Editorial score of 9.0 of 10, the composite average of the three factors above (Rooms, Service, Location). Method at our methodology page. Affiliate disclosure: booking links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you, and never change our verdict.
Why stay at The Beverly Hills Hotel?
You stay here to participate in a tradition rather than simply to book a room. The Beverly Hills Hotel opened in 1912, two years before the city of Beverly Hills was incorporated, which fixes the order of priority: the hotel came first, and the neighbourhood grew up around it. The Mission Revival building in its particular shade of pink, draped in banana leaf and bougainvillea, sits on roughly 12 acres of gardens and has been among the most photographed hotels in California for most of its existence. It is owned by the Dorchester Collection, the same group behind Hotel Bel-Air, but the two properties feel nothing alike: Bel-Air is a hushed canyon retreat, while the Beverly Hills Hotel is louder, more social, and conscious of being watched.
The case for it is the sum of its set pieces. The Polo Lounge is one of the most consequential restaurant rooms in California. The pool, ringed by private cabanas and a service team that has managed the theatre of a Beverly Hills pool for generations, is a destination in its own right. The 23 garden bungalows, connected by pathways through the landscaping, remain the property's central argument, offering a private residential experience within the larger hotel. It is not a modern design hotel and it does not try to be. Set your expectations for atmosphere, ceremony and history rather than minimalist newness, and it delivers something no newcomer in the city can manufacture.
What are the best rooms to request?
Book a garden bungalow if the budget allows, because the bungalows are the reason to choose this hotel over any of its Beverly Hills rivals. Set among the grounds with private entrances and patios, several with a private pool, they function as a separate residential proposition rather than an upgraded room, and they are the accommodation that Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and Howard Hughes kept for extended stays. Inside the main building, the rooms are handsome and generously sized, finished to the Dorchester standard of comfort with deep colour, marble bathrooms and the kind of soft furnishing the brand is known for. The poolside and garden-facing categories give you the property's green outlook; the higher-priced suites open onto terraces.
One honest caveat: this is a historic property, and the character comes with the trade-offs of a historic property. Room sizes and layouts vary more than they would in a uniform modern tower, some of the interiors read traditional rather than current, and at these rates you are paying a premium for the address and the atmosphere as much as for the square footage. Ask the reservations team about the specific category and location before you commit, and prioritise a garden or bungalow setting over a standard interior room.
If you are marking an anniversary, ask the Dorchester in-residence team about a garden bungalow with a private patio and arrange a Polo Lounge breakfast outside among the banana plants. Give them your timing a day ahead for flowers, champagne and a quieter pool slot, and confirm which restaurants and bars are operating for your dates.
What is the dining and the bar scene like?
The Polo Lounge is the headline, and it earns the billing. Breakfast there on a weekday assembles a cross-section of the entertainment industry that no invitation list could replicate, and the room serves through lunch, afternoon tea and dinner on its green banquettes and in the banana-plant courtyard. For a more casual start, the Fountain Coffee Room is a genuinely preserved 1950s soda-fountain counter, run first-come, first-served by a single cook, and it is one of the most charming breakfast rooms in Los Angeles. The Cabana Cafe handles the afternoon poolside. One current caveat: Bar Nineteen12, the hotel's cocktail bar named for its opening year, was temporarily closed at the time of writing, so if an evening bar is central to your plan, confirm its status when you book.
Does it have a spa and pool?
Yes, and the pool is the stronger of the two. It is one of the most famous hotel pools in California, ringed by private cabanas that operate as a social institution in their own right, with a pool team that runs the ceremony with practised ease. The spa is on the small side but feels private, with a full menu of massages, facials, body treatments and the nail appointments that the Beverly Hills clientele genuinely judges hotels by. The fitness centre is competent rather than exceptional, which reflects a correct reading of a guest list that tends to exercise outdoors or elsewhere. Treat the pool as the main wellness attraction and the spa as a well-run supporting act.
Signature amenities
On Sunset Boulevard, above Beverly Hills
Upper Beverly Hills, on Sunset Boulevard · across from Will Rogers Memorial Park
What's nearby
- Will Rogers Memorial Park
Across Sunset2 min walk - Rodeo Drive
Luxury shopping8 min drive - Greystone Mansion & Gardens
Historic estate7 min drive - Sunset Strip
West Hollywood10 min drive - Century City
Westfield & offices12 min drive
The pink facade, the bungalows, the pool
Facade
Bungalow
Pool
Polo LoungeHow does The Beverly Hills Hotel compare with LA's other landmarks?
Against the field, the Beverly Hills Hotel is the historic, social, see-and-be-seen choice, and the decision comes down to the mood you want. Hotel Bel-Air, its Dorchester sibling, is the opposite temperament: a hushed canyon retreat of 12 garden acres with almost no visibility from the road, better for privacy than for scene. The Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills is the modern-tower alternative with a rooftop pool and CUT by Wolfgang Puck, stronger on contemporary polish. The Peninsula Beverly Hills is the service benchmark of the group, quieter and more discreet. The Beverly Hills Hotel's own trade-off is that it prizes atmosphere and history over newness, and at the time of writing its cocktail bar was temporarily closed.
| Hotel | Style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Beverly Hills Hotel | Historic Sunset landmark | Scene, pool, Polo Lounge, bungalows | Traditional, not modern; premium rates |
| Hotel Bel-Air | Hidden canyon garden retreat | Privacy, calm, honeymoons | Secluded, less of a scene |
| Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills | Modern Beverly Hills tower | Rooftop pool, CUT, newest rooms | Contemporary, not historic |
| The Peninsula Beverly Hills | Quiet five-star service | Service, villas, discretion | Understated, less theatrical |
Frequently asked questions
When did The Beverly Hills Hotel open and who owns it?
The Beverly Hills Hotel opened in 1912, two years before the city of Beverly Hills was incorporated, and is often called the Pink Palace. It is owned by the Dorchester Collection, the same group behind Hotel Bel-Air, and sits on roughly 12 acres of gardens along Sunset Boulevard.
How many rooms and bungalows does The Beverly Hills Hotel have?
There are 210 rooms and suites in total, including 23 garden bungalows set among the grounds. Several bungalows have private entrances, patios and, in a few cases, a private pool, and they have long been used for extended residencies by guests seeking maximum privacy.
What are the restaurants and bars at The Beverly Hills Hotel?
The signature room is the Polo Lounge, open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The Fountain Coffee Room is a 1950s soda-fountain counter, and the Cabana Cafe serves poolside. Bar Nineteen12, the hotel's cocktail bar, was temporarily closed at the time of writing, so confirm before planning an evening around it.
Does The Beverly Hills Hotel have a spa and pool?
Yes. The pool is one of the most famous hotel pools in California, ringed by private cabanas and its own service team. The spa is small but private, with massages, facials, body treatments and the nail appointments the Beverly Hills clientele books it for.
Where is The Beverly Hills Hotel located?
The hotel is at 9641 Sunset Boulevard on the upper edge of Beverly Hills, across from Will Rogers Memorial Park. Rodeo Drive, the Sunset Strip and Century City are each a short drive, and Bel-Air begins just to the north.
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