As a resident of SoCal for 11 plus years I’ve rarely had an opportunity to make Los Angeles a vacation destination. But since I moved up to San Francisco, making LA a holiday location seemed like a perfect idea.

In a recent trip, I had the fortune of staying at the iconic Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, located in Beverly Hills. It has a long (nearly 100 years) and distinguished history with Hollywood culture, and for good reason. This beautiful resort may be most famous for the movie “Pretty Woman” but it is far from its only such claim. The Sex & The City: The Movie and Valentine’s Day movies also featured the hotel. Further, many celebrities have called this hotel home throughout the years.

The Beverly Wilshire is located at the foot of the legendary Rodeo Drive, steps away from the best retail therapy in the world. (West) Hollywood, Santa Monica, Century City, Koreatown and beyond are “just around the corner”, making it the ideal home base for any LA vacation. It is also home to Wolfgang Puck’s first CUT restaurant, which continues to merit a Michelin star among many other accolades for its cuisine and dining experience. And other top restaurants are only a few blocks away along Canon and Beverly Drives.

PRO TIP: Since COVID, many boutiques on Rodeo Drive require an appointment to visit. Call your favorite stores directly or ask the Concierge to make all the arrangements for you. I personally had some trouble connecting with one of the stores so it was very helpful to be able to lean on the hotel staff.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still persistent, it’s also important to highlight that not all hotels have the same standard for safety.  True to what you’d expect from a Four Seasons hotel, the Beverly Wilshire took safety measures to the highest level. All entry (and reentry) into the hotel requires a quick temperature check along with screening questions. Hand sanitizer are installed strategically all around the hotel; and they even have self-cleansing elevator buttons! Upon entry into the room, you’ll notice a pre-packaged set of masks, hand-sanitizing gels and wipes to be used during the stay; and they are replaced daily.

Upon checking in, Sam, the evening manager, gave us a short tour of the hotel and then walked us to our room; and each time we interacted with the hotel staff thereafter (especially Sam) we were greeted by our names. This sort of personal touch and attention to the detail was a consistent theme throughout our stay. The room was stunning, as expected, with plenty of space along with an expansive balcony area to take in the L.A. skyline. Nothing but the best with this hotel.

THE ROOMS:

All rooms are large and spacious with some offering a large balcony and a lovely view. The Governor’s suite, located on the 14th floor, offers two large bedrooms and three bathrooms. Further, the balcony space offers a near panoramic view of Los Angeles, including direct line of sight of Rodeo Drive, Hollywood Hills and the Sign.

The humongous living room includes a large dining table with high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows that open to the big terrace area.

THE POOL:

The elegant pool has a fountain situated near the top, which is flanked by daybeds reminiscent of a Moroccan-style hammam. Lounge chairs with umbrellas also surround the pool (nicely spaced for safety) so everyone can soak in the sun. Cabanas line the back-side of the pool area, equipped with TVs, tables and curtains for privacy. Menus for food or drink orders may be pulled up using QR codes and orders can be placed with the staff, the courtesy phone or the Four Seasons app.

We placed our order through the staff, and the service was exceptional.  My favorite item on the menu is the Peruvian steak sandwich, which was juicy and flavorful; and the Green Goddess juice is the nice complement to the warm California sun.

Please note that the Spa and gym were closed during our stay. With that said, select gym equipment including a Peloton bike was available for use outdoor by the pool area.

Our stay at the Beverly Wilshire was so phenomenal that we decided to extend our stay of 4 nights on a whim.  We ended up staying for 8 total nights with no regrets except the departure. This was our first time at the Beverly Wilshire but it certainly will not be the last!