Beverly Hills is a district within the city of Los Angeles, sometimes known as โ90210โ, and it has been home to many actors and celebrities. I was in LA for the Golden Globesย so, in traditional Hollywood celeb style, where else would I stay but the glamour mecca that is the SLS Hotel Beverly Hills.
This hotel is a fรชte extraordinaireย with service standards you would expect from any luxury hotel, but with a serious injection of boutique style, creativity and fun. The sleek interiors are the brainchild of the ingenious designer Philippe Starck and the culinary arts from the imagination of Chef Josรฉ Andrรฉs served up in the two on-site restaurants. Located one block from the Beverly Center and just a few blocks from the sparkling storefronts of Rodeo Drive and The Grove, SLS Hotel Beverly Hills is perfectly positioned at the crossroads of Beverly Hills luxury and Los Angeles style. Once you experience it, you will leave feeling like a movie star, or at least meet a few!After a long flight from Blighty, luckily in British Airways Business Class, I arrived in LA. Local Angelino Rashanda picked me up from LAX in what could only be described as a tankย โย well when in LA one has to make an entrance,ย so it seemed fitting we pulled up to the valet at the SLS in a blacked out SUV, chauffer driven none the less! My bags were whisked away by the bellboy, while Rashanda and I made our way into the plush modern lobby and round to front desk. Check-in was smooth and friendly,ย the lighting of the area is sexy, almost like a nightclub, with modern artwork pieces decorating the space and mirrors makingย locatingย the lift a game as you try and work out which way is the reflection! After saying hello to Emily Bernstein, PR Director for the hotel, Rashanda and I made our way up to the room.
Each of the 297 Philippe Starck-designed guest rooms and suites are ultra-modern and classically elegant. So true is this that the room feels like you are staying within an artwork. Panels slide, mirrors pivotย and beds hover above the ground as though not supported by anything but magic. The room is light and airy; with one wall completely glazed, the Californian sunshine streams through, bouncing off the mirrors and white polished surfaces. The bathroom is a mixture of wood and glass, with a impressive wet room and sink area where the wood panel slides back to reveal the bedroom. During my unpacking, we were surprised by the lovely people of the SLS with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, which we decided to take up to the roof top pool and terrace, Altitude.Surrounded by spectacular views spanning downtown Los Angeles, the ocean and the Hollywood sign, the rooftop, jewel-like Altitude pool deck offers a seductive environment of glamour and comfort. So decedent is this place, you can experience a dedicated pool concierge and valet while you indulge in signature cocktails and light fare by Josรฉ Andrรฉs, Executive Chef to the hotel. During the summer months, Altitude transforms into a pool and lounge that offers weekend VIP bottle service, live music with DJs spinning open format and events such as summer fashion shows. Rashanda and I took a seat, popped opened the champagne and toasted the week ahead of us in my much-loved Los Angeles while watching the sunset over the palm trees of Beverly Hills.
Once the last glimmer of light disappeared behind the LA hills, we headed down to the lobby bar in preparation for our dinner at The Bazaar by Josรฉ Andrรฉs. Dressed up in our Rodeo Drive finest, we sampled the cocktails and the atmosphere, watching as the La-La Land lovelies flitted in and out of the hotel and into their limos like a rollย call list for the Oscars โย this hotel truly is a Hollywood honey pot! After a few more delicious aperitifs, we headed to our seat for dinner. After dinner, and with my jet lag slowly consuming by ability to stay awake, we decided to call it a night.I headed back to my luxurious room and my floating bed of crisp white sheets. Lying down on what felt like a cloud, I could not help but smile. There I was, staying in the SLS with some of the silver screens finest, but thanks to the impeccable service of the staff at SLS, I too was a movie star. I was greeted by each member of staff with my name even though I had not met them before, doors were held open, cars were ordered to escort me around Beverly Hills, red carpets were rolled out, champagne was sent to my room and all with a smile. In comparison to my arrival to LA in a busied flurry of flashing lights and calls from the paparazzi (not for me I must add), this hotel provides a sanctum of calm where there is only one status and everyone, without fail, gets the red carpet treatment.
SLS Hotel Beverly Hills
465 S. La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
United States of America
