The Beverly Hills Hotel

The Beverly Hills Hotel opened on 12 May 1912, before Beverly Hills was even a city, and it was built for visitors who came to look at local property to buy. Founded by Margaret Anderson, whose motto was that guests were entitled to the best of everything regardless of cost, it was painted pink in 1948, earning its nickname, the Pink Palace. Today it is part of the Dorchester Collection.

Much of the hotel's look dates from the late 1940s. The architect Paul R. Williams designed the Crescent Wing in 1949 and redesigned the Polo Lounge, the Fountain Coffee Room and the lobby, while the famous Martinique banana-leaf wallpaper, created in 1942, was introduced by designer Don Loper during the 1949 renovation. That combination of pink stucco, green palms and leafy wallpaper is instantly recognisable.

The property has around 210 rooms and suites in the main building, plus 23 bungalows set in the gardens, which have long been favoured by celebrities wanting privacy. The Polo Lounge, long a meeting place for Hollywood's deal-makers, is the hotel's best-known restaurant; the Fountain Coffee Room has served guests since 1949 at its curved counter, and the Cabana Cafe overlooks the pool.

The hotel suits travellers who want classic glamour and a sense of Hollywood history, and families are also well looked after, with the pool a focal point in summer. Rates are at the very top of the market, especially for bungalows. Smart casual dress is the norm in the restaurants.

Non-guests can visit the restaurants, and breakfast at the Fountain Coffee Room or lunch at the Polo Lounge is a popular way to experience the hotel without staying. Booking ahead is advisable. The hotel's website directs enquiries about rooms, restaurants, bars and spa bookings through its contact page. The hotel's distinctive look has made it a favourite location for photographers and film crews, and its pink facade and green-and-white striped details are a recognisable part of the Sunset Boulevard landscape. Guests who want to make the most of the history should take time to explore the public rooms, including the Polo Lounge's terrace and the Fountain Coffee Room's counter, both of which have changed little in decades.

The hotel stands on Sunset Boulevard at the northern edge of Beverly Hills, a short drive from Rodeo Drive's shops and the Beverly Hills civic centre. Hollywood and West Hollywood's Sunset Strip are around fifteen minutes east by car, and the Getty Center about twenty minutes west.