Beverly Wilshire – Hotel Review

The romance of Hollywood lingers in every corner of Beverly Wilshire – a Four Seasons property in LA’s Beverly Hills. It is in the distinctive awnings that dot the building’s Beaux-Arts façade. It is in the tinkle of the piano that brings the teak-clad Blvd restaurant to life. It is in the enormous Swarovski chandelier that dominates the lobby. You will not find the presidential suite in which one of Hollywood’s most iconic movies, Pretty Woman, was shot (all in-room scenes of the movie were filmed in a studio). What you will find, however, are 532 elegant rooms and suites (many with balconies), seamless service and Wolfgang Puck’s Michelin-starred restaurant Cut. Plus, loads of unabashed Hollywood glamour.

The location

About half-an-hour drive from Los Angeles International Airport, the hotel is located in the heart of Beverly Hills, with the fashionable Rodeo Drive (and its profanely chic stores – Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Bulgari, et al) right at its doorstep.

The rooms

Accommodation ranges from Signature rooms (considerably spacious at 37 square metres) to a sprawling Penthouse Suite with 270-degree views of the city. Ask for a room in the hotel’s historic Wilshire Wing (built in 1928) if you prefer Beaux-Arts flourishes – high ceilings and ornate columns. But if you like your lines clean and prefer to be closer to the hotel’s fitness and wellness sanctuary, opt for a room in the modern Beverly wing (built in 1971). Irrespective of which wing you choose, all rooms feature marble bathrooms, deep soaking tubs and Salvatore Ferragamo amenities.

Food and drink

Vivid artworks by John Baldessari add a splash of colour to Wolfgang Puck’s Michelin-starred Cut restaurant, which is open for dinner only. The food on the plate is just as artful, with the steakhouse’s dishes ranging from 28-day-aged filet mignon to Maine lobster with XO sauce. But if you want to turn up the glamour factor, make your way to The Blvd restaurant, with high ceilings, plush sofas and an illuminated onyx bar. Ask for a table outside, with front-row views of Rodeo Drive’s goings-on.

For business travellers

There’s a business centre on the mezzanine floor of the Wilshire wing, with a computer, copier and printer. Plus, the hotel offers secretarial services and a multilingual concierge.

For wellness travellers

Located on the second floor of the Beverly wing, the hotel’s wellness and beauty sanctuary features a cardio centre, a strength and yoga training studio, a Mediterranean-style pool (with daybeds and cabanas) and a swank spa, complete with a “nail bar” and beauty and wellness treatments for men, women and children.

The fab factor

Want to glamp in the middle of LA? Book the hotel’s Veranda Suite, featuring a sprawling private terrace with skyline views and a luxurious tent, lit up with a crystal chandelier.

 

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