Overview
The Alta Cienega Motel
Tucked into the hills of Hollywood, the seemingly ordinary Alta Cienega Motel resides. Built in 1948, the building itself is quite unimpressive, seeming like any other old motel. It doesn’t even have a pool. However, the motel has a history involving the famous Jim Morrison, lead singer of the psychedelic rock band, The Doors.
Room 32 – Jim Morrison’s Favorite Room
Image Courtesy of TripAdvisor
Between 1968 and 1970, Jim Morrison lived in room 32 after being evicted from his former residence for hanging from a balcony by his hands. At the time, Morrison struggled with alcoholism, which eventually led to his death in 1971. Since then, his favorite room at the Alta Cienega has been visited by fans all over the world.
The room is very unique compared to the rest of the hotel, which is pretty simple. The walls and ceiling of room 32 are covered in graffiti from fans, along with some pictures of Morrison. Even the bathroom, furniture, and T.V. are inscribed with drawings, The Doors’ lyrics, and messages from loving fans who wish to memorialize the room. It’s quite an impressive sight, especially compared to the rest of the motel, which is quite bland. It’s worth checking out, although we advise not bringing young children to visit, unless you want to have to explain the numerous male genitalia drawings throughout the room. It’s your funeral.
Unfortunately, it appears that the motel has been closed since 2021. We hope the motel will open back up in the future, but who knows?
The Ghost of Jim Morrison
Rumor has it that since his death, Morrison’s ghost still lingers in room 32. Since the motel shut down, we wonder if Morrison’s spirit will go somewhere else or stay in his favorite room. Only time will tell.
