Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Small statues of Buddha line the path to the top of the mountain.
Mitaki-dera
A view of the Sandiaoling bike tunnel.
Sandiaoling Bike Tunnel
The old ticket house at League Park now houses the Baseball Heritage Museum.
League Park
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Passersby stop to admire the punny offerings of Brooklyn’s only dinosaur bodega.
We Visited the Dino Bodega in (Jurassic) Park Slope
2 days ago
Native Americans have a longstanding, rich, and vibrant culture in Wyoming.
Wyoming’s Sacred Landscapes: A Journey Through Native American History
2 days ago
This strawberry cucumber sorbet tastes like early summer in a scoop.
Salt & Straw Wants You to Create Your Own Ice Cream Flavors
3 days ago
Catch a glimpse of some of the many wildflowers Crested Butte is known for.
Rodeos, Star Parties, and Festivals: Your Guide to Colorado’s Magical Summer Events
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Los Angeles Waldorf Hotel Apartments

Waldorf Hotel Apartments

Apartment building was once posh playground to the Hollywood elite.

Los Angeles, California

Added By
Rachel James
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The once decadent Waldorf, reduced to apartments for beach bums   http://www.flickr.com/photos/normaleigh/77...
The once decadent Waldorf, reduced to apartments for beach bums   http://www.flickr.com/photos/normaleigh/77...
For rent   http://www.flickr.com/photos/normaleigh/77...
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Opening in the spring of 1915, the Waldorf Hotel was a luxurious landing spot for those wishing to spend some days and nights frolicking in the debauchery and decadence that was Venice Beach. With 50 rooms and penthouse apartments, the hotel entertained the rich and famous in a ballroom equipped with a six piece band playing under ornate chandeliers, and inviting dance floors gleamed.

With the very swanky modern amenities of gas lighting and a central telephone system, the Waldorf was mighty comfy for the era, and was called home by celebrities like Charlie Chaplin and Clara Bow, who held penthouses for years to insure that the party never stopped.

While the party has stopped, and the hotel has been divied up into apartments, the structure remains a historical focal point of old town Venice Beach.

Related Tags

Places To Stay

Community Contributors

Added By

Rachel

Edited By

Anders

  • Anders

Published

July 25, 2011

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Waldorf Hotel Apartments
1217 Ocean Front Walk
Los Angeles, California, 90291
United States
33.988606, -118.474837
Get Directions

Nearby Places

El Bordello Alexandra Apartments

Los Angeles, California

miles away

Touch of Venice Mural

Los Angeles, California

miles away

Declaration Sculpture

Los Angeles, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Los Angeles

Los Angeles

California

Places 237
Stories 60

Nearby Places

El Bordello Alexandra Apartments

Los Angeles, California

miles away

Touch of Venice Mural

Los Angeles, California

miles away

Declaration Sculpture

Los Angeles, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Los Angeles

Los Angeles

California

Places 237
Stories 60

Related Stories and Lists

19 Unusual Hotels in California

List

By Kavya Ram Mohan

Related Places

  • Annapolis, Maryland

    Governor Calvert House’s Hypocaust

    A rare 18th-century heating system tucked inside a historic colonial home.

  • Keetmanshoop, Namibia

    Canyon Farm Yard

    A family-run camping spot in the Namibian desert.

  • Porphyry Point Lighthouse at the entrance to Black Bay, Lake Superior

    Thunder Bay, Ontario

    Porphyry Point Lighthouse

    Live your lighthouse keeper dreams at this unique lodging on a Canadian island.

  • The pool of the Trixie Motel.

    Palm Springs, California

    Trixie Motel

    This bright and bubbly Palm Springs hotel was the brainchild of an iconic drag queen.

  • Quaint, cosy, and possibly haunted.

    Colnbrook, England

    The Ostrich Inn

    One of England’s oldest and most haunted inns may have inspired the legend of Sweeney Todd.

  • Ilidža, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Hotel Austria & Bosna

    In 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand spent his final night alive at this luxurious hotel.

  • Belleair, Florida’s historic Belleview Inn dates back to 1897.

    Belleair, Florida

    Belleview Inn

    This historic hotel has hosted the likes of Babe Ruth, Jimmy Carter, and the Vanderbilts.

  • Inside the dining room at Libušín

    Pustevny, Czechia

    Libušín a Maměnka

    A folk-art cottage and hotel straight from a Slavic fairy tale.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.