The Beverly Hills Hotel, The Beverly Hilton, The Peninsula Beverly Hills: Experience Three Generations of Beverly Hills Luxury
Historic Route 66 runs through the heart of Beverly Hills, a city with a constantly evolving vision of luxury. Three of its best-known hotels opened in three very different eras: The Beverly Hills Hotel in 1912, The Beverly Hilton in 1955, and The Peninsula Beverly Hills in 1991. Together, they offer three ways to experience the architecture, rituals, food, and Hollywood history that have shaped the city.
The Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel Entrance. Image: via Dorchester Collection.
Opened: 1912
Accommodations: 210 rooms and suites, including 23 bungalows
Design: Originally designed by Elmer Grey as a Mediterranean Revival hotel, the property was substantially reimagined beginning in the 1940s by Paul R. Williams, who designed the Crescent Wing and reshaped the lobby, Polo Lounge, Fountain Coffee Room and other defining spaces; decorator Don Loper later incorporated C.W. Stockwell’s Martinique banana-leaf wallpaper into the hotel’s interiors.
The Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Image: via Dorchester Collection.
Details: If there is one place that sums up the spirit of Beverly Hills on its own, it is the Beverly Hills Hotel and its legendary Polo Lounge. Opened in 1912, even before the city itself was officially established, the “Pink Palace” played a major role in establishing the neighborhood and attracting the large estates that would go on to shape the image of Beverly Hills. Even today, the setting alone is worth the detour without booking a stay: powder-pink façades, arches, rotundas opening onto the gardens, immense palm trees and nearly five hectares of lush vegetation give the property its instantly recognizable Californian elegance.
While filming Let’s Make Love, Marilyn Monroe and Yves Montand had an affair in Bungalows 20 and 21. Bungalow 7, Monroe’s favorite, is known as Norma Jean. Image: via Vanity Fair.
But what makes the place truly unique is also everyone who has passed through it. Marilyn Monroe was a regular guest of the hotel and its bungalows, to the point that one of them now pays tribute to her, while Rita Hayworth dined at the Polo Lounge. Industrialist and philanthropist Howard Hughes lived intermittently in the bungalows for nearly thirty years.
Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra and Charlie Chaplin are also among the major figures associated with the history of this address. For decades, stars, producers and major Hollywood decision-makers met here for lunch, to negotiate contracts or simply to disappear into one of the secluded corners of the garden, to the point that the Polo Lounge was long nicknamed the “Hollywood commissary,” in other words, its unofficial canteen.
One Thing You Must Absolutely Do at The Beverly Hills Hotel
Go to the The Polo Lounge. Celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2026, come for the room as much as the meal, but try at least one of the house classics: the McCarthy Salad, Steak Diane, or the famous soufflé.
At the table, chef Ashley James’ cuisine combines the great classics of the house with more contemporary dishes. Among the essentials, you have to try the legendary McCarthy Salad, created here and now a true institution, with grilled chicken, avocado, beetroot, cheddar and smoked bacon. For something more substantial, the Steak Diane, served in the spirit of the Polo Lounge’s great classics, is an excellent choice for meat lovers. And it is impossible to leave without ordering the famous house soufflé, one of the restaurant’s most iconic desserts.
The Beverly Hills Hotel is located at 9641 Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Information and reservations here.
The Beverly Hilton
The Beverly Hilton. Image: via Hilton.
Opened: 1955
Accommodations: 566 rooms, including 101 suites
Design: Designed by Welton Becket and Associates as a Midcentury Modern resort hotel, The Beverly Hilton retains much of its strongly horizontal original exterior while its interiors have evolved repeatedly, including a multimillion-dollar 2020 renovation encompassing all guest rooms, suites and public spaces.
Details: To extend the immersion in the Hollywood of yesterday, make a detour to the legendary Beverly Hilton, opened in 1955 and inseparable from Beverly Hills’ golden age of the Midcentury indulgence. Most importantly, this is where the Golden Globes have been held for more than sixty years, while the hotel also maintains historic ties with the Oscars, notably hosting Academy events such as the nominees luncheon.
And the Hilton story is still very much alive: Paris Hilton herself lived here and still maintains her habits at the hotel, to the point that it is not impossible to spot her during a visit.
1974 Mercedes-Benz SL. Image: Julien Fautrat
The hotel offers a genuine Hollywood Classic Cars experience, with the opportunity to hit the road behind the wheel of a superb 1974 Mercedes-Benz SL, allowing you to drive around Beverly Hills as if you were in a movie.
One Thing You Must Absolutely Do at The Beverly Hilton
The Hollywood Classic Cars experience is a must. Take the 1974 Mercedes-Benz SL out through Beverly Hills and experience the neighborhood from behind the wheel of a car that feels completely at home in the setting.
For lunch, a drink or dinner, head up to CIRCA 55 Rooftop, perched on the eighth floor, for its Californian cuisine and above all its panoramic view over Beverly Hills.
The Beverly Hilton is located at 9876 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Information and reservations here.
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
The Peninsula Beverly Hills. Image: via The Peninsula Beverly Hills.
Opened: 1991
Accommodations: 195 total — 140 guestrooms, 38 suites and 17 private villas
Designer: Initially presented as a residential-scale, classically styled hotel with a French-influenced aesthetic, The Peninsula’s interiors were redesigned by Cynthia Forchielli and Helen Glynn in 2018 and refreshed again by Hirsch Bedner Associates in 2025, which updated all 195 accommodations and the rooftop while retaining elements of the property’s original design.
Details: The Peninsula Beverly Hills has long attracted a discreet Hollywood clientele while sitting in excellent proximity to the shops of Rodeo Drive. Contemporary accounts from the 1990 to now name guests including Whitney Houston, Tony Bennett, Melanie Griffith, Jessica Lange, Debra Winger and Elle Macpherson, while Cher and Michael Bolton are also among the celebrities associated with the property.
Part of the appeal has always been privacy: The Peninsula has private entrances for VIP and celebrity guests, allowing them to move through the hotel with considerably less attention than at some of Beverly Hills’ more theatrical properties.
The Rooftop Garden at The Peninsula Hotel Beverly Hills. Image: The Peninsula Hotel Beverly Hills.
The Rooftop Garden surrounds a pristine blue pool with views across Beverly Hills and its yellow-and-white striped cabanas were recently upgraded with 50-inch high-definition televisions, Bluetooth sound systems and personalized all-day dining.
Afternoon Tea at The Peninsula Beverly Hills. Image: Dan Latif.
Its most impressive expression for a day visit is the Afternoon Tea. Settle comfortably around an assortment of small sandwiches and savory bites prepared with great finesse: cucumber and lemon cream, smoked salmon, egg and watercress, depending on the inspiration of the moment. Then come the essential scones, served with jams, lemon curd and thick cream, followed by a succession of small pastries, fruit tarts, macarons and delicate sweets that can easily turn the experience into a genuine light lunch.
Everything is accompanied by a particularly carefully selected range of teas, from Darjeeling to Japanese green teas and more aromatic creations, as well as, for those who wish, a glass of Perrier-Jouët Champagne.
One Thing You Must Absolutely Do at The Peninsula Beverly Hills
Afternoon Tea in The Living Room features a live harpist, traditional service, sandwiches, scones, pastries and tea, making it one of the clearest ways to experience The Peninsula’s more ritualized interpretation of Beverly Hills luxury.
The service reflects the character of the place: extremely attentive but above all warm, without ever becoming overly ceremonial. You come as much for what you eat as to take the time to enjoy the atmosphere of the palace hotel for a few hours.
For its 35th anniversary in 2026, The Peninsula added a lovely ritual to the experience: visitors are given a commemorative coin and invited to make a wish before throwing it into the Flight to Infinity fountain. A very simple gesture, but a lovely way to leave, in turn, a small piece of your own story within that of the hotel.
The Peninsula Beverly Hills is located at 9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Information and reservations here.
Historic Route 66 runs through the heart of Beverly Hills, a city with a constantly evolving vision of luxury. Three of its best-known hotels opened in three very different eras: The Beverly Hills Hotel in 1912, The Beverly Hilton in 1955, and The Peninsula Beverly Hills in 1991. Together, they offer three ways to experience the architecture, rituals, food, and Hollywood history that have shaped the city.