Los Angeles had been on our family travel list for a long time, so when we were planning our California holiday, choosing where to stay in LA was one of the first things we needed to decide.
Choosing a hotel in Los Angeles was probably one of the most difficult decisions we had to make when planning the trip. We have visited Orlando numerous times, so when it comes to choosing where to stay for a Universal or Disney holiday there, we have a pretty good understanding of the different areas, the distances involved and which hotels work best for families.
Los Angeles was a completely different story. It had been around eight years since we had last visited California, and on that trip we had only travelled as far north as Anaheim. This time, we wanted to do much more. Universal Studios Hollywood was obviously high on our list, but we also wanted to visit Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Santa Monica, Venice Beach and some of the other places that we had never experienced before.
The scale of LA is enormous, and the traffic can make something that looks relatively close on a map take considerably longer than expected. Unlike its Orlando counterpart, Universal Studios Hollywood has no official on-site hotels, and only two are within walking distance.
After looking at what felt like hundreds of hotels, we eventually chose the 4-star Sheraton Universal Hotel, helped by its ranking when we booked at number six of all hotels in LA according to TripAdvisor. Its location, just across from Universal Studios Hollywood, immediately appealed to us, but it also gave us a good base for exploring other parts of LA. And, having now stayed here, I’m really pleased we made that choice.
Here’s everything you need to know about our stay at the Sheraton Universal Hotel.
First impressions
After picking up our rental car from Alamo at LAX, it took us around 40 minutes to reach the Sheraton Universal. After a long journey from the UK, it was nice to finally arrive and know that our LA adventure was about to begin.
This was our first stay at a Sheraton since staying at the beautiful Sheraton Arabella Golf Hotel in Mallorca back in 2018. So, although we’ve stayed at numerous Marriott Bonvoy hotels over the years, we didn’t really know what to expect from a Sheraton in 2026.
We were starting our holiday with four nights in Los Angeles before heading on to the rest of California, and with two teenage daughters, we wanted somewhere that would work for all of us.
The Sheraton Universal Hotel is in Universal City, sitting beneath the Hollywood Hills and just minutes’ walk from Universal Studios Hollywood. The hotel dates back to the late 1960s and is known as the “Hotel of the Stars”. It has undergone multiple renovations over the years and is a really impressive property.
As we drove down its palm tree-lined driveway towards the impressive circular driveway, centred around a lovely fountain at the entrance, we immediately got a sense of the classic Hollywood feel. As we stepped out of the car onto the star-clad carpet, it really did feel different from the hotel experience you get in Orlando, and we loved it.
Inside was just as impressive. The marble lobby has that mid-20th-century elegance, and you definitely feel like you’re in Hollywood when you arrive at the Sheraton Universal. It has a unique Hollywood glamour feel, with memorabilia, crystal chandeliers and gold accents.
I particularly liked the old photographs of Universal Studios and Hollywood’s stars from its Golden Age displayed around the hotel. There were plenty of familiar faces, and one that caught my attention was Richard Burton. That was a particularly nice touch for us, as Richard Burton was born in Pontrhydyfen, close to our base in Wales. It’s always funny when you travel thousands of miles and find a little connection to home.
Although there are no theme park hotels here at Universal Hollywood, this is the next best thing. There are subtle touches throughout, such as the lifts being covered in theme park posters, which gets you excited to visit.
There was also a stylish bar area across from the main check-in desk, which also served food, but more on that later. There was also a coffee shop serving Starbucks coffee and grab-and-go items, which was popular with guests during our stay, as well as a small shop. But don’t expect a Universal Orlando-style shop here like you would find at the on-site hotels at Universal Orlando.
Inside, the lobby was busy when we arrived at around 3pm, and there were plenty of families coming back from Universal Studios, which gave us a pretty good indication of just how popular the hotel is with park visitors.
Check-in
Check-in was friendly and straightforward, which is exactly what you want after a long journey.
As we pulled up, the bell staff were there to help with our luggage and take care of the car. After a long flight, having someone take your luggage and deal with the car while you head inside is exactly what you need.
Despite the hotel being busy when we arrived, there were plenty of staff on hand to assist, and we were checked in within minutes.
As Marriott Bonvoy Gold members, we were welcomed and thanked for our loyalty, which is always appreciated. The team member checking us in explained the hotel facilities and our Club Lounge access, which was particularly useful as we hadn’t stayed at this Sheraton before.
This was also one of those occasions where I was reminded that you can often tell a good hotel from your first interaction with its staff. Throughout our four-night stay, the service was one of the things that stood out.
The reception team were friendly, the valet and bell staff were helpful, the restaurant staff were excellent, and the team working in the Club Lounge were particularly good.
We had booked two rooms for the four of us, and the rooms were interconnecting, which worked really well. We had a king room for ourselves and a traditional double room for the girls.
The check-in process was quick, and before long we were heading upstairs to see our rooms and get settled in for the first four nights of our California break.
Our room
One of the reasons we decided to book two rooms was simply because our family has reached the stage where sharing one hotel room isn’t always the most practical option. When the children were younger, one room was absolutely fine. Now that we are travelling with two older teenagers, having a little extra space makes a huge difference.
At the Sheraton Universal, we booked a King Family Room for ourselves and a Traditional Double Room for the girls. Having two interconnecting rooms meant that everyone had their own space to relax and get ready, while we were still all together.
Our spacious King Family Room offered a king bed along with additional space and sofa seating, which was useful after long days out. The girls’ Traditional Double Room gave them their own double beds and somewhere they could relax without us all being on top of each other.
The rooms had a modern, contemporary design, which I really liked, but what really made the rooms for me were the little Hollywood touches. There were old photographs and movie references around the rooms, and even the bathroom had a photograph of the Hollywood sign.
You knew you were staying somewhere connected to Hollywood without it being overdone.
The Sheraton Signature Sleep Experience beds were, as we remembered from the Mallorca property, really comfortable, with thick duvets, soft pillows and blackout curtains ensuring a great night’s sleep.
The floor-to-ceiling windows added a bright, airy feel to the room, and one of my favourite things during our stay at the Sheraton Universal was opening the curtains each morning at sunrise to see the views across the pool towards the Hollywood Hills from our 11th-floor room.
I could never get tired of it, and it is one of the lasting impressions we have of our stay.
As for amenities, our rooms had all of the things you’d expect from a Sheraton hotel, such as air conditioning, robes and slippers, coffee-making facilities with Starbucks coffee and Teavana tea, a mini fridge, an iron and ironing board, and an in-room safe.
There was also a spacious work desk and loads of plug sockets in the room, including USB ports — perfect for recharging all our gadgets each day.
Opposite the beds was a large 55-inch Smart HDTV, which came complete with streaming services such as Netflix that you could connect to.
As our readers will know, we never tend to travel light, especially on an extended holiday like this trip, so it was pleasing to find that both of our rooms had ample storage space for our cases and wardrobe space with more than enough hangers for our needs.
One thing I particularly liked about having two rooms was that we had two bathrooms. With four of us trying to get ready in the morning, this makes life considerably easier.
Both of the bathrooms were modern, clean and comfortable, with large walk-in showers, large illuminated mirrors and plenty of counter space. There was plenty of room to get ready, and again, there were little Hollywood details, such as a Hollywood sign, in keeping with the rest of the hotel.
Dining and drinking
There are several places to eat and drink at the Sheraton Universal, so you don’t necessarily need to head out every time you want something to eat.
The hotel’s main restaurant is California Kitchen + Cocktails, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is also the poolside CKC Bar, In the Mix and the Universal Perk coffee shop just off the lobby.
When you’re staying next to Universal Studios Hollywood, there is an obvious temptation to eat at CityWalk every night, and there are plenty of options there, just under a 10-minute walk away.
We did head up to CityWalk on our first evening, and we enjoyed the atmosphere, shopping and entertainment. You are spoilt for dining choices here, as, like in Orlando, there is an abundance of restaurants to choose from, including favourites from Orlando such as the Toothsome Emporium, Antojitos and Vivo Italian Kitchen.
We actually preferred CityWalk here over the Orlando version. It might be because it was different, but we felt it offered a far better range of shopping and dining. One of the highlights was an impressive Raising Cane’s, which the kids made an immediate beeline for.
But we didn’t eat there as often as I thought we would, and that’s because the food at the Sheraton was actually very good.
We dined here on two of the nights of our four-night stay, at the California Kitchen + Cocktails restaurant and also at the more casual In the Mix bar restaurant. The menu had plenty of choice and, importantly for a family, it was reasonably priced for a hotel in this location.
I ordered the chicken club sandwich, my husband had the steak sandwich, while the girls went for fries and tenders and a burger and fries. Everything was really good.
So good, in fact, that we went back to eat at the hotel again the following day after a day at Universal. That’s probably the best recommendation I can give, with the amount of other restaurants literally on your doorstep at CityWalk.
And because we had access to the Club Lounge, we also had another option for breakfast and evening refreshments.
Sheraton Club Lounge
One of the amenities that we have come to look for in hotels is an executive lounge, especially when travelling as a family — and one of the real highlights of our stay was the Sheraton Club Lounge.
Located off the main lobby, the spacious lounge here is really stylish but welcoming. It is perfect for families and a brilliant perk when staying in an executive-level room or if you have Bonvoy status.
It’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into the design of the lounge here, and it was one of the most impressive club lounges that we have been to.
It feels bright and modern, with plenty of comfortable seating and dining areas.
Open from early morning until late at night, the lounge offered us a perfect place to relax and unwind after busy days exploring LA and Universal Hollywood.
Breakfast each morning included a selection of fresh pastries, fruit, yoghurts, cereals and hot options such as scrambled eggs and bacon. It was more than enough to set us up for a day of sightseeing.
But it wasn’t just breakfast that made the lounge worthwhile. We would often return to the hotel after a day out and head back to the lounge for drinks and snacks before going out again or settling down for the evening.
And after a day at Universal Studios, this was particularly welcome. If you’ve visited a theme park with teenagers, you’ll know that by the end of the day everyone is usually tired, hungry and ready to sit down.
Having somewhere comfortable to relax without having to leave the hotel again was a real bonus.
Come early evening, the lounge served a selection of canapés and light bites, which we found perfect on nights when we didn’t need a full dinner.
The staff were incredibly attentive, ensuring that everything was well stocked and that guests were well looked after.
I’m a big fan of hotels with executive lounges, as they offer a convenient and comfortable space to unwind away from the busier areas of the hotel.
Whether catching up on emails or just enjoying a quiet moment with a drink, the lounge was a lovely, family-friendly area to call home, unwind and relax after busy days exploring LA.
Amenities
Although we didn’t have as much time as we’d have liked to enjoy the hotel’s amenities, there is actually quite a bit on offer at the Sheraton Universal.
We partly booked it for the outdoor pool, which is surrounded by plenty of loungers and seating. Although it is small compared with the pools at the resort-style Orlando hotels, it was still a good size. Unfortunately, we didn’t end up having time to use it, as there was so much to see and do.
There’s also a gym on site with a good selection of cardio and strength equipment, but we got more than enough steps pounding the Universal theme parks and exploring LA, so we were too shattered for anything else!
Around the pool area, there are plenty of places to sit, including shaded areas, and the hotel has made the space feel more like somewhere you could spend an afternoon or evening rather than simply a pool you can use.
There were also a few outdoor games, including foosball, Connect 4 and giant Jenga. These are the sort of little extras that work particularly well for families.
One feature I really like at US hotels is the fire pit area. In the evening, the outdoor space has a completely different feel, with the fire pits making it a nice place to sit with a drink and relax after a busy day.
We didn’t get to make as much use of the pool and outdoor areas as we would have liked. With only four nights in LA, and Universal Studios, Warner Bros., Hollywood and the rest of our sightseeing to fit in, we were rarely back at the hotel with enough time to simply sit around.
Location
For me, the biggest reason to choose the Sheraton Universal is its location.
If you’re visiting Universal Studios Hollywood, it is closer to the park than you would be if staying at some of the on-site Universal hotels at Universal Orlando.
The hotel is directly across from Universal Studios, and you can walk to the park or CityWalk. The hotel also offers a complimentary shuttle, which we took one evening. It took less than 10 minutes, although we felt it was quicker to walk, especially when taking the shortcut of using the lift up to the Hilton and walking across from there, bypassing the hill to the park.
We walked over to Universal Studios, and being able to do that was a huge advantage. There was no getting in the car, no worrying about parking and no sitting in LA traffic.
Universal CityWalk is also just a short walk away, so you have plenty of restaurants, shops and entertainment right on your doorstep.
But what I particularly liked about the Sheraton Universal was that it felt like being in its own little vacation bubble. It was close enough to Universal to make visiting incredibly easy, but it was also a much quieter base for exploring LA.
We had a rental car during our stay, which meant we could use the hotel as our starting point for exploring further afield. Warner Bros. Studio Tour was only around 10 minutes away by car, which was another big reason we chose this hotel.
We also drove into Hollywood, visited the Hollywood Walk of Fame, headed over to Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive, and spent time around The Grove.
We even made it out towards the coastline of Santa Monica, Venice and Marina del Rey. Obviously, LA traffic means journey times can vary considerably, but having a car gave us the flexibility to see much more of the city.
And this is where I think Universal City worked particularly well for us.
We had considered staying in different areas of LA. Lots of people tried to put us off staying on a hill next to a theme park, but ultimately I think we made the right decision.
After busy days sightseeing, it was nice to return to what I felt was a safer and quieter area and know that Universal Studios was practically on our doorstep.
The hotel is also close to the Metro Red Line, making it possible to explore parts of LA without always needing the car, which I know some people use if they don’t have a car.
For our particular trip, having the car really made a difference. Parking, although expensive, is similar to what all hotels charge in LA. Someone said to us before we went that you don’t get free parking in LA, which is very true.
But if you don’t have a car, ridesharing makes getting around very easy. Although it wouldn’t be for us, it is good to know that there are public transport options on your doorstep.
Overall
Our four nights at the Sheraton Universal Hotel were the perfect start to our California holiday.
If you’re visiting Los Angeles and Universal Studios Hollywood is part of your plans, I would definitely consider the Sheraton Universal Hotel.
For families, the combination of location, comfortable rooms and easy access to Universal makes it a particularly good option.
The hotel is also a great choice if, like us, you’re planning to use it as a base for exploring more of LA rather than spending your whole trip around Universal.
For families with older children or teenagers, I would definitely look at booking connecting rooms if they’re available. Having two rooms and two bathrooms made our four-night stay much more comfortable.
And if you’re considering Club Lounge access, I would definitely recommend it. For us, it became one of the best parts of the stay and gave us somewhere to relax and grab something to eat or drink between our busy days.
Ready to book?
Prices at the Sheraton Universal when booking direct at marriott.com start from £369 per night for a family interconnecting room.