Secluded Luxury at the Legendary Hotel Bel-Air

While the Beverly Hills Hotel is the place to see and be seen, it’s sister property, the Hotel Bel-Air, is known as the place to go if you want to hide away from everyone. Tucked away in the secluded private estate of Bel-Air in Canyon Hills, Hotel Bel-Air is a boutique paradise offering a cosy ‘old Hollywood’ oasis just a short drive away from Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, and privacy that cannot be found at any other hotel in Los Angeles.

Well-known for being a favourite of Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, and Marilyn Monroe, the hotel opened in 1946 and has mantained its reputation for providing luxurious seclusion for over 75 years – even today it’s still very much a favourite of Hollywood bigwigs. The building is a peachier, more subdued shade of pink than its sister hotel, with the Spanish Colonial–style architecture and 12-acres of gardens making you feel worlds away from the rest of Los Angeles.

Arriving at Hotel Bel-Air

I arrived at the hotel at 9am, exhausted and severely jetlagged from a 14-hour flight from Sydney. It was December, pouring with rain, and I had not packed for cold weather – I had arrived at my last stop on a round-the-world trip which had seen me spend the previous three weeks in the balmy warmth of Singapore and Australia, so the warmest item of clothing I had with me was a pair of jeans and a light scarf.

I shivvered as I exited the car, finding myself in 13-degrees celcius weather, and tried to take in the beauty of the hotel’s Swan Lake as I crossed over the covered bridge which briefly protected me from the rain. The mature gardens were stunning, a small slice of paradise with large shrubs and towering oak trees, and pretty flowers lining the path as you walk towards the hotel itself.

Looking dishevelled and tired, the check-in staff welcomed me into the cosy lobby. There was a roaring fire in the centre of the large room, set within a natural-stone-and-metal fireplace, and the atmosphere of the space gave a wonderful feeling of arriving home after a long journey. The hotel went through a huge two-year renovation and refurbishment in 2011, with the new look courtesy of designers Alexandra Champalimaud and David Rockwell, and even over a decade on it still looks absolutely timeless.

As I had arrived so early from my flight, my room was still being prepped, so the staff asked me to wait for a little while, while they completed final checks. I took this opportunity to make the most of the warmth of the fireplace, and sat next to it, curling up on a comfortable oversized chair with my book, a giant Christmas tree by the nearby window. It was bliss.

Staying in Hotel Bel-Air’s Canyon Suite

When my room was finally ready for me, I discovered that I was fortunate to have an upgrade to one of Hotel Bel-Air’s Canyon Suites. Entering into the living room I was instantly in awe of the space…but especially the warmth! The heating worked a treat, and the cosy and homely feel to the suite relaxed me instantly and made me breathe a deep sigh of satisfaction. The living room featured a comfortable sofa and coffee table (upon which, was a beautiful selection of fruit, large bottles of water, and a box of six cupcakes), a desk and chair, and an impressive array of technology beneath the large television. An iPad provided all of the information I needed – I could do everything from view the in-room dining menu to requesting housekeeping and control the temperature and lights in the suite.

By the front door was a small powder room, and also off from the living space was the bedroom, which featured a sumptuously soft bed with exquisite egyptian cotton bedding, custom limestone floors and natural wood ceilings. Through the bedroom there was a small closet area which led through to a substantially sized bathroom.

Possibly my favourite thing about the bathroom, was the fact that Hotel Bel-Air provides enormous towels – not those small little things that can barely cover your body unless you’re model-esque skinny – but huge, gigantic, blanket sized towels that you can properly snuggle up in after a long bath. And speaking of the bath, it’s gorgeous, and includes a built-in television so you can lay there in blissful bubbly warmth and watch your favourite show. Amenities in the bathroom were Atelier Cologne, which made me exceedingly happy. My only niggle was the shower – the rain shower completely drenches you so, in my opinion, is unusable. Thankfully there is a smaller ‘normal’ shower which is far better if you don’t want water in your eyes and all over your face.

And then, there was the pièce de résistance of the suite. Moving back to the living space, there was an expansive sliding glass wall that led to the patio, where there was a private spa pool and an outdoor fireplace that overlooks the canyon. The spa pool was fabulous and felt unbelievably luxurious – it felt like a hot bath, and I thoroughly enjoyed a dip in the evening with the fireplace glowing when there was a short break in the rain.

Staying in a Canyon Suite was truly a special experience, and I’m unbelievably grateful. The attention-to-detail was outstanding, and it was so lovely to have personal touches in the suite – the cupcakes that were left for me had my Instagram photos on them, which was very much appreciated. They had also left a personalised bandana which had my dog’s name on it as well as the hotel’s branding – a very cute souvenir gift for my dog Frank, who was back home in London as he was unable to accompany me on my trip. And, they had even framed a photo of him for me and left it on the side table. As you can probably guess, Hotel Bel-Air, just like its sister hotel, is dog-friendly, with dogs pampered just as much as the human guests!

Dining at Hotel Bel-Air

There is only one restaurant at Hotel Bel-Air: Wolfgang Puck. This is where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Of course, you’re also welcome to take the hotel’s complimentary town car over to the sister hotel, the Beverly Hills Hotel, to dine at their restaurants as well. There is also however, the ‘Bar & Lounge’, a more relaxed drinking and dining environment. Slick, glamorous, and unbelievably cool, I thoroughly enjoyed a nightcap here. It’s a fantastic people-watching spot and they have live music which adds to the atmosphere.

Breakfast at Wolfgang Puck was an absolute joy. The relaxed LA ambience offers guests an opportunity to lounge in comfortable booths, at the outdoor bar, or in private alcoves overlooking Swan Lake. There are heated floors and a retractable screen meaning you can enjoy the space year-round. I chose to sit in the covered outdoor seating area, which I found to be very relaxing and peaceful.

The breakfast menu has something for everyone, from toasted nut granola to pancakes, french toast, and then an entire section of the menu dedicated to eggs. I chose the French-style omelette with wild field mushrooms, gruyère, cipollini and fingerling potatoes, and quickly declared it the best omelette I have ever eaten. It was even better than the one I enjoyed back in 2018 at the Shangri-La in Paris – and that’s saying something!

The Hotel’s Pool & Spa

Amenities-wise, Hotel Bel-Air of course has its iconic outdoor oval swimming pool, which was the location of Marilyn Monroe’s very last photoshoot before her death, for Vogue magazine. It’s also a movie location – the opening sequence of the 1965 movie The Silencers sees Dean Martin getting a soaking from his co-star Stella Stevens whilst relaxing beside Hotel Bel-Air’s swimming pool! Surrounded by shady palm trees, the pool is heated to a perfect 27.8˚C/82˚F all-year round, and during the warmer months guests are refreshed with hourly, seasonal ‘pop-up refreshments’ such as frozen grape skewers, ice cream sundae and chocolate-dipped bananas.

There is also the outstanding La Prairie spa, which offers the typical spa treatments, including facials, massages, body treatments, and nail care services, as well as male and female steam rooms. Alongside the spa is the fitness centre, with TechnoGym cardiovascular equipment, weight machines and free weights, yoga mats and blocks.

Location of Hotel Bel-Air

Hotel Bel-Air is perfectly situated for exploring the local area. The hotel’s complimentary house car will also take you within a 3-mile radius, and while my first stop in the house car was the local shopping centre to find a jumper, the hotel is just a 10-minute drive from both Beverly Hills and The Getty Museum and 15-minutes from Santa Monica. If you’re a fitness fan, the local neighbourhood of Bel-Air is also the perfectly running spot!

The Cosiest Hotel Stay

Staying at Hotel Bel-Air was an experience I wish I could live over and over again. I am determined to visit again one day, but next time I’ll make sure to visit in the summer so I can enjoy the gardens, and hopefully with my dog! Hotel Bel-Air allow up to two small dogs per room, and not only do they provide beds, bowls, toys, and biscuits, but they even provide dog-sitting and dog-walking services.

I adored the cosy vibes of the hotel, the seclusion and privacy, and just how luxuriously homely it all felt. It’s also just absolutely beautiful – the little corners with fountains trickling away, the tucked away outdoor fireplaces with tables and chairs for resting, the nature and birds and swans and trees and flowers and oh my goodness the fresh air! It’s a proper retreat, an oasis, a place to escape to, run away to, and hide away from the world. I wish I could stay for a month and get my book written, stay for two months and just wallow around in the gardens, stay for three and just forget the world outside as I lounge by the pool and sip on cocktails.

I think the point I’m trying to make is, there is no other hotel like this. Not in a major city like Los Angeles, at least. It is luxurious perfection and my stay at Hotel Bel-Air was almost completely faultless. The only small niggle was the shower. Aside from that, it was perfect. And perfect is rare. So what are you waiting for? Go! Run! You can wallow and relax when you’re there.