Hotel California Guitar Chords - Eagles

About Hotel California

“Hotel California” by the Eagles is one of the most iconic rock songs ever recorded, instantly recognisable from its opening Am–E–G–D–F–C–Dm–E fingerpicked arpeggio. Originally released in 1977, the song showcases rich chord voicings and a legendary twin-guitar outro solo. This free guitar chord sheet maps the complete song structure — intro, all verse and chorus sections, and the harmonised outro — so you can work through the full arrangement. The chord progression repeats throughout, making it learnable once you lock in the pattern.

Guitar Chords for Hotel California

Chords Used

Am E G D F C Dm

Strumming Pattern

DU DU DU

How to Play Hotel California on Guitar

Intro

Am   E   G   D   F   C   Dm   E    ×2

Verse 1

Am   E
G    D
F    C
Dm
E

Chorus

F    C
E         Am
F         C
Dm        E

Verse 2 (cont.)

Am   E
G    D
F    C
Dm
E

Outro Solo

Am   E   G   D   F   C   Dm   E    ×3

Harmonies

Am   E   G   D   F   C   Dm   E    ×2

Playing Tips

The intro is fingerpicked, not strummed — practice the Am–E–G–D–F–C–Dm–E progression as individual arpeggios before switching to the DU DU DU strum for the verse. The most important transition is Am→E; get that smooth first. The Dm chord is the stretch for most intermediate players — hold it cleanly before moving on. For the outro, the two-guitar harmony can be approximated solo by emphasising the melody notes on the high strings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What key is Hotel California in?

Hotel California is played in B Minor. Using open chords transposed, the common arrangement uses Am as the tonic, with E, G, D, F, C and Dm throughout.

Is Hotel California hard to learn on guitar?

The chord progression is learnable for intermediate players, but the iconic fingerpicked intro and the harmonised outro solo make it a challenging song overall — rated Advanced.

Do I need a capo for Hotel California?

No capo is required for the standard arrangement.

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