“Every memory I have of the place that I want to share, I wouldn’t want to see in print.” - Robert Evans
Affectionately known as the "Pink Palace", palm trees and lush gardens pave the way to this iconic property located just off Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Beverly Hills giving it the feeling of a private estate tucked away in the hills. The Beverly Hills Hotel has been a legendary institution since it opened in 1912, providing a discreetly glamorous hideaway for the Hollywood elite.
Marilyn Monroe preferred Bungalow 1 for its ultra-secluded location, while Frank Sinatra often called #22 home and John Lennon and Yoko Ono liked #10 (so did Donald Trump). Gloria Swanson holed out in a bungalow after one of her divorces, while Elizabeth Taylor loved them so much she spent 6 out of 8 honeymoons there, usually in #5. Howard Hughes, who lived in a bungalow on and off for 30 years, never wanted anyone to know which one he was in so he booked several others under his name.
The hotel opened its doors on May 12, 1912, two years before the city’s official existence. As Hollywood began to grow, by 1914, directors, actors, and actresses started to move into the newly constructed homes near The Beverly Hills Hotel. The first five bungalows on the property were constructed for visitors and Hollywood celebrities who wanted a more “home-like” feel. The Beverly Hills Hotel was designed by Pasadena architect Elmer Grey, in the Mediterranean Revival style. The hotel featured a white colonial mansion, along with a white stucco exterior and terracotta-coloured roof tiles. The colourful gardens, covering 12 acres of the property, were designed by Wilbur David Cook. The gardens include banana plants, hibiscus, palm trees, and other tropical vegetation and are home to the 23 bungalows, which became almost a second home to many movie stars such as Howard Hughes, who permanently kept a bungalow at the hotel.
The exterior of the hotel was made pink in 1948 to complement the sunset colours and the country club lifestyle of that time. By 1949, architect Paul Revere Williams redesigned the Polo Lounge, Fountain Coffee Room and lobby into their now-signature pink and green style. The Polo Lounge was renovated in 1974 featuring table lamps and flowers, along with pink and green booths, each having its own private plug-in telephone - the epitome of wealth at the time.
Following in the footsteps of decorator Dorothy Draper who originally designed her banana leaf pattern Brazilliance for the Arrowhead Springs Hotel, in 1942, Don Loper, a famous dancer, fashion designer, and interior designer, created the now famous Martinique banana leaf wallpaper, exclusively for the Beverly Hills Hotel. The banana leaf wallpaper can be found throughout this historic hotel through the hallways, in the lobby, and even in the Fountain Coffee Room. Such is the cult following of this design that the hotel gift shop now sells banana leaf souvenirs such as pool towels, pillows, dresses, and even sneakers with the famous banana leaf design.
The palm-tree lined pool, whose cabanas now boast the hotel’s iconic banana leaf Martinique wallpaper in a darling shade of millennial pink, is a snapshot of classic Hollywood. Much action over the years has taken place in this spot: Katharine Hepburn once dove fully clothed into the pool after a tennis game; Raquel Welch and Robert Evans were discovered by Hollywood elite while lounging poolside; Leonard Bernstein came up with the idea for West Side Story in Cabana 3. Between 2012 and 2015, it had a four-phase renovation project of the lobby, Polo Lounge, pool cabanas, and all rooms and suites in the main building.
Dining at the Beverly Hills Hotel is an event in itself with choices from the legendary Polo Lounge to the iconic diner-style eatery, the Fountain Coffee Room. If one is looking to “people watch” the Polo Lounge would be the best bet to experience a handcrafted cocktail from some of the best mixologists in Los Angeles. The Polo Lounge was not always what it is today, originally it was home to the children’s dining room. Later, Hernando Courtright, who owned the hotel during the ‘30s and ‘40s, established the Polo Lounge “in honour of a celebrity band of polo players who toasted victories at the restaurant after matches.” The Polo Lounge became and still remains a place where stars would relax, have a drink, and discuss business. According to the director of global guest relations for The Beverly Hills Hotel, Steven Boggs, you want to reserve Booth 2 at The Polo Lounge to have a front seat to all the action!
In 2012, the Beverly Hills Hotel celebrated its 100th anniversary and was named, the first historic landmark in Beverly Hills.
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