Some recent observations:

Hotel Bel Air

This is, hands down, my favorite hotel on the West Coast. It is so peaceful and original, yet very modern. They were able to retain everything that has made this hotel special but brought it into 21st century. Service is very personal and caring. The team is passionate, not only about the hotel, but also about Los Angeles and this translates directly into every interaction. As many of you may recall, Dorchester has had many troubles due to the dispute originating from the drama around its owner, the Sultan of Brunei. While I understand and support the cause, I must say the staff shouldn't be held responsible for it, as they are very diverse and work hard. If anything, they perfected their product in that difficult time and I really love the hotel. It is so leisurely. I would be happy with any room here, but had a lovely suite - many have patios, which allow to make the most of the glorious weather. Everything in-room is high-tech, starting with the telephones and iPads, controlling everything from A/C, to lights and services. In-room dining can be ordered, if you wish, from the iPad as well, so breakfast is only a tap away. If you can drag yourself away from the suite, there's Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel Air and I cannot remember a bad meal here. I especially grew fond of the garden alcoves - what better way to spend a Sunday there reading newspaper on the huge tables, while enjoying Wolfgang's cuisine. He's very hands-on with the restaurant (and all other WP-managed outlets at the hotel), which is practical since he's just living down the street. He often drops by, picks up food for the kids and checks if everything's going well. The pool at Hotel Bel Air is iconic, I wish they'd do away with the chlorine and use a healthier substitute. Same goes for the spa, where I was unable to have a facial, as they only offer chemical waste in shiny jars (La Prairie). All other treatments however were top notch, and I was fortunate enough to be treated to an appointment with Nerida Joy - a celebrity skin guru, who actually understands skin-care and spa - truly excellent and a kind soul. The gym is small, but well equipped: better than most hotels. If you fancy a haircut, a new color or other 'do', Joseph Martin has a salon there, so no need to go anywhere and you won't have to take a car to go on Canon Dr. Should you wish to do so, the lovely Concierge team is at your disposal, and here - in resort style - you are able to sit down with them and customize your stay. They managed to get tough reservations and knew all the details. There's a comfortable Mercedes-Benz house car available until 9 pm to take you out to dinner, where - after a great meal - a dessert was waiting, courtesy of Hotel Bel Air. Many great things about this hotel, but nothing beat walking 'home' every evening, strolling through the gardens. I credit Denise Flanders for this, she really brought many wonderful things and a lot of culture to the hotel. After her departure, Emanuela Setterberg took over. Good job!

Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, A Four Seasons Hotel

I had a great stay here a while ago and hoped to find the same standards, but unfortunately there are way too many issues for my liking. Should you choose this Grande Dame, make sure to secure a suite in the Beverly Wing, many of which are renovated by now. The Wilshire Wing appeared very dull to me, even more than last time, and I asked to be moved the next day. Many suites in the Beverly Wing are more contemporary and higher floors afford beautiful views of downtown Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive and, in distance, the Hollywood Hills. Anything below the 11th floor will only get you a view of the porte-cochère though. But even renovated rooms are not up to Four Seasons' usual standards, they do have the newest-generation, square FS pillows with logo embroidery on them, but the bed was old and certainly not the highly acclaimed FS bed. In fact, it was so old that you fell out when you slept near the sides. Expect a vanity with only one sink, even in suites - plus very old soft furnishings, worn carpets. It is due for a re-fresh and needs more investment. The hotel is owned by the same entity that owns Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, and I would really hope they would close the hotel for 2 years completely and take out everything. But the hard product is not the only problem at this iconic hotel, I felt the culture was lacking and staff did not care much, except for a few. Having substandard infrastructure and rooms is one thing, what saved it in the past was the service. No more. I might be biased, surely, as the arrival at this hotel struck a chord - I wonder how most guests would like a hotel that sends you go search for your suite alone (in a 400 keys monstrosity) after a 14 hour flight... only to find a welcome letter, personally signed by your travel agent, who is thousands of miles away. Also it is a sad state of affairs that no one seems to be willing to take responsibility, but rather tries to blame others. Not a day would go by without finding a dirty cup or cutlery at The BLVD, where at breakfast some team members tried their best, while others were downright rude. The proximity to Rodeo Drive and some condescending trophy wives might not help, but surely a 200 $ breakfast should me a more civilized affair. Don't expect the generosity of Hotel Bel Air at this hotel, the daily breakfast credit of 35 $ (all-in) will get you a juice and a coffee here, or one egg. Enjoy! Yet even if you don't care about charges, they failed to provide a rewarding breakfast experience. For lunch, the selection was better, menu varied - they even tried to recreate my sage lemonade from Amangiri, that I have come to like. That way, also, you are saved from In-Room Dining where a steak supposedly cooked medium arrives well done (black). And no one cares. Also, the Concierge Desk is well-run, and was able to take care of requests, no matter how complicated or small. From restaurant reservations, finding a solid juicery, private shopping on Rodeo, personal training at Equinox, to getting in touch with the city's top realtors to find a home, they have good contacts. The spa and pool area, well there is one - enough said. There is a wonderful mediterranean-styled pool (read: chlorinated water hole), as well as a jacuzzi (think oversized loo integrated into the floor). Both are wonderfully designed (so you fall into the jacuzzi when you step out of cardio area), replete with endless arrays of sun loungers and a tiger that seems to protect his newborn (the for rent-only cabanas) -- if that makes sense after 6 pm, who knows. The spa really was an afterthought, and ended up in the basement, at no point did I think about booking a treatment, as everything around the spa was so depressing -- entirely dark, ceiling heights that make you wonder if this used to be the hotel’s goblin garden and many people crossing back and forth between the wings of the hotel. You do have to go through the spa though to secure personal training, which they organize. My personal theory after this adventure though is that they ask Rosie from housekeeping to put on some Nikes and charge 250$/hour for it. Don’t go. They do have some few great team members, who really tried to save the stay: namely ex-George V superstar Victoria, who is not only lovely to talk to, but also very competent and caring. She has the Four Seasons touch, in a hotel where few do. And that’s the problem about Beverly Wilshire: when problems arise, service recovery is not in place. Old rooms and lackluster service together just don’t bode well. And, by design, they alert every guest about their problems: Why is the Wolfgang Puck-managed CUT, in the same building, lightyears ahead of anything Beverly Wilshire? Why is anyone there, from food runner to restaurant manager invariably more caring and alert than the best at BW? Culture.

Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles At Beverly Hills

Many worried about service at this hotel for a while, I visited a few times and found it greatly improved. Furthermore, F&B was downright great — Culina, their 'Modern Italian' restaurant was so good, I actually preferred it over my beloved Mediterranean fare at Cecconi’s. Mind you now with Jeff Leatham there, flowers are more beautiful than ever and meeting him you soon realize how contagious his passion is, for this new venture (he owns the flower shop) and his artistic craft in general. The pool area, in addition to the grounds, is much better than Beverly Wilshire. So, is FS LA the better option after all?