The Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles has a long-standing reputation for debauchery and scandal. Over the years, it has been the site of wild parties, scandalous affairs, and even fatal overdoses. Notable figures like Harry Cohn, founder of Columbia Pictures, rented suites at the hotel for stars to have affairs discreetly. Icons like Jean Harlow and Grace Kelly indulged in affairs at the hotel, and rock stars like Kate Moss and Johnny Depp reportedly engaged in romps in each of the hotel’s 63 rooms.
In more recent times, celebrities like Lindsay Lohan have made headlines for their antics at the hotel, including refusing to pay a hefty room service bill. Irish actor Richard Harris was banned from the venue after causing a disturbance in the ’60s. Legendary actor Dennis Hopper was known for his wild lifestyle and allegedly participated in a 50-person orgy at the hotel.
Keanu Reeves, who lived at the Chateau Marmont during the ’90s, confirmed the hotel’s debauched legacy in an interview. He described it as a place where one could have conversations, trysts, engage in drug use, and more without judgment. The hotel has also seen its fair share of rock stars, with Led Zeppelin and Billy Idol engaging in raucous behavior on the premises.
Britney Spears was temporarily banned from the hotel in 2007 after smearing gourmet food on herself during a meal. The hotel has been tolerant of wild behavior over the years but has faced incidents like the tragic overdose of John Belushi in 1982. Belushi’s death was a result of a fatal drug overdose, and he was discovered in his hotel suite by his bodyguard.
Another unfortunate incident at the Chateau Marmont was the death of fashion photographer Helmut Newton, who suffered a fatal heart attack while driving out of the hotel’s garage in 2004. These incidents highlight the dark side of the notorious celebrity hotel and its long history of scandal and tragedy.