Originally Posted by
Lantenac06
Thank you for the comprehensive and thoughtful reply. If the Peninsula's pool is as nice as the Maybourne's - and indeed, it has more of a resort feel, which I would enjoy at this point in our stay - it may be a better choice for us. It is also the less expensive option, and while I'm happy to pay more for a hotel if it's worthwhile, all else being equal possibly it's silly to pay more between these two. I love art deco and part of my love of the Maybourne group is the wold world charm of Claridge's; I appreciate their more recent offerings skew somewhat more modern, and while I would like to see the Maynourne Beverly Hills, I haven't quite worked out how I feel about the post-modern touches. And while I have only stayed at a Peninsula hotel once, I would say this was the only hotel I have stayed at in which the service was every bit as good as Claridge's. So not an easy choice.
I appreciate this is often a little subjective, but did you have a favorite between the two? Thanks again for your helpful perspective in any case.
I wouldn't say the Peninsula's pool is as nice as the Maybourne's. It's small and surrounded by cabanas and quiet. That's the Peninsula vibe. The Maybourne's is big, surrounded by deck chairs with a few cabanas and a bit of a scene (but not as much of a scene as any hotel with a pool in WeHo).
I stayed at the Maybourne last month because it was the designated hotel for a group I was with. I would not have stayed there otherwise, as I did not have fond memories of the hotel as a Montage, other than the prime location. My mind was changed. The hotel is great, the rooms have been redecorated in a much more fitting style for California (although entry level rooms are small and there was no overhead lighting in the bedroom in my junior suite) and the staff was really tuned in. My only complaint aside from the lack of bedroom lighting was that the breakfast restaurant is a terrace so you're exposed to the elements if the weather is bad. There is an interior coffee shop, which I assume has the same menu, but it's a much more casual vibe. Of course, you can always walk to Erehwon.