For those wanting to walk in the steps of Hollywood luminaries like Clark Gable and Judy Garland, the landmark Culver Hotel offers the chance. Located in Culver City and just steps away from what was the legendary MGM studio, the red brick “skyscraper” has appeared dozens of films and home to countless moments in film history. Most notoriously, the Munchkins trashed the place during the filming of the Wizard of Oz. (This hilarious episode inspired a campy but not quite so hilarious movie.) Beyond that, a half dozen other movie stars once lived here, John Wayne once owned the place and plenty of guests have seen and heard ghosts. No word on whether they are the ghosts of anyone famous.
The Culver Hotel hit hard times as Hollywood’s golden age waned. Thankfully it was restored to its former splendor in the 1990s and was then placed on The National Register of Historic Places. The brightly lit, Deco lobby doesn’t just hint at the hotel’s history, it makes you feel part of it. The rooms themselves are clean and comfortable, although the place has again been a bit worn around the edges. It is, however, undergoing renovations in 2007.
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