AHS Hotel Cortez

American Horror Story: Hotel features the Hotel Cortez, located in Los Angeles, California. In real life, it is the James Oviatt building located at 617 South Olive Street. I find not only the location itself to be incredibly fascinating but the whole story and inspiration of the season. It is inspired by real events that have occurred in hotels, specifically the Cecil, located at 636 South Main Street- not too far away.

The Cecil is where the mysterious death of tourist Elisa Lam happened after she had been missing for three weeks and found in one of the four rooftop tanks only because guests had been complaining about the drop in water pressure. The mystery drew the attention of American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy and so came the idea for Hotel Cortez.

The first owner and architect of the fictional hotel was James March, a serial killer who created the building in order to hide the bodies of his victims on the lower levels. After he committed suicide, Elizabeth March, or "The Countess," took over through 2015 when she then sold it to fashion designer Will Drake. The season slowly unwraps horror stories of mysterious murders, similar to what likely happened to Elisa Lam.

Though the giant "Hotel Cortez" sign was not plastered down the side of the building in real life, I knew that the Oviatt building was it when I arrived.

The ripples under the windows are what made it so recognizable for me.

Between the countless locations that I visited on my road trip, the American Horror Story ones were some of my favorites. The creativity that is put into each of the locations blows my mind.

Don't forget to read about season one's Murder House and season three's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies, as well!

Sources:

http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/spending-a-night-at-the-cecil-hotel-where-serial-killers-and-eerie-deaths-abound/

http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/scene-it-before-hotel-cortez-from-american-horror-story-hotel/

http://americanhorrorstory.wikia.com/wiki/Hotel_Cortez