Thursday, Oct. 09, 2008

Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills

As luxurious and understated as a perfectly cut Armani suit, the Beverly Wilshire is, appropriately, just steps from iconic Rodeo Drive boutiques like Versace and Cartier. Naturally, celebrities, Fortune 500 executives, and other assorted high rollers have staked out the 395 guest rooms here since 1928. More than a third of those rooms are suites, which start at nearly 1,000 square feet (scoring a penthouse will give you a whopping 5,000). All are decorated in pale, creamy fabrics, with the Four Seasons' usual mix of antique repros and modern amenities like wide-screen plasma TV's. Even standard rooms have marble-clad bathrooms with soaking tubs, and many have balconies and views of the Hollywood Hills. The spa, designed around a dramatic wall of water, offers treatments ranging from Oshadi-clay body wraps to Balinese massages.

Insider Tip: Make dinner reservations at the in-house CUT ; the contemporary steak house pairs the cuisine of Wolfgang Puck with design by Getty Center architect Richard Meier.

Room to Book: The Veranda Suite, hidden on its own level, is the hotel's smallest but most romantic—complete with its own balcony, as the name implies.