Wrapped in a trademark salmon-pink façade, the Beverly Hills Hotel is as much a celebrity as any of its guest. And what a guest list it is: Everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Liz and Eddie had their favorite bungalow (3)–as did Liz and Richard (5). John and Yoko hid out here for a week, while Howard Hughes stayed on and off for some 30 years.
There, the Hollywood elite would meet around the infamous pool–and vie for a much-coveted cabana. In the svelte Polo Lounge, multi-million dollar deals were made daily before noon. Frank, Dean and the rest of the Rat Pack raised the roof there on more than one occasion.
Oh, if only these walls could speak–because the staff never did. The coddling clan of employees intuitively knew what each guest required at all times. Such protective care created a legion of loyal fans that loudly protested when the hotel–duly dubbed “the Pink Palace”–took a voluntary hiatus in 1992. Yet, after almost 80 years, this Hollywood legend desperately needed a face-lift. (Good thing she’s in Beverly Hills.)
The new owner–the Sultan of Brunei, no less–set forth an ambitious $100-million renovation, completed in 1995. The result is an impressive refurbishment that accentuates the hotel’s aura of the 1940s glamour while raising her stature to a grand, world scale.
A sure sign of the redesign’s success: many of the Beverly Hills Hotel’s former regulars once again can be found poolside, in the Polo Lounge, at the new Polo Grill–and, of course, in the 22 prized bungalows. New guests will discover chic haciendas, hidden among banana palms and blooming bougainvillea, that are both comfortable and graceful, elegant yet understated. A favorite is Bungalow 5, the largest and the only one that has its own pool and spa. Choose the master suite, or rent the entire bungalow, which includes three additional bedrooms, each with private marble bath and entrance.
Guests of the hotel’s Presidential Suite, however, need not worry about being discovered: a separate entrance allows you to avoid the main lobby. The suite’s foyer entices with rich cherry flooring, hand-sewn rugs and custom-designed chandelier. Antique furnishings abound, as do impressive artworks. Other tasteful touches include an elegant library, limestone fireplace, baby grand piano, and balcony that runs the length of the suite. While your accommodations include a full kitchen, feel free to employ the services of a 24-hour personal chef that can open and adjacent, commercially equipped kitchen whenever the need arises. So next time you plan to visit the city of Angeles let the experts at James TravelPOINTS treat you like a star 1-800-538-7461, www.travelpoints.com.
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