In my quest to uncover the best hotel options in Los Angeles, I delved deep into online resources, perusing Yelp and Travelocity, and scouring the Stay on Main hostel’s website.
As a travel writer, my commitment lies in discovering quality experiences, and I felt confident I had done my homework. The trip had its eccentricities, but overall, I had little to complain about.
After all, for the rock-bottom rate of $60 per night during the NATPE conference in Downtown LA, my expectations were appropriately modest.
If you’re feeling adventurous enough to book a night at Stay on Main, Agoda is your best bet.
LA’s Darkest Hotel: Stay on Main
Six months later, I stumbled upon a chilling article detailing a mysterious death at the Cecil Hotel, where a 21-year-old tourist was found lifeless in a water tank, prompting complaints from guests about foul-tasting water and low pressure. Yes, you read that correctly: her body had tainted the water supply.
A quick clarification: Stay on Main is indeed the same establishment as the Cecil Hotel. During daylight hours, the two have distinct front desks, but after 7 p.m., all guests at Stay on Main are funneled through the front desk staff of the Cecil, as both share the same building.
Access to rooms at Stay on Main is only possible through the Cecil’s pathways, including its stairwells and elevators. To put it simply, Stay on Main is the Cecil Hotel repackaged, adorned in modern, Scandinavian decor.
The Cecil is infamously dubbed LA’s Murder Hotel, a site that attracted suicides mid-20th century and hosted serial killers (including Richard Ramirez, at just $14 a night). The unsettling saga of Elisa Lam continues to haunt the premises; her bizarre behavior captured on surveillance footage before her disappearance in February 2013 adds yet another layer to its grim legacy.
*WARNING: Disturbing Content*
I won’t dive into my theories about what transpired, as my primary aim is to share my own experience at this hotel—completely oblivious during my stay that Stay on Main and the Cecil were one and the same. As a tourist, I had no idea I was entering a location with such a sinister reputation, nor did I find any online disclosures linking Stay on Main to the Elisa Lam tragedy that had occurred merely three months prior to my visit. To add to the eeriness, one of the elevators was out of order for all five days I was there.
Stay on Main and The Cecil Hotel are One and the Same
Let me reiterate: Stay on Main is simply the Cecil Hotel dressed up in cheerful blue flowers and orange polka dots. The former boasts a Yelp and TripAdvisor rating of 3.6 to 4.5 stars, while the Cecil lags behind with a rating of 2 to 2.6, accompanied by a parade of conspiracy theorists in hot pursuit.
During my stay, I had no clue that I was in the Cecil, a fact that did not sit well with me, particularly when I had to explain to the airport shuttle driver at 10:30 p.m. that I was, indeed, checking into the Cecil Hotel.
So what is the purpose of Stay on Main? Is it an artful facade for hipster tourists, or perhaps a clever marketing ploy to disguise the hotel’s unsettling history?
In conclusion, when researching accommodations in an unfamiliar city, perhaps it is prudent to consider the words ‘murders’ and ‘bloated carcass’ in your search queries. Your very well-being may depend on it.
Noted.
Want to Dive Deeper Into the History of the Cecil Hotel?
Check out the Netflix documentary, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. It chronicles the chilling story of Elisa Lam and delves into the hotel’s history, highlighting the many tragic events that have unfolded there over the decades.
Looking for Accommodation Near the Cecil Hotel?
If you’re intrigued by the Cecil Hotel or Stay on Main but prefer not to stay there, here are a few nearby hotel options in downtown Los Angeles:
