefer a trendy, contemporary aesthetic may want to compare rates with the Andaz West Hollywood and Mondrian Los Angeles nearby -- though neither have in-room kitchenettes or fireplaces, and rooms are larger here. 

The all-suite Chamberlain West Hollywood is an upscale hotel with glitzy interiors set in a '70s apartment block in a residential neighborhood. While the immediate surroundings are pretty sedate, the location is just a five-minute walk to the buzzing nightlife of Sunset Strip. The 114 suites feature marble bathrooms, gas fireplaces, and decent tech amenities -- though some are dark and lack views. While small, the rooftop pool does provide some superb panoramas. The nearby London West Hollywood has a larger pool and even larger rooms, though rates are higher.

As Hollywood's most notorious celebrity hideaway, the Chateau Marmont is the best spot for A-list sightings, especially in its two fantastic (yet reasonably priced) restaurants. Unfortunately, for tourists, most everything else disappoints. The pool's small, the gym's dark, and the standard rooms are dowdy. Book a room at the London instead, and head here for dinner to get your celebrity fix.

Massively renovated in 2006, this 295-room outlet of a French chain on the border of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills combines Continental elegance and Hollywood trendiness, with luxurious rooms, a trendy bar and restaurant, and a gorgeous spa and fitness center. Too bad the tiny pool is plagued by street noise and an unsightly view of the mall next door.

Located right on L.A.'s famous Sunset Strip, this upscale hotel has a rock-and-roll edge and includes popular local destinations like Oliver's Prime Steakhouse and glam Bar 20. The 108 contemporary rooms are modern and bright, with a rocker sensibility plus flat-screen TVs, and the hotel has a 24-hour fitness center. The clientele is mostly couples, though a good number of families are drawn to the saltwater pool, one of the largest in the area. It could be worth comparing rates with the nearby Le Montrose Suite Hotel, which has a rooftop saltwater pool plus a tennis court. 

The 236-room Mondrian Los Angeles Hotel is a Sunset Strip icon, one with even more of a scene than the equally legendary Sunset Marquis. The design-centric hotel's common areas -- lobby, restaurant, pool, and lounges -- are all geared toward socializing. The cutting-edge style of the rooms doesn't interfere with their comfort; beginning at 325 square feet, all rooms feature king beds, minibars, separate bathroom vanity areas, and Malin + Goetz toiletries. But guests are usually more interested in spending time at the on-site dining and nightlife hot spots than staying in. Those looking for a more relaxed scene in the same neighborhood and price range might prefer the still-cool Standard, Hollywood or the low-key-but-fashionable Sofitel Los Angeles.