Roll out the red carpet, darlings, because this Real-Time Retreat heads to Hollywood where we’ll go Live from Lala Land and visit two iconic hotels that continue to leave their imprint on our culture - The Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows and Hotel Bel Air, both Dorchester Collection Hotels.
These two historic hotels were (and are) not only the playground of the stars, they’re the meeting rooms, the escapes, the rendezvous points, the see-and-be-seen locales, where the business and the pleasure of Tinsel Town goes down.
You’re encouraged to dress as your favorite movie star, Hollywood icon, dancer, director, artist, socialite, mogul or misfit. There’s no costume that’s too “kitschy,” no hat too haughty, no diamonds too dangly, and no heels too high for this week’s tour!
As as added bonus, each week we’ll be rewarding the planner who goes “all-in” on the theme with goodies from Maui Jim. So engage, be creative, and have fun!
The Beverly Hills Hotel
“Los Angeles is a large, city-like area surrounding The Beverly Hills Hotel.”
For over a century, The Beverly Hills Hotel has been the spot for Hollywood’s brightest lights, the ultimate beacon of glamour. She greets you like a movie star from the moment you pass the iconic signage, step onto the signature red carpet and enter the grand lobby. Welcome to the legacy. Welcome to the Pink Palace.
The timeless limelight: The iconic L.A. hideaway is famous for playing host to Hollywood royalty over the years. From the deals made in the Polo Lounge to the romances conducted in the secluded bungalows, this has been Tinsel Town’s playground since Beverly Hills was born. As a matter of fact, The Beverly Hills Hotel opened on May 12, 1912 before the city even existed. The idea was to create a hotel for people in which to stay while looking at property to buy in the area.
The original motto of the hotel stated that guests were “entitled to the best of everything, regardless of cost.”
For a delightful, brief history of the hotel and some of its biggest fans: check out this video.
FROM THE POLO LOUNGE TO THE CABANA CAFE...
The Polo Lounge has been known as the epicentre of power dining in LA and the preferred place to be for legendary stars and Hollywood deal-makers. It was established in the 1930s and was named after the polo fields on which it was built.
Other dining locations on the property are equally as famous: The Fountain Coffee Room and Bar Nineteen12. Here’s the juice that’s one of the guests’ favorites:
TAKE A DIP WITH HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY
Katharine Hepburn once dove fully clothed into the pool. The Beatles had their own private pool party here and Leonard Bernstein came up with the idea for West Side Story in cabana three. So get out your best swimsuit and dive in!
HOLD YOUR MEETINGS WHERE THE STARS MEET
From board room to ballroom, generations have met, celebrated, and networked in these beautiful spaces, and have been looked after with refined but personable care and attention to detail. Every ballroom has a private foyer that creates an inviting space of it own and can be decorated in any way you’d like.
The Hotel Bel-Air
A hidden sanctuary amongst the wooded hills, untouched by the clamor of life beyond the gates of Bel-Air. The most quintessentially private and exclusive hotel, delivering low-key elegance since 1946.
Above the rest: Just a mile away from Beverly Hills but also a million miles away from Beverly Hills. Here in the exclusive neighborhood of Bel-Air, built high in the canyons of Los Angeles. Above the rest, in every way imaginable. Immerse yourself in the treasured home of the golden era of Hollywood. A rare piece of living history in the town of today.
MARILYN WAS IN VOGUE
Hotel Bel-Air was a favorite spot for superstar Marilyn Monroe. In fact, the hotel was the setting for her last Vogue magazine shoot, six weeks before her death. Her favorite bungalow is now the fitness room.
A TALE OF TWO HOTELS
If The Beverly Hills Hotel was the place to be seen, Hotel Bel-Air was perhaps the place to stay hidden, for many. Who did this escaping elite group consist of? Tycoons. Movie stars. Not celebrities as we see them today, the modern day reality opportunists and pop stars known for notoriety. These were movie stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Debonair Robert Wagner worked as a pool boy. His mother was a resident for twenty-three years. Other regulars included Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Lauren Bacall. More contemporary visitors include Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, and Brooke Shields. Oprah celebrated her 50th birthday there.
Hotel Bel-Air is a 12-acre paradise styled as a private residence. A Californian oasis of relaxation and indulgence. A place of sweet splendour at its very best.
BESPOKE MEETINGS AND EVENT SPACES
From the moment your guests step on the property, let the jaw dropping begin. The Front Lawn is simply the most picturesque setting for any occasion where memories are meant to be made. The surrounding gardens create a sensory experience of sheer magic on any scale you choose.
Hotel Bel-Air offers a unique and private location for those wishing to avoid the typical hotel business setting. With a range of elegant indoor and glorious outdoor function spaces within the world-famous gardens, the hotel is a tranquil respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Kelly McAlister, Maui Jim
Kelly McAlister of Maui Jim will be with us on the calls each week as judge and jury to see which planner really goes all-in with the theme. So engage, be creative, and have fun... and you may be the winner!
She’ll be doing some gifting that will surely lift your shelter-in-place spirits!
