Like the story of Hollywood itself, that of the Beverly Hills Hotel is made of glamour, luxury, and romance. This hotel was built in 1912 – before the town itself took the name Beverly Hills. With the hope of attracting people to the region, developer Burton Green, head of Rodeo Land and Water Company, decided to buy land that was then still in the possession of the Mexican government. Within the comfort of the mountains of Santa Monica, he had the idea to built a spacious, stylish, and audacious hotel – he thus tasked Margaret J. Anderson with designing the building’s architecture. With white stucco accents and terra cotta tiles, the hotel first took the name Beverly Farms, recalling his home in Massachusetts. Soon, this place would attract all of Hollywood, charmed by its casual environment and faultless service. In 1959, Marilyn Monroe’s screenwriter husband Arthur Miller would persuade Clark Gable to appear in The Misfits.
Located on Sunset Boulevard, this 5-star hotel is surrounded by 12 acres of verdant tropical gardens and exotic flowers. This is a treat for anyone who may find that the original architecture and astounding interior design echo out to their imagination. For example, while filming Let’s Make Love in 1960, Marilyn Monroe and Yves Montand had an affair in bungalows 20 and 21. Bungalow 7 was Marilyn’s favorite – it’s now called Norma Jean. Several years later, legendary couple Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton would forge this location’s legend a bit more by spending their honeymoon in one of the bungalows. Liz Taylor would actually go on to do the same for her next four honeymoons…!
The Nineteen12 bar, named after the year the hotel opened, is also one of this pink palace’s strong points. Exclusive cocktails and spectacular views of the California sunset tie together mixology with a dazzling environment. The Beverly Hills Hotel incarnates more than a century of encounters, affairs, scandals, and anecdotes that have nourished the legend of this California hotel. From John Lennon and Yoko Ono who spent a whole week in bed (specially ordered by Marlene Dietrich) in Bungalow 11, to Rex Harrison from My Fair Lady who liked to tan with the simplest of gear – a different colored handkerchief each day to protect his anatomy – these stories have all given succor to the legend that is the Beverly Hills Hotel.
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