Freehand Los Angeles

United States , Los Angeles - CA
Los Angeles, 416 W 8Th St
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100 reviews shown

8/10

Excellent

17 Jun 2026

Madiha

Ideal location, the rooms were clean and the other client in the hostel was also nice. The rooftop bar was great.

Self

2/10

Poor

17 Jun 2026

Morgan

DO NOT BOOK!!!! The rooms were NOT as pictured and were DIRTY. They also give you 1 old fleece blanket and a small pillow. The mattress had a GROSS stain on it. The room, the mattress, and the decor haven't been upgraded since the 80's/90's.

It's deceiving because when you walk into the lobby, you'll be welcomed with the modern and beautiful decor, but the upstairs hallways and rooms will NOT match what you see in the lobby/rooftop.

I was able to quickly receive a refund when I reached out to Expedia, but I was then stuck in LA trying to find a place to rest my head for the night.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jun 2026

Justin James

Had a nice experience with my stay

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

16 Jun 2026

Diane

PROS - Walkable to Crypto Arena, great food options, and Whole Foods/CVS next door. Staff was friendly, rooms were a solid size with a wardrobe and mini fridge. No complaints there.

CONS- SUPER LOUD! The street noise is relentless — cars, honking, and the occasional late-night screaming match from below at all hours. Light sleepers, choose a diff spot.

But the dealbreaker? A SURPRISE $65 FEE slapped on at check-in for a 2-night stay. Not mentioned during booking, not in the confirmation, just… there. Nothing says trust us like a hidden fee you discover with your credit card already out.

Great location, friendly faces, questionable billing practices. I WOULD NOT STAY HERE AGAIN.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jun 2026

Brenda

Great location. Great hotel. Coffee shop and restaurant and pool in hotel. Great vibe vintage.

Self

8/10

Excellent

14 Jun 2026

Ilima Adriana

I really liked the hotel. My daughter and I stayed when we attended the Ariana Grande concert. Everything was great, nice room, many walkable eateries, and a nice staff. Only complaints I have are that our window was facing the street and it was sooo loud all night long with people and cars. I couldn’t fall asleep until after 3am.

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

11 Jun 2026

Kaitlyn

Since my room faced the street, I was awoken by gunshots, loud music, and cars going over a pothole in the middle of the road.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jun 2026

sabrina

The hotel had a nice vibe, it was clean and all the employees were nice. The location was perfect for our needs

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jun 2026

Alberto

Friendly staff as always. When we got to the room after checking in, the room was clean, but some stuff from the previous occupant’s were still in the room. Just some drinks, some swag from a convention, nothing major. I called the front desk and they offered to switch rooms for us so we accepted and it was an amazing room upgrade! A great surprise since we were in town for my husband’s birthday. Staff was amazing and even with the little snaffoo from the first room, we will definitely stay here again. It’s become one of our favorites when we come to LA!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

09 Jun 2026

Carmen

Very well appointed hotel, beautiful lobby and rooftop bar and pool. Staff is excellent, very helpful. Our room was nice, but the window sills, blinds, and bedside table surfaces were very dusty. Even when they came and made the bed and refreshed towels, they never dusted any surfaces. Weird. Good location for downtown LA, still a major homeless problem. Expect to see a lot of rundown areas
There’s a Whole Foods next door, a Starbucks, and sweetgreen on the same street as well. We stayed 5 nights and used the valet for our car- in and out no problem, prompt service. The valet guys were great.
Also a unique store connected to the lobby selling tote bags, shirts, sweatshirts and the like with a cool movie and tv series quotes theme “These gays. They’re trying to kill me” I’d recommend!

Family

4/10

Poor

09 Jun 2026

Mehran

Great staffs but poor quality hotel

Self

8/10

Excellent

08 Jun 2026

Abdul Karim

Hotel outside bad smell and hotel room don’t have shampoo and teeth brushes.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jun 2026

Nichole

Front check-in staff friendly and helpful.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jun 2026

Koyana

Our stay at Freehand LA was wonderful. From our 2 minute checkin to the rooftop bar and pool (check out their happy hour!!), everything was amazing.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Jun 2026

Michelle

We had the private room with 6 beds. It seemed like it’d be fun for the kids but it was too high and unsafe for the younger kids. In general the hotel isn’t a great family option. There was a lot of noise and downtown yelling in the middle of the night.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

07 Jun 2026

Conrad

No blow dryers. It’s ok. We stayed two nights and asked to clean our room 1 of the days. They forgot. AC works well. No toiletries - it’s ok. I brought mine. Be sure to bring a blow dryer. Price is good for what you don’t get

6/10

Pleasant

06 Jun 2026

Joshuaine

Stayed for work - room was fine.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jun 2026

Jennifer

I stayed at the Freehand Hotel for one night during the week and had a fantastic experience. The hotel has a fun, stylish vibe and a great location in DLA. I spent some time at the rooftop pool, enjoyed drinks from the bar, and absolutely loved the mushroom tacos.

My room was on the smaller side, but it was cute, comfortable, and had an incredible view of the DTLA skyline. Everything felt clean, well-designed, and welcoming. Staff was friendly and helpful.

This has officially become my new favorite place to stay in Downtown LA. The only downside was the valet parking, which was $60 for the night. Other than that, I had a wonderful stay and can't wait to come back.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jun 2026

Nick

Stayed with kids. We all enjoyed it.

8/10

Excellent

04 Jun 2026

Zhenqiao

Good.

Self

2/10

Poor

03 Jun 2026

Clara

The room we stayed in was TINY. It had no tv, no chairs, no extra towels, no body wash, no clean blankets or pillows or a phone. Terrible. I don’t recommend staying here

Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2026

Carla

Our shower has the best water pressure of any hotel I’ve ever stayed in! The rooftop bar was a bonus and super cool spot to hangout at. The staff were friendly and accommodating. The Freehand hotels always have a super cool vibe and this location was no exception.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jun 2026

Roman

Great view, but VERY slow elevators

6/10

Pleasant

02 Jun 2026

Ethan

They charged an unexpected $34 fee just for appearing on premises. This fee was not advertised and not included in the hotels.com fee structure.

Friends_and_family Friends

6/10

Pleasant

31 May 2026

Nahia

The building is beautiful and remodeled with lots of interesting touches. However, this hotel is by no means family friendly. I was traveling with my 12 year old son. The lobby isn’t really a lobby but a neighboring restaurant that may or may not be open at advertised times. The pool is part of a rooftop bar that ‘allows’ hotel guests under 21 only from noon to 7. And it’s packed with non-guests there to party. If you’re looking for a no frills spot in a central (if noisy) part of downtown, this might be a good fit. If I had understood their business plan better, I would not have stayed here for a family trip.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

31 May 2026

Julio

Property was fine for a short stay. Lots of amenities on site but a bit noisy since it is right downtown LA. I had a bit of an issue upon arrival as was not provided with the room I reserved online through Expedia. Even though I showed the Front Desk Attendant my itinerary with room description, instead of honoring it, he said it was an error on Expedia's end and I should contact them to get a refund.

Self

4/10

Poor

31 May 2026

Briana

This property was booked specifically for the rooftop pool and views, which were meant to be the highlight of the trip. Unfortunately, the room was incredibly cramped, and the primary advertised amenity was completely inaccessible.
The pool deck was closed off for a loud private event that was completely inappropriate for a standard hotel guest environment. Staff on-site gave conflicting timelines about when the event would end, but the disruption lasted the entire evening. Because the pool has limited daytime hours, there was no opportunity to use it the following morning either.
The customer service recovery was nonexistent. Multiple staff members acknowledged the issue and promised a substantial refund and managerial follow-up. Instead, only a token credit was issued, and subsequent promises to investigate and return phone calls were completely ignored.
It is poor business to block access to a major advertised amenity without prior notice to paying guests, but the broken promises and total lack of professional follow-through are the main reasons this property is not recommended.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

29 May 2026

Sukunj

Awesome courtesy!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

29 May 2026

Teresa

Shared community spaces, rooms and bathrooms can take adjusting. Trash in bathroom can use more frequent emptying. Staff provided excellent customer service and were responsive to requests.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

27 May 2026

Sarita

I am the original author of the book titled The Tea Leaf Reader printed in early 2022 which has \"freehand\" word written in it from which freehand labelled wine bottles were made and then this freehand hostel.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

27 May 2026

Ashley

I had a great time, and the views were amazing.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2026

Elizabeth

Great stay!!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2026

Dean

Nice hotel. Love the rooftop pool and bar with food. Was disappointed they didn’t disclose resort fees when I booked.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

24 May 2026

Manyah

I liked that the entire room that I stayed in was clean. The sheets, pillows, carpet, bathroom; clean! The shower head in the bathroom was the most unique amenity in the suite, the water pressure was excellent it felt as is if I were bathing in a spa. I’ve never stayed at a hotel with a humongous shower head and superb water pressure!
The staff were professional, attentive, and helpful during the whole checking in, checking out, and bag storage accommodations during my stay! Thank you!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

24 May 2026

Jane

Clean room

10/10

Exceptional

24 May 2026

Mahindra

Great rooftop bar in atmosphere. Staff is friendly and poured drinks nice.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2026

Adrian

Excellant all around da place

Self

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2026

Rosa

We had an amazing time at Freehand, fabulous ambience throughout our stay. Roof top is awesome with a fun cocktail in your hand. Will definitely stay there again

10/10

Exceptional

21 May 2026

Laura

King studio was very large. Bed was comfy but practically on the floor. No coffee maker.
Good location. Very loud at night.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

21 May 2026

Erick

Rooftop is nice and staff as well. Dont forget to bring your own lock!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

20 May 2026

Constantin Ludwig Karl

Everything was clean. Staff answered my concerns and were able to handle my luggage while I spent some time exploring downtown before check-in. Cafe area was excellent for lounging in between. Overall a solid affordable spot in the downtown area.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

20 May 2026

Vontresa

Reserved a smaller room to accommodate 4 on a brief stay. Compact room, but it did have 4 lockers along with the 4 bunk beds for storage of belongings. Met our needs for the night. Rooftop bar and was nice with good happy hour food and drink deals! Would stay here again.

Family

2/10

Poor

20 May 2026

Lauren

This hotel is way overpriced for what it is. Room and overall hotel was dirty and dusty, very dated and window stared out to a wall. Area of town is not desirable for a solo female traveler. Food at restaurant was not good. Bar in lobby was never open and had cation tape around it one day. Would have canceled if sat wasn’t refundable. Property fee also tacked on—no idea why for. Stay elsewhere if you are a business person. This feels like a straight up hostel.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

20 May 2026

Myles

Very good staff

Self

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2026

Shelley

Forget what you expect, Freehold Exceeds expectations!

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2026

Adrian

Excellant bar ,staff and fiest

Self

4/10

Poor

18 May 2026

SHIRLEY

It was uniquely the second worst hotel I have ever stayed in

Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 May 2026

Hilal

Stayed there for 3 days by myself, everything was decent, comfortable bed, 2 bathrooms, nothing was stolen, worth every small penny I paid for. They also have a roof cafe with nice views that you may wanna check out

Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 May 2026

Phoebe

Nice staff, perfect location.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 May 2026

Nathaniel

Great place and great atmosphere.

6/10

Pleasant

17 May 2026

jack

Surprised to find out bedsheets were not included in the room. That was a first.

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

17 May 2026

Amina

This hotel has a lot of potential but unfortunately it falls flat due mainly to the service. My boyfriend and I stayed here for his graduation weekend and honestly the hotel caused what should have been a celebratory weekend into a very stressful one.

That afternoon we went down to the valet to get our car to head to the first graduation. It did take a bit to get the car but we ended up being 15-20 min late to USC than expected. Not too bad.

The next morning OMG this is when it got really bad. We woke up at 6am, got ready and went to breakfast right at 7am…no one was there to seat us. Eventually the chef sat us down. Anyways long story short we ended up not getting our food until 7:45am and had to scarf down our meal to get to USC on time again. The waiter gave us a free granola but other people were also in a rush and had gotten no food yet. I thought it was in poor taste to give us something while others were waiting.

We rush to valet, got there at 8:05am but there is no valet there. We ended up sending my BF in an uber. I didn’t get the car until 8:40am. The valet guy was doing car checks so we didn’t see him at the stand until 8:30am. Oh, by the way there was no one at the front desk, nor was anyone answering the phone during this time.

I complained and they offered was to remove the $30 resort fee, not the parking. After a long conversation magically they were able to remove the parking.

We got back that evening and they didn’t even clean the room.

No thanks!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 May 2026

Joe

A all perfect

10/10

Exceptional

16 May 2026

benjamin

The room was comfortable. Quiet property was really clean and really like the pool and rooftop area.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

15 May 2026

Daniel

Fun place to stay. Very clean

8/10

Excellent

15 May 2026

Elizabeth

No clear signs of breakfast menus for myself at least. The prices are high and a lot of food was left on the plates of others when they were gone. I think you should have like inexpensive coffee or beverages, or specials on the food. It is also a bit dark in there and a little dreary.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

15 May 2026

Adrian

Excellent

8/10

Excellent

14 May 2026

German

Clean and nice place. Stay here quite frequently and it’s very convenient if you need to be in downtown

10/10

Exceptional

11 May 2026

Serghio

Great location, great staff and great amenities. Centrally located with public transportation available.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

11 May 2026

Samuel William

Always very happy staying here.

Self

8/10

Excellent

10 May 2026

Angelo

I stayed for a week with my adult daughter. We both felt safe and comfortable at this hotel. The rooftop bar with pool and night time skyline was fantastic

Family

10/10

Exceptional

10 May 2026

Jeffrey

This place is great. Delaying splendor and the staff are always helpful

10/10

Exceptional

10 May 2026

Augusto

Great place to stay with pool and roof top bar

Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 May 2026

YONGLEI

Good location to get around attractions of LA via public transportation.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 May 2026

Alexandra

I have no complaints about my visit. I was pleased with the hospitality and was impressed by the rooftop bar and the pool.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2026

Sophia

I came here with my boyfriend for our first trip out of town and it was such a pleasure to say in such a fine establishment! I loved the rustic asthetic and the room was so comfortable! The bright colors made the room feel way more open than other places. THE BATHROOM WAS SO CUTE. I was very sad that we only got to spend one night here :(

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 May 2026

Liz

They need to replace the blankets.

10/10

Exceptional

07 May 2026

Austin

Everything

Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2026

valeria

Room was great, staff were really nice and the rooftop is really cool! Would definitely come back

Business

2/10

Poor

06 May 2026

Isidro

Absoloutely the worst hotel you

2/10

Poor

05 May 2026

Ashley

Bathroom flooded and ruined some of clothing I had sitting in a cloth bag on the bathroom floor I placed there the night beforehand to have ready to go.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2026

Elizabeth

Love staying here just wish they would update main lobby and pool cushions. So many people stay here the outlets in main lobby won’t hold your phone charger.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2026

Jose

Greet location... All around great place to stay...

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2026

Karen

Stayed here a night as we had tickets for a concert at the Orpheum theatre. I was most impressed by the staff and found the hotel to be a very good value.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2026

David

Shakti

8/10

Excellent

02 May 2026

Comex

It was looking fine

Self

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2026

Adrian

Excellent

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

02 May 2026

Rebecca

The staff was very unfriendly as we arrived and also not helpful. A coffee bar on the second and third floor is non existent. The coffee shop in the lobby was closed every morning cuz she had to step away. The rooftop bar staff is unfriendly and has the audacity to add a tip to the tap even though you get no service at the table and when you order your drinks right at the bar you get looked at with annoyance. The tables and floors were not cleaned off and sticky from spilled drinks.

Family

8/10

Excellent

02 May 2026

marc

Clean

8/10

Excellent

02 May 2026

marc

Clean room

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2026

Gisselle

The valet attendants will all work together to make sure they get your car in and out as fast as possible. They greeted us with a welcome and started our stay off great. The Photo Booth inside was a nice feature. The beds are low so you get a better view of the city and the bathroom has an old Hollywood feel in a good way. We are planning on returning

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 May 2026

Marty

Good location for me.

6/10

Pleasant

30 Apr 2026

Guan

The rooftop deck was the best part about the hotel. I am a female and stayed in a dorm with three other males. The bed creaked very loudly, the window doesn't really open, but you get what you pay for so I can't really complain. They don't do room service everyday you'd have to ask, they change the towels about every 3-4 days. The shampoo and body wash bottles, for some reason, are always gone or empty, so you should bring your own. Location is good though.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

29 Apr 2026

Pernille Thisted

Cons/
-overpriced when compared to other hotels (this when booking a suite, didn't try the bunk/dorm rooms).
-minimal amenities in suites, especially the two plastic cups provided (cheap motel), and the tiny fridge. No water, coffee, or any option for having even better plastic glasses in room for wine or drinks. Front desk unwilling to provide any glasses other than water from the gym.
- Only restaurant in building on a Sunday is the roof terrace which opens at noon (maybe the same for the other days). No coffee on roof terrace, only place to have food.
- no way to call lobby/front desk/ valet from room (a phone was in my suite but call buttons inactive.
Pros/
-the downstairs restaurant in the hotel is lovely and beautifully designed, as is the decor in the hotel (minimal 60/70's retro).
-Staff is overall nice and especially the late night staff (weekend valet and front desk. Shoutout to Tony ) were professional and accommodating as much as they could be with the limitations of hotel policy.

Overall, I wish there was more focus on small details of service and care. Small but elevated gestures from the hotel. Not happening atm. If it was 20 % cheaper it would fit the bill.

10/10

Exceptional

29 Apr 2026

BRENDA

Everything is going well

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

29 Apr 2026

Lessley

Clean room, restrooms, and friendly staff. Excellent first experience with shared rooms!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

29 Apr 2026

Natasha

Love the decor of the room we had a corner studio booked .Absolutely lovely . Only down side is the noise . Throughout the night the noise from the street is intense . All night cars and bikes doing doughnuts on the intersection of the hotel . Ironic not hot water kettle in private rooms . One needs to go to the basement to get hot water . Room is equipped with a mini fridge , iron / ironing board , safe deposit .

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

28 Apr 2026

Jeffrey

Our room was on the 10th floor. The view was great. The room was FREEZING! Despite turning up the temperature. The windows seem to be the original ones from the building bc, insulation? Who is she? Never met her. We could hear EVERY noise from the streets AND the rooftop. The bed was lumpy, and not very comfortable. The bathroom was tidy, and the shower?! I’d stay there again JUST for the shower. That water pressure felt like a massage on my skin. Staff was friendly and attentive. The bar downstairs wasn’t our vibe but it is beautiful. The bar upstairs lacks identity. The views are stunning though.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Apr 2026

Jeffrey

The property was clean, staff friendly, and we enjoyed our stay.

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

27 Apr 2026

Halima

had an incredibly disappointing experience at I this hotel. I arrived at 8:00 AM and was made to wait four hours until 12:00 PM to check into a shared 4-girl dorm( I totaly understandbecause I arrived early ) . When I finally received my key and entered the room, it was completely dirty and unmaintained. Even the bed was not clean .

When I brought this to the staff's attention, the response was completely illogical and

unprofessional. Instead of prioritizing a cleaning or offering an immediate solution, I was told to \"bring my stuff back down\" and sit in the lobby for another three hours until 3:00 PM.

It is unacceptable to expect a guest who has already waited half the day to vacate a room they have already checked into because the hotel failed to meet basic cleanliness standards. The lack of empathy and the \"solution\" provided were insulting. I would not recommend staying here if you value your time or expect a clean,

professional environmt .

Self

10/10

Exceptional

27 Apr 2026

Adrian

excellent

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

26 Apr 2026

Jacqueline

Rooftop was amazing 💗

Friends

8/10

Excellent

25 Apr 2026

abraham

Self

10/10

Exceptional

24 Apr 2026

marc

This place rocks has everything a visitor needs location a great staff and very clean. I totally recommend this place😁👍

10/10

Exceptional

24 Apr 2026

Adrian

Excellent

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

23 Apr 2026

Mehboob

Good hostel option in LA. Breakfast menu and staff are great.

Business_and_leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

23 Apr 2026

Mehboob

Good hostel option, affordable and comfortable.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2026

Andrewlee

Room phone didn’t work, upgraded my room to a corner suite. Only to be placed in a different room. Kitchen closes too soon

Self

6/10

Pleasant

23 Apr 2026

Laura

I stayed at the Freehand Los Angeles in December and found it to be a bit of a mixed bag. On the positive side, the price is very reasonable for the area. However, I didn't feel particularly safe in the surrounding neighborhood, and it felt quite far from the main attractions. It was also very noisy throughout the stay. If you are on a tight budget, it is a fair option, but it wasn't the most comfortable or convenient experience.

Family

8/10

Excellent

21 Apr 2026

Emily

This hotel is cute, but the area that it is in is extremely loud. Also, it’s on the border of Skid Row and the Fashion district. If you’re not familiar with LA, these parts can sometimes be a bit rough. The staff was never really available via phone from the room so we had to walk down to the lobby often when we needed things. Also, when you call the hotel, no one picks up. Keep in mind that this is an older building that has been renovated, so it has quirks.

Friends