Los Angeles - Everyone dreams of Hollywood – that magical place where fantasy meets reality. California where wide beaches beckon, and film stars walk the streets freely as if they are normal people. If you are lucky enough to travel to Hollywood, check in to the Beverly Wilshire, hotel of the stars.
Bearing the 90210 postcode that simply exhales status and money, the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills is one of the most famous hotels in the world.
The Beverly Wilshire opened in 1928. It was a Regent hotel for decades, until it was rebranded and refurbished by Four Seasons in the 1990s. The hotel has always been a hotspot for celebrities. Charlie Chaplin lived here, as did Elvis Presley, Stevie McQueen and Warren Beatty. Many celebrities, such as Mariah Carey and the Beckhams, visit regularly.
Billions of people will have caught a glimpse of the Beverly Wilshire, for the hotel has often doubled as a film set. The stylish lobby, the traditional lifts with bellboys, and the iconic awnings; none are strangers to film hits such as Sex and the City and Indecent Proposal.
Yet the hotel is perhaps best known for Pretty Woman. The story royally reflects the magical and redeeming powers of the hotel; stay here and, while basking in luxury and tranquillity, you will regain your inner beauty.
It’s not just film stars swinging by; international royalty, politicians, ex-presidents and famous designers’ mouths water at the prospect of a night at the “W”.
This is not surprising. It’s ideally situated at the foot of Rodeo Drive, the shopping paradise for fortunate owners of fat wallets and posh personal shoppers.
True, people stay at the Beverly Wilshire for the ultimate LA experience. There is a constant buzz inside the hotel.
Celebrities can easily be spotted clinking champagne flutes at the trendy Cut restaurant, Sidebar, or the classic The Blvd. Then there is The Pool Bar & Café, next to the snug pool modelled after Sophia Loren’s private villa in Italy.
You do not have to go bankrupt to share the intimacy of the Beverly Wilshire. Book a lavish body treatment at the chic hotel spa or a manicure at the nail bar and you are free to spend the day lounging at the pool, tropical cocktail in hand, or pushing a few weights at the gym, smiling smugly at the rich boys with less impressive abs. Valet-parking is included.
The hotel welcomes people from all walks of life. The staff share 159 years of hospitality experience. Smiles are genuine, and dust dies instantly – courtesy of expertise housekeeping invisible to the naked eye.
Despite the Beverly Wilshire’s classic atmosphere, this is where classic meets current. Voted number one in Social Media, people who don’t stay at the Beverly Wilshire can now feel as if they’re there by keeping up-to-date with the latest events online. Guests can use the digital concierge service and interact with concierges prior to and during their stay. Check www.beverlyhillslocalexperts.com. Guests can also download the hotel app on their iPad, iPhone, and Android devices, to request countless hotel services. This makes the Beverly Wilshire both aspirational and accessible.
The Beverly Wilshire has 395 rooms and suites. Some suites eat up more space than your entire house and come with private entrances.
The interior of the “W” is majestic; chandeliers, plush carpets and exquisite floral arrangements mix with exclusive jewellery shops and elegantly clad people.
So, although the Beverly Wilshire is all about glitter and glamour and a precarious lifestyle; it’s also a home away from home. It connects millions of people worldwide, through memories and dreams, and its fame will only continue to grow. - Saturday Star