The Beverly Hills Hotel

The Beverly Hills Hotel
The entrance to the hotel
Map
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeHotel
Architectural styleMediterranean Revival
Address9641 Sunset Boulevard
Town or cityBeverly Hills, California
CountryUnited States
Coordinates34°4′53.17″N 118°24′49.29″W / 34.0814361°N 118.4136917°W / 34.0814361; -118.4136917
OpenedMay 12, 1912
OwnerDorchester Collection
Design and construction
Architect(s)Elmer Grey
DeveloperMargaret and Stanley Anderson
DesignationsCity of Beverly Hills Historic Landmark
Renovating team
Architect(s)Paul R. Williams (1940s)
Other information
Number of rooms210 rooms
23 bungalows
Number of restaurants4 (Bar Nineteen12; Cabana Cafe; Fountain Coffee Room; Polo Lounge)
FacilitiesSpa, swimming pool
ParkingValet parking
Website
Official website

The Beverly Hills Hotel, also called the Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows,[1] is located on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California. One of the world's best-known hotels,[2][3] it is closely associated with Hollywood film stars, rock stars, and celebrities. The hotel has 210 guest rooms and suites and 23 bungalows and the exterior bears the hotel's signature pink and green colors.

The Beverly Hills Hotel was established in May 1912, before the city itself was incorporated. The original owners were Margaret J. Anderson, a wealthy widow, and her son, Stanley S. Anderson, who had been managing the Hollywood Hotel. The original hotel was designed by Pasadena architect Elmer Grey in the Mediterranean Revival style. From 1928 to 1932, the hotel was owned by the Interstate Company. In 1941, Hernando Courtright, a vice president of the Bank of America, purchased the hotel with friends including Irene Dunne, Loretta Young, and Harry Warner. Courtright established the Polo Lounge, which is considered to be one of the premier dining spots in Los Angeles, hosting entertainers ranging from the Rat Pack to Humphrey Bogart and Marlene Dietrich. The hotel was first painted its famous pink color during a 1948 renovation to match that period's country club style. The following year, architect Paul Williams added the Crescent Wing.

The strict resident owner of the Beverly Hills Hotel from 1958 until his death in 1979 was former Detroit real estate magnate Ben L. Silberstein. In 1986, Marvin Davis bought the hotel from Silberstein's sons-in-law Burt Slatkin and Ivan F. Boesky. On December 30, 1992, the hotel closed for a complete restoration, reopening on June 3, 1995. Since 1996, it has been run as part of the Dorchester Collection owned by the Sultan of Brunei.[4] In 2012, the hotel was named the first historic landmark in Beverly Hills, and two new Presidential Bungalows were added.

The song "Hotel California" by the American rock band the Eagles is slightly based on the folklore behind the hotel. The cover of the band's album of the same name features a photo of the hotel itself.

  1. ^ Article by owner
  2. ^ Edwards, Hodgkins & Keeling 2014, p. 136.
  3. ^ Fleming 2000, p. 95.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference covid was invoked but never defined (see the help page).