You’ve seen the movies where the rock star tosses a TV out a window and everyone cheers. It feels like a cliché now, right? But here’s the thing: it actually happened. Most of those stories—the motorcycles in the hallways, the "Golden God" shouting, the literal anarchy—can be traced back to one specific building on the Sunset Strip. It was officially called the Continental Hyatt House Los Angeles, but to anyone who was there in the '70s, it was simply the "Riot House."
Honestly, it’s hard to imagine it now. Today, if you walk into 8401 Sunset Boulevard, you’re in the Andaz West Hollywood. It’s sleek. It’s got floor-to-ceiling windows and a very chic rooftop pool. But underneath that high-end Hyatt polish is a history so chaotic that the hotel basically had to reinvent the entire concept of security just to survive the 1970s.
Why the Continental Hyatt House Los Angeles Became Ground Zero for Rock and Roll
It wasn't always a den of iniquity. When it first opened in 1963, it was actually owned by Gene Autry—the "Singing Cowboy." It was the first high-rise on the Strip. Back then, it was just a nice place for tourists to stay. But by the time Hyatt took over in 1966 and renamed it the Continental Hyatt House Los Angeles, the neighborhood had changed.
The Sunset Strip had become the heartbeat of the music world.
The Hyatt was uniquely positioned. It was literally minutes away from dozens of record labels. If you were a band like Led Zeppelin, The Who, or The Rolling Stones, you didn't just stay there because it was convenient. You stayed there because management was... let's say, "flexible."
They knew the rock stars were coming. They also knew the rock stars were going to break things. Instead of banning the bands, the Hyatt just started charging massive damage deposits up front. We’re talking $50,000 deposits in 1970s money. If you trashed the room, they just kept the cash and repainted the walls for the next group.
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The Keiths and the TV Toss
You can’t talk about the Continental Hyatt House Los Angeles without talking about the "Two Keiths."
Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and Keith Moon of The Who were essentially the patron saints of this hotel. In 1972, Keith Richards was staying in Room 1015. For reasons that probably made sense at 3:00 a.m. after a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, he decided the television looked better on the pavement than on the dresser. He dropped it out the window.
There’s actually footage of this. It wasn’t a fit of rage; it was almost like a scientific experiment in gravity.
Not to be outdone, Keith Moon supposedly did the same. Moon was a different breed of chaos, though. He was known for blowing up toilets with cherry bombs. At the Riot House, he was such a regular that the staff basically expected a renovation project every time he checked in.
Led Zeppelin Owned the Place (Literally)
Led Zeppelin didn't just stay at the Continental Hyatt House Los Angeles; they occupied it. During their mid-70s tours, they would rent out as many as six entire floors. This gave them a private playground where the normal rules of society didn't apply.
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- John Bonham: The legendary drummer once drove a Harley Davidson through the hallways of the 11th floor. Imagine trying to sleep and hearing a 1200cc engine roaring past your door at 2:00 a.m.
- Robert Plant: This is where the "Golden God" myth was born. In 1975, Plant stood on one of the balconies overlooking Sunset Blvd and allegedly shouted, "I am a Golden God!" Cameron Crowe, who was a teenage journalist for Rolling Stone at the time, saw it all and later put it in his movie Almost Famous.
- The Groupies: The lobby was perpetually filled with "Rainbow Girls" and famous groupies like Sable Starr. It was a 24-hour circus.
Jim Morrison and the Balcony Stunt
Before the hotel was the ultimate playground for British rockers, Jim Morrison lived there. Jim being Jim, he didn't just use the door. He was known for hanging off the balconies by his fingertips, ten stories above the pavement, just to see if he could.
Management eventually had to move him to a room at the back of the building because he was causing too much of a scene on the Sunset side. He was reportedly eventually evicted because, well, even the Continental Hyatt House Los Angeles had its limits when it came to guests dangling over the edge of a skyscraper.
The Long-Term Residents: Little Richard
While most stars cycled in and out, Little Richard actually lived at the hotel for nearly twenty years throughout the '80s and '90s. He stayed in Room 319 (now called the Tutti Frutti Suite).
He was a fixture of the hotel's culture. You might see him playing the piano in the lobby or ordering his specific vegetarian meals in the restaurant. By the time he was a resident, the hotel had gone through another name change—becoming the Hyatt on Sunset—but the ghost of the Riot House remained.
What Most People Get Wrong About the History
A lot of people think the hotel was a dump because of the "Riot House" nickname. That’s a total misconception. In its heyday, the Continental Hyatt House Los Angeles was luxury. It had a rooftop pool that was—and still is—the highest in the city.
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The "riot" part wasn't about the quality of the building; it was about the culture of indulgence. The hotel staff were actually some of the most professional in the business because they had to handle egos the size of stadium tours while keeping the peace with the "normal" guests (like the Japanese businessmen who reportedly used to sit in the lobby and just watch the rock stars in total confusion).
The Modern Transformation
If you visit the Andaz West Hollywood today, you'll see how they've leaned into the legend.
- The Balconies: They’re gone. After decades of things being thrown off them—and people hanging from them—Hyatt enclosed them in glass during the 2008 renovation. They are now "sunrooms."
- The TVs: They are bolted to the walls. Seriously. You can't throw them out even if you wanted to.
- The Riot House Restaurant: The hotel's main eatery is literally named "Riot House" as a nod to the past.
Actionable Tips for Visiting the Legend Today
If you want to experience the history of the Continental Hyatt House Los Angeles without getting arrested, here is what you should actually do:
- Book the Robert Plant Suite: If you have the budget, stay in the actual room (905) where the "Golden God" moment happened. It’s been renovated with rock memorabilia.
- Check the Hallway Art: The hotel has a rotating collection of rock photography. A lot of the photos were actually taken inside the hotel during the '70s.
- Hit the Rooftop at Sunset: Even without the motorcycles, the view from the pool deck is the best in West Hollywood. You can see all the way to the Pacific on a clear day.
- Visit the "Tutti Frutti" Room: Little Richard's old room (319) is also available for stays and features tributes to his time there.
The era of the Continental Hyatt House Los Angeles ended when the music industry grew up and got corporate. You won't find Axl Rose throwing steaks at firefighters from the balcony anymore (yes, he did that in the '80s). But if you stand on the roof and look down at the Strip, you can still feel the vibration of those old Harley engines.
To truly understand the history, look into the 1973 TIME Magazine archives regarding the hotel's "Woodstock ambience." It captures a moment in time when a hotel wasn't just a place to sleep, but a stage for the greatest show on earth. Keep your eyes on the Sunset Strip—it’s the only way to see where the music actually lived.---