four Beverly Hills-area site inspections
May 27, 2017, 2:32 pm
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2003
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four Beverly Hills-area site inspections
My wife and I had the opportunity to spend Thursday evening in Beverly Hills, and I took advantage of the opportunity to see four hotels, all of which have renovated (or are in the process of renovation) since my prior visit in 2013.
Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills (Doheny Drive)
We spent the night here and enjoyed an upgrade to a 1BR Balcony Suite. Because my wife is chemically sensitive and cannot tolerate new construction, furniture, carpeting, etc., we requested a non-renovated room. Our suite was very comfortable. The bedroom had a King bed facing a flatscreen, dressing area, and a marble bathroom with a single vanity, WC, and step-in shower. The living room doubled the total area of the room and was equipped with a work desk (with easy-to access plugs on the wall), a pull-out sofabed facing a large wall-mounted flatscreen television, and a second bathroom with shower-tub combination, toilet, and single vanity.
Both bedroom and living room had french doors leading out to 12th floor balconies overlooking the hotel's porte cochere, with a view of Beverly Hills beyond.
Because we stayed in an older, more traditionally styled room, that made all-the-more-dramatic my chance to see a renovated room on Friday morning. See my photo-essay comparison here. I consider this a very successful renovation.
Rooms are hard to capture with an iPhone camera, especially with light streaming in the windows, so here is a comparison of what you see when you get off the elevators and turn right towards the hallway:
160 of the hotel's 285 rooms have been renovated. The hotel continues to renovate one floor at a time — though this will pause during the busy summer months. Everything is expected to be complete by the end of the year. I would definitely request renovated rooms.
Though I'm not permitted to publicize FS Preferred Partner amenities on a public website, PM me for a complete list for all Four Seasons properties worldwide. Speaking in generalities, FS Los Angeles offers exactly what you'd expect with a flexible $100 credit. There's a special Preferred Partner promotion for travel to June 30; can't say what it is, but if you hoped for a guaranteed upgrade at booking, you might be a happy camper!
Viceroy L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
A two-minute walk down Burton Way from FS Los Angeles, L'Ermitage (formerly under Raffles/Fairmont management) is now a member of the Viceroy hotel family. A smaller, boutique hotel, L'Ermitage has only 116 accommodations, all Junior Suites and larger. I noticed changes when I entered the lobby. The front desk now faces the front door, and the space to the right of the lobby is now a more living-room feeling area. Seating surrounds several round tables equipped with connections to power and connect phones, tablets, and notebook computers. There's also a small "board room" for impromptu meetings.
L'Ermitage is residential in an understated way. The hotel intends to create more of an Upper East Side vibe. Shown below is a Studio Skyline Suite, 700 square feet.
The interior design uses a neutral palette of grey and light taupe, and the headboards are all hand-painted (and cost $20,000 each). The room is equipped with a King bed and corner sofa (that does not convert to a sofabed). The Skyline view offers a glimpse of the famous Hollywood sign. But what's most remarkable about the accommodations are the dressing area and bathroom. The dressing room's vanity includes a make-up mirror with indoor/outdoor lighting, and there is a second triplex "runway mirror" that's perfect for the very fashion-conscious. The bathroom includes double vanities, tub, step-in shower, and WC ... and the wall tiling has mother-of-pearl inlay.
Larger "residential" suites (Icon Suites start at 1400 square feet) offer a separate living room with dining area and kitchen and sofabed. Walk-in closets are immense. Residential suites offer a LOT of space for longer stays.
Virtuoso amenities include daily full breakfast for two in the restaurant, $100 hotel credit, complimentary WiFi, and upgrade, early check-in, and late check-out subject to availability.
Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills
The newest hotel in Beverly Hills, the Waldorf Astoria is scheduled to open on June 1. Located on the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevard (and adjacent to the Beverly Hilton), the building projects an impressive exterior ... but is a relatively small hotel with just 170 rooms including 51 suites. All accommodations feature balconies with views.
Guests enter the hotel's driveway from Santa Monica Boulevard; the porte cochere is in the back. Going through the front doors, the lobby is light and spacious, with the ceiling perhaps 25-30 feet high. Public spaces feature rosewood paneling, while guest room floors use cherry paneling.
Perhaps Waldorf Astoria's signature design motif is the chandelier, and the Beverly Hills property is no exception — but in place of the traditional crystal chandelier is this immense fixture with a bronze finish.
I was shown a lead-in Superior King room, large at 630 square feet, tall ceilings, and decorated with a palette of light blue and creme. The bathroom was fully equipped with everything you'd expect. A very pleasant hotel room indeed, and I predict the Waldorf Astoria will be quite successful.
Of special note are the rooftop pool and bar — which literally boast 360º panoramic views around the hotel, including downtown LA. I imagine this will be a very popular spot for nightlife.
The hotel has a generous set of Virtuoso amenities: upgrade at booking (room-to-room and suite-to-suite), American breakfast daily in-room or in the restaurant, complimentary WiFi, guaranteed 12 noon check-in and 4 pm check-out, and complimentary one-way private airport transfers for rooms ... and round-trip transfers for suites.
The Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel is a personal favorite of mine with a LOT of local flavor and tradition. In fact, the hotel was built before Beverly Hills was incorporated, and the city got its name from the hotel. We visited for a quick site inspection followed by dinner in the Fountain Coffee Room.
Pictured below is a Junior Suite.
... and here's the same category from my 2013 visit.
I think the two photographs show the personality and style of Dorchester Collection — which I would summarize as updated traditional, elegant yet simple. Colors are softer with textured wallpaper. Furnishings are updated. The bathroom had dual vanities, a WC, soaking tub, and separate step-in shower.
Bungalows are now in the process of being renovated (really needing it!), and the results are stunning. We saw one renovated Bungalow. Its living room had one of its seating areas around a gas fireplace ... and a grand piano and dining room as well. This particular bungalow is able to be joined with Deluxe King and a Deluxe double bungalows to create a 3BR Residence.
Finally, a word about the Fountain Coffee Room. Although the hotel's signature restaurant is the Polo Lounge, I love the Coffee Room...
It's an old-fashioned diner with excellent milk shakes made from homemade ice cream (we split a vanilla shake), and I would describe the food as gourmet diner food. Breakfast all day long, salads, sandwiches, and burgers. We had an excellent split pea soup as an appetizer, and Claire had a warm chicken salad while I had a turkey burger with blue cheese. We left full and happy for our less-than-$5 Uber ride back to the Four Seasons.
Diamond Club guests enjoy a full breakfast (anything off the menu, in any venue, except alcohol and caviar), a guaranteed upgrade (up to the Junior Suite category), premium WiFi for unlimited devices, and a $100 credit that comes right off the room rate if you choose (a daily $100 credit if you book a suite).
Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills (Doheny Drive)
We spent the night here and enjoyed an upgrade to a 1BR Balcony Suite. Because my wife is chemically sensitive and cannot tolerate new construction, furniture, carpeting, etc., we requested a non-renovated room. Our suite was very comfortable. The bedroom had a King bed facing a flatscreen, dressing area, and a marble bathroom with a single vanity, WC, and step-in shower. The living room doubled the total area of the room and was equipped with a work desk (with easy-to access plugs on the wall), a pull-out sofabed facing a large wall-mounted flatscreen television, and a second bathroom with shower-tub combination, toilet, and single vanity.
Both bedroom and living room had french doors leading out to 12th floor balconies overlooking the hotel's porte cochere, with a view of Beverly Hills beyond.
Because we stayed in an older, more traditionally styled room, that made all-the-more-dramatic my chance to see a renovated room on Friday morning. See my photo-essay comparison here. I consider this a very successful renovation.
Rooms are hard to capture with an iPhone camera, especially with light streaming in the windows, so here is a comparison of what you see when you get off the elevators and turn right towards the hallway:
Old hallway — darker, a more traditional feel, with lots of browns
New hallway — lighter, classically contemporary with art deco touches and a color palette of whites and blues
160 of the hotel's 285 rooms have been renovated. The hotel continues to renovate one floor at a time — though this will pause during the busy summer months. Everything is expected to be complete by the end of the year. I would definitely request renovated rooms.
Though I'm not permitted to publicize FS Preferred Partner amenities on a public website, PM me for a complete list for all Four Seasons properties worldwide. Speaking in generalities, FS Los Angeles offers exactly what you'd expect with a flexible $100 credit. There's a special Preferred Partner promotion for travel to June 30; can't say what it is, but if you hoped for a guaranteed upgrade at booking, you might be a happy camper!
Viceroy L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
A two-minute walk down Burton Way from FS Los Angeles, L'Ermitage (formerly under Raffles/Fairmont management) is now a member of the Viceroy hotel family. A smaller, boutique hotel, L'Ermitage has only 116 accommodations, all Junior Suites and larger. I noticed changes when I entered the lobby. The front desk now faces the front door, and the space to the right of the lobby is now a more living-room feeling area. Seating surrounds several round tables equipped with connections to power and connect phones, tablets, and notebook computers. There's also a small "board room" for impromptu meetings.
L'Ermitage is residential in an understated way. The hotel intends to create more of an Upper East Side vibe. Shown below is a Studio Skyline Suite, 700 square feet.
The interior design uses a neutral palette of grey and light taupe, and the headboards are all hand-painted (and cost $20,000 each). The room is equipped with a King bed and corner sofa (that does not convert to a sofabed). The Skyline view offers a glimpse of the famous Hollywood sign. But what's most remarkable about the accommodations are the dressing area and bathroom. The dressing room's vanity includes a make-up mirror with indoor/outdoor lighting, and there is a second triplex "runway mirror" that's perfect for the very fashion-conscious. The bathroom includes double vanities, tub, step-in shower, and WC ... and the wall tiling has mother-of-pearl inlay.
Larger "residential" suites (Icon Suites start at 1400 square feet) offer a separate living room with dining area and kitchen and sofabed. Walk-in closets are immense. Residential suites offer a LOT of space for longer stays.
Virtuoso amenities include daily full breakfast for two in the restaurant, $100 hotel credit, complimentary WiFi, and upgrade, early check-in, and late check-out subject to availability.
Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills
The newest hotel in Beverly Hills, the Waldorf Astoria is scheduled to open on June 1. Located on the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevard (and adjacent to the Beverly Hilton), the building projects an impressive exterior ... but is a relatively small hotel with just 170 rooms including 51 suites. All accommodations feature balconies with views.
Guests enter the hotel's driveway from Santa Monica Boulevard; the porte cochere is in the back. Going through the front doors, the lobby is light and spacious, with the ceiling perhaps 25-30 feet high. Public spaces feature rosewood paneling, while guest room floors use cherry paneling.
Perhaps Waldorf Astoria's signature design motif is the chandelier, and the Beverly Hills property is no exception — but in place of the traditional crystal chandelier is this immense fixture with a bronze finish.
I was shown a lead-in Superior King room, large at 630 square feet, tall ceilings, and decorated with a palette of light blue and creme. The bathroom was fully equipped with everything you'd expect. A very pleasant hotel room indeed, and I predict the Waldorf Astoria will be quite successful.
Of special note are the rooftop pool and bar — which literally boast 360º panoramic views around the hotel, including downtown LA. I imagine this will be a very popular spot for nightlife.
The hotel has a generous set of Virtuoso amenities: upgrade at booking (room-to-room and suite-to-suite), American breakfast daily in-room or in the restaurant, complimentary WiFi, guaranteed 12 noon check-in and 4 pm check-out, and complimentary one-way private airport transfers for rooms ... and round-trip transfers for suites.
The Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel is a personal favorite of mine with a LOT of local flavor and tradition. In fact, the hotel was built before Beverly Hills was incorporated, and the city got its name from the hotel. We visited for a quick site inspection followed by dinner in the Fountain Coffee Room.
Pictured below is a Junior Suite.
... and here's the same category from my 2013 visit.
I think the two photographs show the personality and style of Dorchester Collection — which I would summarize as updated traditional, elegant yet simple. Colors are softer with textured wallpaper. Furnishings are updated. The bathroom had dual vanities, a WC, soaking tub, and separate step-in shower.
Bungalows are now in the process of being renovated (really needing it!), and the results are stunning. We saw one renovated Bungalow. Its living room had one of its seating areas around a gas fireplace ... and a grand piano and dining room as well. This particular bungalow is able to be joined with Deluxe King and a Deluxe double bungalows to create a 3BR Residence.
Finally, a word about the Fountain Coffee Room. Although the hotel's signature restaurant is the Polo Lounge, I love the Coffee Room...
It's an old-fashioned diner with excellent milk shakes made from homemade ice cream (we split a vanilla shake), and I would describe the food as gourmet diner food. Breakfast all day long, salads, sandwiches, and burgers. We had an excellent split pea soup as an appetizer, and Claire had a warm chicken salad while I had a turkey burger with blue cheese. We left full and happy for our less-than-$5 Uber ride back to the Four Seasons.
Diamond Club guests enjoy a full breakfast (anything off the menu, in any venue, except alcohol and caviar), a guaranteed upgrade (up to the Junior Suite category), premium WiFi for unlimited devices, and a $100 credit that comes right off the room rate if you choose (a daily $100 credit if you book a suite).
Last edited by DavidO; May 27, 2017 at 3:33 pm
May 27, 2017, 3:31 pm
#2
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,543
Thanks for the report. Very nice. I agree that the Waldorf Astoria will likely be quite successful. I am also a big fan of the Fountain at the BH Hotel. It is also a great place to take kids to breakfast. They love the waffles, fresh squeezed orange juice and hot chocolate with real whipped cream.
May 27, 2017, 4:50 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
great details and photo comparisons!
2010 became viceroy
2016 renovated and added to name
https://web.archive.org/web/20100301...otelgroup.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/20100612...rmitagebh.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/20120501...n/beverlyhills
2016 renovated and added to name
https://web.archive.org/web/20100301...otelgroup.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/20100612...rmitagebh.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/20120501...n/beverlyhills
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; May 27, 2017 at 5:02 pm
May 31, 2017, 1:34 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,600
Thrilled DavidO got to see Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills before opening... I am stunned by this little gem. If one favors this location in proximity to Rodeo, this is the place to be.
All the details and careful consideration that went into it... few keys, great F&B, wonderful room and bathroom setups, healthy attitude towards tech -- bliss.
Have commented in the other thread re Beverly Hills/LA & its hotels.
All the details and careful consideration that went into it... few keys, great F&B, wonderful room and bathroom setups, healthy attitude towards tech -- bliss.
Have commented in the other thread re Beverly Hills/LA & its hotels.
Jun 1, 2017, 7:47 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
Thrilled DavidO got to see Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills before opening... I am stunned by this little gem. If one favors this location in proximity to Rodeo, this is the place to be.
All the details and careful consideration that went into it... few keys, great F&B, wonderful room and bathroom setups, healthy attitude towards tech -- bliss.
Have commented in the other thread re Beverly Hills/LA & its hotels.
All the details and careful consideration that went into it... few keys, great F&B, wonderful room and bathroom setups, healthy attitude towards tech -- bliss.
Have commented in the other thread re Beverly Hills/LA & its hotels.