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Hotel Bel-Air is a true 5-star luxury boutique hotel in the hills above West Los Angeles. Set on several acres in the center of the famous mansions of Bel-Air, the Hotel Bel-Air is surrounded by lush gardens and is well-known for its privacy. The hotel is close to Sunset Boulevard and the Getty Museum.
Tablet Hotels review: Built in 1946 in a style that can only be described as romantic Mediterranean, the Hotel Bel-Air, with its rose-colored mission-style bungalows, is about as elite a hideaway as you can find. Hidden by bougainvillea, ficus, orange blossom, and fern, on eighteen acres right in the middle of LA’s most exclusive suburb, the grounds are mapped by terracotta passageways, and the reception area lies just beyond an arched stone bridge.
Ironically the Bel-Air began by blackballing movie folk, but it was they—and their scandalous behaviour—who made it famous. Elizabeth Taylor honeymooned there with her first husband, Marilyn Monroe spent a lot of time hopping between rooms 133 and 33, and an urban legend would have it that Lauren Bacall flooded the hotel during the Academy Awards. Although the hotel has undergone extensive renovations, it still feels like a Hollywood hideaway from the golden years. Think, therefore, of the swan-shaped pats of butter as romantic rather than kitsch. Ditto the Tuscan-inspired style of the rooms, the floral curtains and the stone Poseidon heads spewing water into the fountain.
Celebrities are not known for the judiciousness of their requests, and Bel-Air’s staff is legendary for their ability to do anything from set up a seventeen minute wedding (between Ronald Reagan’s daughter Patti and her yoga instructor) to locating a 1962 sixpence coin. They are also—especially the ones who have been there for over thirty years—discreet; you have to be, in what one employee has called the “biggest shack-up business in town.”
Most Bel-Air guests come here for a break from the spotlight; nonetheless, the very public restaurant is always busy, and for good reason. The food at the Bel-Air is fantastic. Even the notoriously ill-tempered swans eat well here — on romaine lettuce leaves. The non-feathered guests rave about the lemon pancakes, tortilla soup, and the hot water pipes underneath the terracotta floor of the restaurant patio, to warm the feet of anyone dining outside. Make sure you do because Bel-Air is about scents. The aroma of freesia, gardenia and rosemary from the on-site herb garden is divine, and for many, what characterizes the hotel at its luxurious best is the smell of the avocado wood burning in the fireplace at the bar.
The Bel Air is absolutely outstanding, and truly exceptional in the quality of service. It is rare to find a hotel of top category with such friendly, personalized service. The food was top-notch. The dining atmosphere a pleasure. Our whole experience, from start to finish, was one of the best which we have ever experienced in the USA. We would strongly recommend the Bel Air to anyone travelling for pleasure or business.
We checked in at 4:15 (check in at 3:00) and our room was not ready. We were offerred a drink and told it would be about a 15 minute wait. 30 minutes later, we asked it the room was ready and it was clear that the clerk forgot that we were waiting to get into our room. The desk clerk had an attitude that waiting for a "less-than-suite" quality room was our burden. After getting off to a bad start, the room, grounds, restaurant etc fulfilled our expectations.
My wife wrote a letter to the hotel manager and we felt that he responded appropriately ("next time you come, contact me, etc")
6213 user(s) found this review helpful
Amenities
In-room holistic spa services
15 Satellite Channels
2 line phone with voice mail
24 Hour Gym
24 Hr Room Service
24-hour security
400 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets
Adjoining rooms
Affiliations with nearby Yoga Studio and Athletic Club, for Classes and Swimming
Afternoon Tea
Air conditioning
Alarm clock
Audio Visual Equipment
Babysitting
Bar
Bathrobe
Bathtubs in select rooms
Boutique
Business Center
Business center
Cable TV
Car service
Catering
Complimentary New York Times or Newspaper of Choice Delivered Daily
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