Garden of Allah Hotel facts for kids

The Garden of Allah was a very famous hotel in West Hollywood, California. It was located on Sunset Boulevard, a well-known street. Many movie stars and writers stayed there.

The property started as a private home in 1913. An actress named Alla Nazimova bought it in 1919. She turned it into a hotel in 1926. It opened as the "Garden of Alla Hotel" in January 1927.

Later, new owners changed the name to "Garden of Allah Hotel." The hotel was popular for about 30 years. It was torn down in 1959 to build a bank. That bank building was also later demolished. Today, the site is an empty lot.

History of the Famous Hotel

From Private Home to Hotel

Hayvenhurst, a large home built in 1913. Actress Alla Nazimova later bought it and turned it into a hotel.

The land where the Garden of Allah Hotel stood was first a large estate. It was built in 1913 by a real estate developer named William H. Hay. He called his home "Hayvenhurst."

The house was quite grand for its time. It had twelve rooms and four bathrooms. The inside walls were hand-painted. There was even a garage for two cars, which was rare back then.

The Hays did not live there for long. They moved to a new house a few years later. "Hayvenhurst" was empty for some time after they left.

Alla Nazimova's Vision

Actress Alla Nazimova rented "Hayvenhurst" in 1918. She bought it in 1919. Nazimova playfully called her new home "The Garden of Alla." This name was a mix of her own name and a popular book called The Garden of Allah.

Nazimova faced money problems in the mid-1920s. To earn income, she built 25 small rental homes, called villas, around the main house. These villas became part of "The Garden of Alla Hotel." The hotel officially opened on January 9, 1927.

Being a hotel manager was not for Nazimova. She found it difficult and realized her business partners had caused her financial trouble. In 1928, she sold her share of the hotel. She then returned to acting on Broadway. By 1930, the hotel's name was changed to the "Garden of Allah Hotel."

Nazimova later returned to Hollywood. She rented one of the villas, Villa 24, and lived there until she passed away in 1945.

A Home for Stars

The Garden of Allah Hotel became a favorite spot for famous people. It offered a cozy, village-like setting. Celebrities could live there for short or long periods. It was a private place, away from fans and photographers. The hotel management respected their guests' privacy.

Many well-known figures from Hollywood and literature stayed at the hotel. Writer F. Scott Fitzgerald lived there for several months. His partner, Sheilah Graham, even wrote a book about the hotel.

Comedian Robert Benchley was a frequent guest. Stars like Greta Garbo, Ronald Reagan, and Humphrey Bogart also stayed there. Famous musicians such as Sergei Rachmaninoff and Igor Stravinsky were guests. Even singers like Frank Sinatra enjoyed the hotel.

The Hotel's End

By the late 1950s, the hotel's style was old-fashioned. The land it sat on became very valuable. People started talking about "redevelopment," which meant tearing down old buildings for new ones.

On April 11, 1959, a businessman named Bart Lytton bought the hotel. He planned to tear it down. He wanted to build a new main office for his bank, Lytton Savings and Loan, on the site.

A farewell party was held at the hotel on August 22, 1959. Many guests came, some dressed as old movie stars. A silent film by Alla Nazimova was shown by the pool. All the hotel's furniture and items were sold at an auction on August 30. The hotel was demolished in November 1959.

A new bank building was built on the site by 1960. This building was later replaced by a strip mall. In 2016, plans were approved for a new mixed-use building. The old bank building was torn down in April 2021. As of 2025, the site remains an empty lot.

A Miniature Memory

In 1960, a detailed miniature model of the Garden of Allah was made. It showed the hotel complex exactly as it was. For many years, this model was displayed outside the new bank building. It was protected in a special dome. The model later disappeared but was found again in the early 2010s. It was fixed up and its tiny lights worked again.

Why the Name "Garden of Allah"?

The hotel's name was not about Islam. It came from actress Alla Nazimova's first name. It also referred to a popular 1905 novel called The Garden of Allah. This book was written by a British author named Robert S. Hichens.

The novel was turned into a play and three movies. One of the movies starred Marlene Dietrich, who also stayed at the hotel.

Famous People Who Stayed Here

Many famous people enjoyed staying at the Garden of Allah Hotel. Here is a list of some of them: