One-Minute Hotel / The Peninsula, Beverly Hills
One of the most famous hotels in the world manages to be understated and chic… but still ridiculously delicious!
So, where are we?
Right in what they call the Golden Triangle – not the Cheshire one – on an intersection of Santa Monica and Wilshire with Rodeo Drive, the most famous shopping street in all of California, just a few minutes’ walk down the road. Not that you have to walk if you’re at The Peninsula: they have a Rolls Royce and can run you.
And where we’re staying...?
We gave it away: The Peninsula, one of the most famous hotels in Los Angeles, California and the World. Historic, in that it belongs to an Asian company that was launched well over a century ago, it’s been kept bang up to date with numerous refurbs and the inclusion of tech.
What’s the style?
The building is what they call French château style, which means big and grand and historic-looking, beautifully lit at night – of course! – and tucked behind some trees on Santa Monica for full discretion. Inside, expect grand. Marble shined so you could pluck nose hairs on it, classic furniture, orchids, a bar clad in the darkest of woods, the California sunshine glinting off the gilt. But European in style. Very European.
And the rooms?
Huge. Just for starters. And beautiful in an oh-so-tasteful way with barely a pop of colour apart from the canopy over the bed and the drapes. But the low-key elegance of it all belies the tech: snap on the Do Not Disturb from the informational iPad by your bed, for instance, or print out your boarding cards from the printer concealed within the desk (there are even paperclips if you’re that sort of person). The bathroom is all white and rose marble with a bath (super-fast filling, by the way: no hanging around for half an hour for a soak here) and a shower and enough towels to carpet a church. Oh and you get a pillowcase with your initials embroidered onto it. Yes. It’s that dedicated to making this a personal relationship.
Is there a story?
Opened in 1991, it’s had the Forbes Five-Star Award and the AAA Five Diamond Award every year since… and they’re the only hotel in Southern California that can say that. As for celebrity stories, you’ll have to do your own research as discretion is at the heart of this… they even have a secret entrance for movie stars and royalty to avoid gawping.
And to eat?
For breakfast, head up to the roof for a laid-back, sun-dappled à la carte set-up with waiters in cheeky Peninsula Hawaiian shirts and a canopy of trademark sunshine-yellow and white-striped umbrellas. For serious dinners take it downstairs to the Belvedere, one of Beverly Hills’ finest fine-dining experiences, either inside or out on the terrace. For afternoon tea with live plinky-plonk piano courtesy of Antonio Castillo de la Gala, it’s The Living Room; for cosy drinks, it’s The Club Bar.
So, to sum up...
With a rooftop pool overlooking Century City complete with cabanas (with their own TVs!) and foliage, just for extra dappling, this is most definitely a destination, an icon of LA hotel-land. But what they’re known for is sky-high levels of service from being escorted to your room by management to sorting out arrangements for your dog. Think of it as where fancy meets easy-to-use.
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