Los Angeles' 5 Absolute Best Affordable Hotels On The Beach

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In Los Angeles, nothing says "I've arrived" quite like tucking your toes in the sand and marveling at the sparkling Pacific Ocean. While you might think this world-class metropolis — blessed with 75 miles of golden coastline across Los Angeles County — would be packed with seaside hotel options, that isn't exactly the case. Renowned beach destinations like Venice and Santa Monica are home to a smattering of beachfront stays, while the exclusive, celebrity-filled enclave of Malibu barely has a handful. 

Inevitably, this lack of competition means that Los Angeles' beachside properties can put a serious dent in your wallet. That's why we gussied up this list of Los Angeles' five absolute best affordable beach hotels. In coveted coastal areas like Santa Monica, Malibu, and Marina del Rey, you can easily spend $600 to well over $1,000 per night on a beachfront stay, so we challenged ourselves to find great options for roughly half that price. You can check into four beach hotels on this list for less than $300 per night. There's one outlier that costs more, but it's still the most affordable hotel in the same prime location.

In addition to sourcing hotels that give guests the biggest bang for their buck, we looked for stays with appealing perks and amenities, charming coastal design, plenty to see and do nearby, and a reputation for good, sunny vibes. 

For an affordable beachside stay in one of Los Angeles' coolest neighborhoods, Venice on the Beach Hotel remains a strong value pick. The property, which has a 4.3 rating on Google, is perched along a quiet stretch of Ocean Front Walk at the southern end of Venice Beach, making it ideal for a relaxed getaway in this eclectic enclave. Its walkable location is an unbeatable perk. The iconic Venice Beach Boardwalk is just a short jaunt away, as are the chic shops and eateries along Abbott Kinney Boulevard. When you're feeling peckish, yummy neighborhood institutions are around the corner on Washington Avenue. Hinano Cafe serves burgers and beer; The Venice Whaler does a great Sunset Happy Hour, and Baja Cantina, just over the border in Marina del Rey, is perfect for feasting on Mexican food and margaritas. Seven minutes away are the colorful homes glittering along the Venice Canals, one of the city's most picturesque nooks.

Rooms at Venice on the Beach Hotel are bright, tasteful, stocked with beach towels, and have lovely ocean views. At the time of this writing, the Deluxe Standard Room for two with a queen bed, hardwood floors, and a flat-screen TV is priced at $220.15 per night. A family-friendly option is the One-Bedroom Suite, which accommodates up to 4 guests and features a private patio and a fully equipped kitchen, priced at $296.65 per night.

Common spaces throughout the hotel invite guests to bask in the sea breeze. There's a rooftop deck with sweeping views and a beachfront fire pit with lounge seating. "Perfect location right on the beach. The price is very reasonable, especially considering how close you are to everything," gushed a five-star Google review. "This is my second stay here, and it definitely won't be my last when I'm in the LA area. I really enjoy this place — everything is consistently great."

Santa Monica is home to one of the most iconic beaches in the world. A cornerstone of West Coast surf culture, the shoreline has starred in endless movies and TV shows, including "Barbie" and the long-running TV series "Baywatch." For a beachy stay less than a 15-minute walk from the landmark Santa Monica Pier, which teems with carnival rides, games, and eats, check into Bayside Hotel, a breezy, budget-friendly escape with comfy rooms, chilled-out vibes, and a solid 4.2 rating on Google.

Bayside Hotel is right across the street from the beach, separated only by a sliver of Ocean Avenue and the small Crescent Bay Park. In all, it's only a 5-minute walk to reach the golden sprawl of Santa Monica State Beach, where you'll be sunning on the same golden sand you'd be shelling out a hefty premium for at the neighboring beachfront hotels like Shutters on the Beach and Hotel Casa del Mar. "This hotel has an outstanding location, especially given how expensive other hotels with similar views cost in Santa Monica," wrote a former hotel guest on Tripadvisor. "It is one block up from the beach, which you can see from some of the rooms."

Each of the hotel's 45 non-smoking rooms features air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and a flat-screen television. The cheapest room is the ADA-compliant, Courtyard View Accessible Queen Room, which starts at $188.10 per night as of this writing. Ocean view rooms are just a tad more expensive, with the Ocean View Queen starting at $215.10. If you're really looking to make yourself at home, book the Ocean View Room with King Bed and Kitchen. It's decked out with a stove, sink, and fridge, and features a private ocean-view patio or balcony, starting at $260.10 per night. 

Upscale, laid-back Marina del Rey is known for its boat-filled harbor, excellent restaurants, and the colorful, coastal dining waterfront of Fisherman's Village, making it an ideal place to stay for families and sophisticated travelers. The neighborhood is brimming with things to see and do, from catching concerts at Burton Chace Park by the water to exploring the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve, to sightseeing on the Water Bus, and cycling along the scenic Marvin Braude Coastal Bike Trail. 

With a 4.3 rating on Google, Jamaica Bay Inn, located just half a mile from the Venice Boardwalk, is a budget-friendly hotel in this seaside neighborhood. Guests enjoy several perks and amenities, including a waterside restaurant, sleek bar, heated pool, and pet-friendly rooms. The hotel is nestled on crescent-shaped Mother's Beach, which is dotted with volleyball nets and picnic areas, and has long been a favorite of families who enjoy its calm, shallow waters.

At the time of this writing, rooms on the hotel's website start at $243 per night, though lower prices can be found at third-party booking sites. On Booking.com, for instance, a Queen Room with Two Queen Beds is available for $229 per night. However you choose to book, these rates are a bargain compared to rooms without direct beach access at the Marina del Rey Marriott across the street, where rooms start north of $350. One Google reviewer affirmed Jamaica Bay Inn's stellar location and price: "The restaurant downstairs is great, and the fact that I can walk 2 minutes from my room and have my feet in the sand is a perk you won't find many other places for the price."

Spanning 21 miles of pristine California coastline, gorgeous Malibu is every bit as famous as its exhaustive list of celebrity residents. Whether you're vying for the chance to spot major stars like Lady Gaga, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Reese Witherspoon, or craving unfettered peace on the shores of the Pacific, The Surfrider Malibu is the perfect place to live the dream — affordably. Compared to the nearby Malibu Beach Inn, where rooms in wintry February start at $727, and Nobu Ryokan Malibu, a luxury retreat where rates start at a staggering $2000 per night (with a two-night minimum), The Surfrider Malibu is an absolute steal. At the time of this writing, weekday rates at this beachside getaway with a top-tier, 4.5 rating on Google start at $399.

A seaside sanctuary installed inside an impeccably renovated 1950s motel, The Surfrider Malibu sits above the iconic Surfrider Beach, named the world's first Surfing Reserve in 2010, and a legendary spot for SoCal surf culture since the 1950s. Several of the hotel's 20 earth-toned rooms wow with ocean views, private terraces, and spa-like rain showers. For the most affordable stay, reserve the cute-and-cozy "Surfer's hideout on the ground floor," available at a prepaid rate of $339.15 versus the standard rate of $399.

Mixology and locally sourced plates are the order of the day at the Roof Deck Bar & Restaurant, where guests admire dazzling views of the Pacific Ocean. As is befitting a hotel located in one of California's best surfing spots, Surfrider provides guests with complimentary surfboards designed by world surfing champion Mick Fanning, along with stand-up paddle boards, chairs, umbrellas, and custom Moroccan beach towels. "This place was really just so relaxing and easy to love," raved a five-star Google review.

Vibrant Hermosa Beach's golden coastline is famously teeming with beach bodies, volleyball nets, and world-class surfing. You'll catch sunny locals here strolling, cycling, and rollerblading along The Strand, a paved, two-mile pathway that connects this laid-back beach town to Manhattan Beach in the north and Redondo Beach in the south. Tempting restaurants, gastropubs, and buzzy bars are clustered around bustling Pier Plaza, located just a stone's throw from the Hermosa Beach Pier, one of the best places in Los Angeles to catch a spectacular sunset.

Perched on The Strand, just two blocks from all the action, lies the affordable, oceanfront Sea Sprite Beach Club, which enjoys a 4.3 Google rating. The city's first hotel, the stylish Sea Sprite was fully renovated in 2025 and now features 34 refreshed guest rooms. This pet-friendly establishment offers guests thoughtful perks, including complimentary bicycles, free high-speed internet, beach towels, and yoga mats. Patrons and locals alike dine at the beachfront Surfer Girl, the hotel's on-site restaurant serving all-day eats.

At the time of this writing, the hotel website listed the 170-square-foot Studio Queen room at $299, a special weekday rate for this non-ocean-view room. If your budget is more flexible and you're jonesing for sea views, the Signature Partial Ocean View with Balcony starts at $317.10. If money is no object, the Oceanfront King Suite boasts two Juliet balconies, ocean views, and an ample seating area starting at $434 per night. This isn't the cheapest option, but the hotel offers several specials, including military and AAA discounts, weekday specials, extended-stay discounts, and book early and save plans, which can help bring swankier rooms within your budget. "Really beautiful hotel, location, service, decor, etc!" shared a happy guest on Google. "I stayed here for four weekday nights and had a lovely experience overall."

In compiling this list of Los Angeles' five absolute best affordable beach hotels, we consulted several sources. We first identified our hotel options in Google Maps, focusing on hotels near the city's most popular beaches. Next, we cross-referenced our selections with online reviews on popular forums and review websites, including Reddit, Tripadvisor, and Google. We specifically looked for hotel reviews from guests that mentioned the key features of affordability, value for money, beach location accolades, and other to-dos near the hotel that made the destination vacation-worthy.

Once we had firm hotel selections, we compared pricing and affordability by searching hotel websites and checking deals on various online travel aggregators, including Tripadvisor, Kayak, and Booking.com. Finally, we strived to keep our selections under $300 where possible. When this wasn't possible, particularly in the case of Malibu, we made sure to select the lowest-priced beach hotel that offered great value for money.