Located in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles County, Universal Studios Hollywood isn’t a full resort in the same vein as its Orlando counterpart or even Disneyland. Instead, it’s more of a free-standing park with only Universal CityWalk nearby to expand its scope. This fact makes choosing the right nearby hotel for your stay a little more challenging. There are several closer hotels, but your best bet is The Garland, a charming boutique hotel located just a five-minute drive from Universal.
Opening in 1972 as a Howard Johnson’s with actress Beverly Garland and her husband Fillmore Crank as the owners, this quiet resort feels much different than the corporate hotels nearby. It became a Holiday Inn in 1992 and is now known as The Garland with plenty of cool touches. There’s a fun mix of classic Hollywood with modern amenities that makes it a unique location. We stayed for two nights at The Garland in early June, and it worked perfectly for our Universal visit.
A Convenient Location
One of my least favorite aspects of visiting a theme park (especially as a family) is parking. The extra time and cost always feels unnecessary and starts the day less comfortably. The Garland helps you avoid that stress with a convenient trolley for no additional cost. You leave the hotel at the top of the hour and can return at the quarter-hour. The exceptions are mid-afternoon times where most guests are inside the park. The trip to the Studios takes about five minutes or so, and you arrive close to the park entrance.
We had purchased an Early Access ticket for Super Nintendo World and could enter the land an hour earlier at 8:00 a.m. Since our family isn’t early risers, we decided to just board the trolley at that time. We strolled up to the bus at 7:45 and barely made it onto the packed transport. The good news is that the driver was going to return to The Garland to pick up another bus load afterwards. The benefit of leaving early was more time at the Studios than we expected. The rides back to the hotel were easy; it allowed us to split up when my wife and one of my daughters wanted to leave earlier.
A Relaxing Environment
The difference between The Garland and the typical chain hotels is the relaxing vibe throughout the grounds. You never feel like you’ve stumbled into a giant convention or are interrupting someone’s important business meeting. Instead, the spaces are quiet and give you a chance to take a break. In particular, the pool area provides an inviting deck with comfortable chairs right next to the water. My daughter had a blast just floating around while I chilled nearby with a drink from the pool bar.
Following our busy day at a very crowded Universal Studios Hollywood, the pool never felt like an extension of our theme park visit. Instead, it allowed me to take a breath and enjoy the space. The Garland played dive-in movies at sunset on both nights of our stay. I was happy to check out part of Back to the Future again, though Happy Feet was less exciting on the second night. It was a chilly night in early June, so the hot tubs were packed on both nights. The one benefit was basically having the pools to ourselves especially after sunset.
A Mix of Classic and Modern Style
Another reason that The Garland stands out is the way that it retains the style of its past while mixing in modern amenities. We stayed at the Portola building, which probably doesn’t look that different on the outside than decades earlier. Even so, the rooms included the outlets and other perks that you’d expect today. We booked a deluxe room with two queen beds, and they did feel more like double beds. The 247-square-foot rooms are cozy and did seem cramped after our suite at the Hyatt House earlier on the trip.
The Garland does offer a variety of room options including larger premium rooms and family suites. Those were a little too pricey given that much of our time would be spent at the park. Each room does include a small balcony to provide a little more space and another spot to relax. We didn’t take advantage of the fitness center, morning yoga, or other activities, but there were quite a few if you’re planning to spend more time on site at the hotel.
Cool and Easy Dining Options
The Garland isn’t a large hotel, but it still offers several excellent dining options on site. The Front Yard restaurant is a cool spot that draws locals, but it retains the right casual vibe for vacation. We enjoyed a calm dinner there during our first night at the hotel and felt comfortable wearing t-shirts and shorts. It was an early evening meal, so I suspect the crowd changes a bit especially on weekend nights. I chose the TFY Burger, which includes truffle cheese, wild mushrooms, and balsamic onion jam. It was much better than your typical burger, which was good considering the fairly high price.
The prices at The Front Yard aren’t exorbitant for a nice dinner, with entrees mostly in the $30-$40 range. For a more relaxed vibe and lower costs, you can also dine near the pool or take your meals to-go. Compared to sit-down meals at Disneyland, the prices didn’t feel that high since we were used to paying more while on this trip. The best part is how easy it all feels; you don’t feel like you’ve intruded on fancy, high-minded dining spots while staying at The Garland.
The Perfect Break on a Theme Park Trip
I love visiting theme parks, but it the experience can get overwhelming at times due to the crowds and constant decisions. I want my hotels to provide a more relaxing break from the excitement. That’s why I love staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge for Walt Disney World. The Garland provides a simpler experience compared to that lavish resort, but it provides a similar comforting vibe.
When you combine the excellent location, cool atmosphere, and easy dining options, The Garland works perfectly for a visit to Universal Studios Hollywood and other popular Los Angeles destinations. You can enjoy all the thrills and excitement of an energetic vacation and still have a spot to recover. I’d highly recommend you take a close look at The Garland for your next Hollywood stay.
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