The Beverly Hills Hotel. (2024)

Eccentric billionaireHoward Hugheswould reserve up to 25 rooms at a time, and lived in one group of bungalowshere for almost thirty years (even back in the 50's, Hughes paid $350,000a year for the privilege). When ElizabethTaylor was a child, her father ran anart gallery in the Hotel lobby, and she honeymooned in bungalow #5. ClarkGable and CaroleLombard rendezvoused here before Gable'sdivorce, in nearby bungalow #4. Even the owners of the Hotel have beencelebrities: IreneDunne,LorettaYoung,and now the Sultan of Brunei.

The Beverly HillsHotel has been the location for numerous Hollywood movies, including NeilSimon's"California Suite" (with JaneFonda, AlanAlda, and RichardPryor), "TheWay We Were" (with Redford& Streisand),"Shampoo" (with WarrenBeatty & GoldieHawn), and "American Gigolo"(with RichardGere).It was also prominently featured on the cover of TheEagles'"Hotel California" album.

TheHotel has always been the scene of great events, parties, and secret trysts.Watergate figure John Mitchelllearned that the scandal had gone public while staying here at the PinkPalace.

Johnny Weissmullersupposedly landed the title role for "Tarzan'' in 1932 whenthe director saw him jump into the Hotel's swimming pool to save a drowninggirl. At another time, Katharine Hepburnjumped into the pool, fully clothed, after playing tennis - the same poolwhere JoanCrawfordlearned to swim freestyle.

Greta Garbohid out at the Hotel. W.C.Fieldsand JohnBarrymorehung out at the bar. JohnLennon& YokoOnoused to stay in the bungalows.

It is here at theHotel that you will find the world-famous Polo Lounge restaurant,a watering hole for Hollywood stars since its inception. In fact, legendhas it that the Polo Lounge originally got its name because WillRogers and his movie star friends (suchas Douglas Fairbanksand SpencerTracy)used to play weekend polo games up atRogers' ranch above Sunset,and after the games the group would cool off at the hotel lounge. The Loungehas also been the scene of countless mega deals: when Paramount was boughtout by Gulf & Western the deal was struck at the Polo Lounge. ZsaZsa Gabor signed her first movie contracthere. Jean Harlowplayed tennis here. Frank Sinatra,Bill Clinton,SirPaulMcCartney,MichaelJackson...you name 'em, they've been here.

The PoloLounge remains a popular spot for theHollywood crowd, and you can still spot movie stars here today (althoughsome of them choose to sit inside the restaurant, not on the sunny patio).The menu still offers a classic Neil McCarthy salad, named after the polo-playingmillionaire.

In 2008, a fan (RonB.)emailed me to say that he enjoyed a Thursday lunch at the PoloLounge, and spotted SharonStone,JamesCaanand HeatherLocklear.(Not bad for a single visit. ;).

In March of 2002,Elton Johnhad his 55th birthday party at the Polo Lounge. Guests included ElizabethTaylor,Sharon Stone,Richard Gere,Ben Kingsley,Courtney Love,Jon Bon Jovi,Dennis Hopper,and "Moulin Rouge" director BazLuhrmann.

In 1998, it was thesite of Miramax's post-Oscar party, which drew guests such as RobinWilliams, BradPitt,Peter Fonda,Matt Damon,Helen Hunt,RobertDeNiro,Demi Moore,Spike Lee,Dame Judi Dench,Michael Caine,HelenaBonham Carter,and Neve Campbell.

In September 1998,John Stamos(of "Full House") was married at the hotel; guests includedBrianWilsonand the Beach Boys,the Olsen twins(Mary-Kate and Ashley), David Spade("Just Shoot Me"), supermodel TyraBanks, "FullHouse"co-star BobSaget,and Saturday Night Live's RobSchneider.

In February of 1999,Arista Records held their pre-Grammy party at the hotel, and the guestsincluded Whitney Houston,Toni Braxton,Sean ``Puffy'' Combs,Sarah McLachlan,Monica,Usher,the Backstreet Boys,Kenny G,TonyBennett,Elvis Costello,Quincy Jones,John Fogerty,DickClark,Casey Kasem,Jackie Collins,Donny Osmond,Sidney Poitierand more.

In 2000, the Hotel'sannual Oscars party drew such names as AngelinaJolie, CharlizeTheron, MattDamon,Tobey Maguire,RobertoBenigni,Julianne Moore,Christina Ricci, VinceVaughn, RobertoBenigni, JaneFonda, QuentinTarantino,Michael Caine,Patrick Swayze,Mike Myers,Walter Cronkite,Malcolm McDowell,HarveyKeitel,Dylan McDermott,Wes Craven,Lena Olin,Don Rickles andGloria Estefan.

In January of 2002,the first-ever AFIAwards (American Film Institute) show washeld at the hotel, and brought out a crowd of stars which included DustinHoffman, HalleBerry, SamuelL. Jackson, SissySpacek,Elijah Wood,Ron Howard,Billy Bob Thorton,Haley Joel Osmont,and most of the casts of "Everybody Loves Raymond," "TheSopranos" and "The West Wing."

In December of 2002,Lakers basketball superstar Shaquille O'Nealwas married at the hotel in a hush-hush ceremony.

The Beverly HillsHotel is fairly modest in appearance. A three-story, mission-style building,it sits upon a small knoll above Sunset Boulevard, almost hidden behinda tropical wall of 80-year-old palm trees and banana plants. The Hotelfeatures pink stucco walls (which inspired its nickname), tile roofs, anda cupola with a flag on top. The Hotel originally had 232 rooms and 21private bungalows, but after the 1995 renovation, when walk-in closetswere added to each room and the formerly small bathrooms were greatly enlarged,the number of rooms was reduced to 194.

The Polo Loungeis done up in peachy pink (as you might expect), with deep carpets anddark green booths, each booth featuring a plug-in phone. Pink tableclothsare accented with pink vases containing rosebuds; a wall of windows looksout on the sunny patio. Legend has it that MiaFarrow(and maybe even MarleneDietrich) was banned from the PoloLounge for wearing pants. You can expect to pay from $75 to $120 fordinner for two. (Breakfast is your best bet at the Polo Lounge,at around $21 to $37 for two.)

The new Art DecoPolo Grill (around the back of the Polo Lounge, toward the bungalows),is even pricier, where dinner can set you back $90 to $130. Elsewhere,the Tea Lounge, a balcony of sorts, features peach velvet chairsand sofas, and a gold-leafed baby grand Steinway embellished with a bird& flower motif.

For a less-expensiveplace to eat in the Pink Palace, you might want to try the little FountainCoffee Shop downstairs, which offers seating only on tall, wrought-ironstools at a curving pink Formica counter, surrounded by the Hotel's trademarkbanana leaf wallpaper. The milkshakes are grand, the grilled sandwichesfine, and the Dutch Apple pancakes at breakfast have always been a favorite.MarilynMonroeand YvesMontandromanced here; Guns N' Roseswere signed by their manager at this counter. JohnLennon & YokoOno, HowardHughesand Desi Arnazalso hung out here. For casual visitors, this coffee shop provides an opportunityto visit the Hotel and stroll its grounds without spending a fortune. Breakfastspecialties are in the $8.50-$11.50 range, while lunch items can be a fewdollars more. The problem here is the service, which is often slow. (Thecoffee shop closes at 7 PM.)

By the 90's, theHotel was beginning to show its age, and like many Beverly Hills residents,it opted for a face lift. The Hotel closed it doors in 1993 and didn'treopen until June 3, 1995, when a grand reopening gala was staged, withthe list of the invited including FrankSinatra, SteveMartin, JacquelineBisset, DebbieReynolds, CarlReiner,James Caanand Rosanna Arquette.(A copy of the star-studded guest list is on display in the lobby.) Sincethen, the hotel has been the home-away-from-home for such stars as JohnTravolta and supermodel CindyCrawford.

The Hotel cost onlyhalf a million dollars to build back in 1912, but the 1995 renovation costover 200 times that much: $100 million. Fortunately, the owner (the Sultanof Brunei) may be the richest man in the world - with a fortune exceeding$40 billion, so that didn't pose much of a problem.

Rest assured thatthe newly-restored Beverly Hills Hotel looks even better than before. Theyhave merely gilded the lily, maintaining the Hotel's classic appearance,yet adding a new touch of peach and apricot elegance to the interior, withcurvy Art Nouveau ceilings, gilded wrought-iron balconies, and massiveItalian chandeliers accented with pink crystal roses.

The room rates havealso kept up with inflation: back in 1912, a room at the Pink Palace cost$18. a night. Today, room rates range from $275 a night up to $3,000 anight for the Presidential Suite (which includes its own chef and butler).Guests are given gold keys engraved with their names. All rooms includethree telephones, a computer, a plain-paper fax machine, a safe, and abutler-service button. Even the linen is by (who else?) Polo's RalphLauren.

The Hotel also hasits snobby side. They maintain a class-oriented card filing system: whitecards for commoners, blue cards for regulars, and pink cards for the trueelite. Lyndon Johnsonis said to have received a blue card when he was veep, which wasn't updatedto pink even after he became President.

Gettingthere:To reach the Beverly Hills Hotel from Rodeo Drive, simply go northup Rodeo to Sunset Boulevard; the Hotel will be right in front of you (toyour right), on the north side of Sunset Boulevard, between Rodeo Drive& Beverly Drive.