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A night at the infamous Chateau Marmont, which rises above the Sunset Strip like a leviathan of gothic glamour, is part of the quintessential Hollywood experience. Actors, musicians, writers and the affluent elite have all been known to hole up in this legendary paparazzi-free zone in order to revel in romantic rebellion. Indeed, many guests even became habitués in order to blaze a trail with reckless abandon seven days a week.

The tales from the Chateau have become so legendary that anyone with even a passing interest in rock'n'roll – or any facet of the entertainment industry for that matter – will have heard a Hollywood story related to Chateau Marmont. If you think you haven't, maybe this by no means comprehensive list will jog your memory. James Dean hopped through a window to audition for Rebel Without a Cause; Judy Garland sang by the grand piano in the lobby; Canyon cowboy Gram Parsons lived here for a short time; Blues Brother John Belushi overdosed in bungalow number three; Led Zeppelin drove their Harley Davidsons into the hotel lobby; The Doors' Jim Morrison dangled precariously from his window; esteemed record producer Rick Rubin lived here for nine months in the 1990s after relocating from New York; John Frusciante, guitarist with Red Hot Chili Peppers, took up residence here in 1996, only to descend into a drugs hell that nearly claimed his life; Anthony Kiedis, also of Chili Peppers, recorded his vocals for By the Way in his room at the hotel; Ville Valo of Finnish rock band HIM, recorded his vocals for the track Song Or Suicide here; Lindsay Lohan checked in following her arrest for drink driving in 2007; Lily Allen wrote the song Fuck You while at the hotel; Heath Ledger partied here the week before he died … Deep breath.

As Harry Cohn, founder of Columbia Pictures, once said: "If you must get in trouble, do it at Chateau Marmont." However, it should be noted that Frusciante was kicked out of the hotel when the extent of his drug-induced atrophy was revealed by a journalist from the New Times LA.

But what of the actual hotel? Well, despite being steeped in rock'n'roll notoriety, it can actually offer much tranquillity. Modelled on a chateau in France's Loire Valley, the Marmont is at once luxe and unique. The pool area, which is accessed via a locked gate and hidden from The Strip behind lush vegetation, is serene and could certainly help you gain relative repose after a night of debauchery down on said Strip. The sumptuous lobby lounge is equally relaxing and, as the sun sets, casting long shadows across the dining patio, it's easy to just sink into a plush chair, savour the ambience and be seduced by the raffish glamour. That said, the Bar Marmont is a great place to do some celeb-spotting after you've sampled the Chateau's gastronomic delights.

Aside from the 63 rooms, the hotel also boasts garden cottages, hillside and poolside bungalows, and penthouses, all of which offer their guests total anonymity. So, tempting as it might be to run up to Val Kilmer and ask for an autograph, it is highly recommended that you don't. I'm speaking from experience here – sorry to have disturbed you, Scarlett.

Anyway, instead of ogling other celebrities for your entire stay, why not give in to your own inner rock star and make use of the 24-hour room service and in-room massage service. If you really want to go Hollywood A-List, stay in room 64, the two-bedroom penthouse (used by Howard Hughes so he could spy on starlets down at the pool). It has a marble hallway and an enormous wrap-around terrace overlooking the Strip. It just happens to be Bono's favourite room, too.
Doubles from $415 plus tax, +1 323 656 1010, chateaumarmont.com

Rock & Roll Hotels (Punk Publishing, £10.95, is available from 4 October (rocknrollhotels.co.uk). For more about the author see facebook.com/RocknRollHotels

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