The Beverly Hills Hotel
How do you introduce the hotel that needs no introduction? As one of my personal favorites, and a mainstay among many for decades, The Beverly Hills Hotel is hard to compare anything to.
Also known as “The Pink Palace”, The Beverly Hills Hotel, which is part of the Dorchester Collection was built in 1912 to attract people to Beverly Hills. And that it did. Its history is laced with Hollywood romance: Elizabeth Taylor honeymooned here with six of her seven husbands; Faye Dunaway learnt how to swim in the pool; and the famous Yoko Ono and John Lennon ‘bed-in’ was staged in one of the bungalows.
The hotel may be one of the most recognizable in the world. From its famous red carpet entrance, banana leaf print wallpaper, pink striped upholstery, to the pink plaster walls, it is easily spotted in famous photographs (in fact, I once recreated one of my favorite photographs of Faye Dunaway taken by Terry O’Neal at the pool), movies, and Instagram posts.
The interior of the hotel is classic Old Hollywood through and through. Chic, yet comfortable. The lush overgrown landscaping and secret gardens frame the loved and lived in interior.
There are a variety of rooms to choose from, ranging from historic guest rooms and suites in the main building, to 23 stand-alone bungalows, the most luxurious of which have private pools and grand pianos. The green and pink motif continues in the guest rooms styled with bronze fixtures, black and gold lacquered furniture, and pink marble bathrooms.
The service is polished, friendly and personalized (so much so, that when I recently checked in, I was greeted in my suite with Caviar & Cashmere logo’d cookies and macarons with my Instagram photos printed on them.) The Beverly Hills Hotel staff members address you by name and carry out requests gracefully and quickly, no matter how obscure they may be.
The service by the effortlessly chic pool is some of the best I have experienced – ice-cold water, crisp white towels, banana leaf print umbrellas aplenty, sun tan lotion, sunglasses cleaning and complimentary poolside snacks on rotation all day such as mini sorbets and fresh fruit smoothies.
The Polo Lounge may be the most well-known hotel restaurant in Los Angeles. It has a constant soundtrack of local chatter in the background, from weekday business breakfasts and Sunday jazz brunches, to late-night dates with live piano. The lush bougainvillea-draped courtyard, dotted with twinkling lights and private booths, is maybe the most romantic spot for a date night you could have in Beverly Hills.
By the pool, the Cabana Café is popular with poolside guests and locals alike. Do not miss the famous McCarthy Salad here.
The Fountain Coffee Room on the lower-ground floor of the hotel, dates back to 1949 and is based on a typical Southern Californian coffee shop. You’ll find all-day breakfast, milkshakes, charming staff while you eat at the bar. They’ll even personalize your latte with foam art of any photo you’d like, should you wish.
Last but not least, be sure to have a cocktail on Bar Nineteen12’s terrace. It is the best place to catch the LA sunset, who’s pink color oftentimes matches the illustrious color of the hotel.
