bigmerv

I heartily recommend one of the patio rooms at the BHH in the 100 series (first floor). They are fantastic and the patio is huge. The pool area is also IMHO the best in LA and you will enjoy spending time there after driving to and from UCLA. Service is excellent and the food is pretty good, although very expensive (so book through FHR or Virtuoso to get free breakfast).

I was recently at the property and they have completed the lobby renovations, so there won't be any work going on during your stay (the rooms, the Polo Lounge and pool are due for renovation later this year and start of next year).

Check out the link that Robyng posted for more details.

vuittonsofstyle

I agree that the 'new' Bel-Air is fantastic - I don't miss a thing from the 'old' version.

mike_la_jolla

Interesting question about HBA. We were on a Virtuoso booking so BK was included. BK on all four mornings was total chaos made worse by the fact that you eat outside at HBA. March can be a tad cold in southern California, and there was a fight on at least one occasion for the outdoor gas heater. (Only one was working.) One morning a light Santa Ana wind was blowing so it was cold and rather windy. I remember service being glacial on all four mornings, to the point I was late for my trade show in downtown LA. 'Juice of the Day' was on the menu, but it was very clear that kitchen did not plan the drink forcing the wait staff to make it up as they went along. How does a 5* WP restaurant in the middle of LA run out of English muffins? WP's signature dish, huevos rancheros, was a cold soggy mess. I think I had that dish Friday morning.

We ate at the bar all four nights and had 8 total meals. Monday and Tues were dismal, with the chef being actively antagonistic. I think it did improve on Wed/Thursday when the 'D' team working Monday/Tues was replaced by the 'A' team on Wed/Sun, but by this time our expectations were so low that we didn't test them. A simple request to modify an appetizer on Monday night was met with not only a 'NO', but essentially an ' F*** NO!'. That took me back a little. I admit I was too shocked to look the bartender in the eye and say "Uhhh, that isn't the correct answer. Would you like to go ask the chef again?" (In case anybody is curious, the correct answer is "We'd be happy to modify the dish to your tastes, but it is very busy and could take some time. Is that OK?")

Turn down was missed on two of the four nights. The newspapers weren't delivered on two of the mornings. The new bar tending staff was more interested in an '82-shake martini dance' than getting the ingredients correct. It was as if they were on the stage at DWTS. Gus would be horrified.

All together, a sorry show for such a storied property. This thread has lead me to believe my stay was the exception, but I doubt I return anytime soon with the Pen just down the street. 'No' doesn't seem to be a word in the dictionary at the Pen.

Kagehitokiri

because they happened to run out of english muffins on monday (D team) i wasnt sure whether D team applied to breakfast as well (even though you didnt specifically reiterate that)

so everything about breakfast
so no lunch/dinner at restaurant

so in your experience, avoid bar on mon/tue

ok, you seem like a good person to discuss this with

to me it seems clear that there is always room for "no" for certain things

robyng

Since it's a "sister" property - and we also had a Virtuoso booking - I will note that our experience at the BHH was very different. First off - breakfast is in the Polo Lounge - either inside or outside. We didn't need heat lamps during our visit. But - had they been necessary - we would have dined inside. We were on vacation - and wanted leisurely breakfasts. We told that to our servers - and they paced their service accordingly. I don't know how fast the Polo Lounge can do breakfast if pressed. But - had we been in a really big hurry - and speed might have been a problem - we could have dined at the Fountain ("diner type" setting with counter seating and short order cook) - or ordered breakfast in advance through room service. The breakfast was really good at the Polo Lounge:

http://www.beverlyhillshotel.com/breakfast

And we liked all the juices of the day - except the one that tasted like a "health tonic" - it was celery with a couple of other things. (We ordered samples every day before we placed our orders - I hate to waste food.)

I don't think it's unusual to have dinner at a hotel bar (or through room service). Especially if you're on a business trip or staying at a place for a week or so. We did the bar 2 nights during our week long stay - "small plates" dinners - both after big lunches/long tiring days. The bar staff was kind of involved looking at a sports event one night - but we were interested in it too (maybe their football team was playing our football team? - can't remember). And service didn't suffer. No harm - no foul.

We never had lunch or dinner at the Polo Lounge. Just didn't look like our cup of tea. Nor would Wolfgang Puck's place at the HBA be our cup of tea either.

The only service mistake during our week long stay was finding only decaf coffee with our complimentary coffee pot/service morning after arrival. Fixed in about 4 minutes at 5 am. My full hotel report is in the link I cited above.

My only request in terms of the BHH is it should get a friggin' traffic light with a left turn arrow so one can drive into the hotel without risking one's life. Nothing like being on the corner of a 5 way intersection - in a city that seems to have a contract with a traffic light company that doesn't make lights with left turn signals. Although - IIRC - the BHH intersection just had stop signs . Robyn

Kagehitokiri

and left turn on green is an endangered species, because its "not safe"
even though they always tell pedestrians to walk into turning traffic
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=hotel+...26437&t=h&z=16

if there was a path, its almost walkable

obscure2k

Given that the OP mentioned that proximity to UCLA was important, than the Hotel Bel Air is the most logical choice as it is only about 5 minutes away. Of al of the hotels mentioned, The Bel Air is the most beautiful.

UAL747fan

Thanks for the suggestions! I will take everything you said into consideration when picking a hotel in BH.

KatW

Can't abide the Bel-Air since the renovation. A magnificent hotel was made ho-hum, a clone of so many "contemporary" minimalist establishments. So very sad.

So far, The Peninsula gets my vote. We've indulged there many times and it's aways close to perfection and sometimes even exceeds that state. Favorite room is the Villa King Jacuzzi Suite although it's usually necessary to ask for the temp to be turned down a bit in the Jacuzzi. Room service is excellent. We appreciate the 24-hour check in policy. Afternoon tea is superb as is the people watching. My one ding would be the rooftop restaurant in which tables are all smashed together. They've over-exploited the available "acrerage" on the roof and thereby diluted the experience at both restaurant and pool/cabanas. The spa is not to my taste but that's OK. Great place to people watch. George Lucas and co. lunched at the table next to ours (I fear he didn't recognize us), and so on.

The Beverly Wilshire is merely acceptable; I wouldn't go out of my way to stay there. All the lobby establishments -- bar, restaurants, etc. -- much too noisy, crowded, and hip hip hip.

Have not yet stayed at the Beverly Hills Hotel but am booked in to a bungalow the first weekend in October. Girl's weekend with a childhood friend.

Pierre&Cédric

BHH is one of our biggest disappointment (together with De Russie in Rome, Italy). Actually after 5 minutes in the room (old, stuffy, terrible bathroom, lily scent way too strong) we decided to check out. Our decision was confirmed after a meal at the Polo Lounge which was a joke.

The day after we checked in at Hotel Bel Air. What a difference! We were booked in a premier canyon suite if I remember well. It was a bliss. The pool, the spa, the restaurant, the breakfast every morning on our terrace, the fantastic service, gorgeous public spaces, we even extended our stay by one night to enjoy the hotel a little more.

bhrubin

I agree that the Pen Bev Hills is among the best in LA, and I agree with much of the points you make about it. I might add that their Sunday brunch can be disappointing on occasion, and I've mentioned that a few times now to the GM. (We live in Orange County but tend to stay often--but not always--at the Pen when visiting friends/dining in LA since we have a 112 lb dog, and the Pen doesn't have any weight limits for pets.)

Some might prefer the Bel-Air due to stylistic differences--more space/grounds, perhaps, too. I actually like it better now that they've modernized it, and you like it less since they modernized it! But I still think the Pen is the best, too.

KatW

Indeed, each to one's own. It's true, I am not much enamored of the contemporary modernized ethos. We're headed to London next week. I spent weeks trying to figure out the best places to stay and so many thus characterized were oh-so-moderne -- not for me! So, we're booked into a carriage house suite at the Stafford and an Edwardian river-view suite at the Savoy.

KatW

we have a 112 lb dog

Oh my goodness!

bhrubin

I can tell! We love the Halkin's contemporary chic style in London. At least you and I are obviously consistent, so there's that. :-) That's the great thing about hotels--the options give us all something different to enjoy.

I have heard the carriage house is spectacular, btw.

UStravelfan

I was at Hotel Bel-Air 2 weeks ago.
We have been going every year, for years, before and after the renovation. For me, it has retained the old charm (grounds, style, ambience), only better (rooms, technology). Unlike any othe property mentionned in this tread, HBA has a resorty kinf of feel. I cannot even start toi imagine haow anyone can find anything wrong at Hotel Bel-Air, and we have stayed in all kinds of rooms, both Canyon rooms/suites and regular rooms/suites.

During the renovations, we were at the Four Seasons on Doheny. Very good hotel, but just not the same thing.

We stayed at BHH before getting to know HBA. Will never return, too crowded, not my kind of vibe. Except for breakfast, like I did last month.

Had dinner this year at the Pen. Lovely city hotel, but seemed quite compact. Was surprised at patrons: either older folks colorful hairdos and walking sticks/walkers/Wheel chairs, or middle-aged guys with much younger companions right out of face-boob-butt jobs.