What: As one of Beverly Hills’ most upscale hotels, the secluded, tree-lined L’Ermitage Beverly Hills offers a residential atmosphere with VIP hospitality. Service at the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel is top-notch—staff members go out of their way to meet your every need and make you feel at home. The chic, contemporary décor has an Asian flair and a subtle color palette of white, brown and gold. Sleek furnishings, and maple and English sycamore woods set the backdrop for pops of oranges and reds in artwork, flowers and accessories throughout the property. Don’t miss The Lobby Lounge and Bar (once known as the Writer’s Bar), where you can grab a cocktail and admire the original scripts of famous films like Good Will Hunting, The Godfather and The Graduate, all of which were penned there. You also might score a celebrity run-in or overhear agents discussing the next big star or writers reviewing a script.
Where: Located in the famous 90210 ZIP code, L’Ermitage Beverly Hills sits just blocks away from Rodeo Drive, where you can scope out the latest designer trends at glamorous boutiques from Prada, Gucci, Tom Ford and Cartier. (Use the hotel’s complimentary chauffeured Mercedes to get to the famed shopping district.) When you arrive at the Five-Star hotel, you’ll notice that it’s nestled among residences and has a high wall secluding it from the street—perhaps this is why it’s such a draw to celebs trying to avoid the glare of paparazzi.
When: Making its Beverly Hills debut in 1975, the prestigious hotel was managed by Raffles between 2000 and 2010 before Viceroy Hotel Group scooped it up. It receiving its first Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award in 2000, and L’Ermitage Beverly Hills remains one of the chicest in a city of great hotels. Even if you’re not checking in to the hotel, grab lunch at Livello—its relaxing garden patio with a babbling fountain is a nice setting for a leisurely meal. But if you’re looking for a star-studded stay, book a room during awards season: There’s a bevy of celebrities coming in and out of the hotel, and many end evenings of party-hopping with a nightcap at Livello.
Why: The hotel is small and quiet, but its 117 rooms are spacious. Each is outfitted with a platform bed, a marble bathroom, Acqua Di Parma bath products, a walk-in closet and a flat-screen TV with Bose speakers. And with Los Angeles’ nearly perfect year-round weather, you’ll want to put the gorgeous rooftop pool and deck to use. It boasts a stunning panoramic view of the Hollywood Hills and the surrounding area, as well as two luxe cabanas available for rent by the day. Dine at the hotel’s equally tucked-away restaurant, Livello, where chef Benjamin Dayag whips up dishes inspired by both Asian and Italian cuisines. And if you want the full VIP experience, get pampered with a spa treatment in one of two private rooms in The Spa at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills or enjoy a massage in a poolside cabana.
Photos Courtesy of Viceroy Hotels and Resorts
