The lobby of [Shutters on the Beach](https://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/), a luxury oceanfront hotel in Santa Monica typically bustling with tourists and entertainment professionals, had transformed by Thursday into a haven for Los Angeles residents displaced by the devastating wildfires. These fires have scorched thousands of acres and reduced entire neighborhoods to ash.
At one table in the lobby sat an unusual sight for the upscale hotel: a portable plastic goldfish tank. “It’s my daughter’s,” explained Kevin Fossee, 48. Fossee and his wife, Olivia Barth, 45, evacuated to the hotel on Tuesday evening after the [Los Angeles Pacific Palisades fire](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/10/us/fires-los-angeles-california) flared dangerously close to their Malibu home.
Suddenly, an evacuation alert blared through the lobby, causing every phone to sound off simultaneously. The noise startled young children, many of whom began crying, but relief followed moments later when it was confirmed to be a false alarm.
Scenes like this have been playing out across Los Angeles hotels as the fires spread and the number of evacuees [surpasses 100,000](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/08/us/california-fire-evacuation-orders.html). IHG, the parent company of Intercontinental, Regent, and Holiday Inn hotels, reported that 19 of its properties in Los Angeles and Pasadena are currently hosting evacuees.
The Palisades fire, which has been [raging since Tuesday](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/10/us/fires-los-angeles-california) and is now [the most destructive in Los Angeles history](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/09/us/california-fires-los-angeles#california-fires-death-toll), has devastated neighborhoods ranging from opulent mansions to modest homes owned by middle-class families for generations. All of them now face the same challenge: finding shelter.
Many evacuees have turned to a rapidly growing Palisades WhatsApp group, which has expanded from a few hundred members to over 1,000 in just days. The group has become a hub for sharing photos, updates, evacuation tips, hotel discounts, and pet policies as the fires continue to spread.
At the midcentury modern [Beverly Hilton](https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/laxbhhh-the-beverly-hilton/), perched above Beverly Hills’ manicured lawns, parking filled up by Wednesday as evacuees poured in. Overflow parking was arranged a mile away, with shuttles ferrying guests back to the hotel. The lobby, typically a venue for glamorous events like the Golden Globe Awards, was filled with families in workout clothes juggling children, pets, and hastily packed luggage.
Many evacuees recognized each other from their neighborhoods, creating a sense of shared camaraderie amid the chaos. “You can tell who’s a fire evacuee by whether they’re wearing sweats or have a dog with them,” said Sasha Young, 34, a photographer. “Everyone says the same thing: We didn’t take enough.”
At [The Hotel June](https://www.thehoteljune.com/west-los-angeles/lax/), a boutique property with a retro 1950s vibe near Los Angeles International Airport, evacuees were offered discounted rooms at $125 per night. Julia Morandi, 73, a retired science educator from the Palisades Highlands, recounted her experience. “We were heading home from the airport when we learned about the evacuations,” she said. “When we checked in, the manager saw how stressed we were and gave us drink tickets, saying, ‘We take care of our neighbors.’”
Hotels have also been assisting stranded tourists, helping them arrange flights home and waiving cancellation fees. A spokeswoman for Shutters noted that the hotel’s usual mix of domestic and international tourists was now overshadowed by displaced locals. The hotel’s heated outdoor pool, typically a hotspot for sunbathers, sat empty due to the hazardous air quality.
“I think I’m one of the only tourists here,” said Pavel Francouz, 34, a hockey scout from the Czech Republic who arrived in Los Angeles for a meeting on Tuesday, just before the fires began. He described the surreal experience of being a visitor amid the crisis: eerily empty beaches and a lobby filled with crying children, families, pets, and suitcases. “I can’t imagine what it’s like for these people,” he said. “I’m ready to go home.”
Source: nytimes.com