Great location, across the street from Rodeo Drive shopping
Wolfgang Puck's trendy CUT steakhouse
Huge, two-story fitness center
Beautiful spa; day spa facilities free for guests
Beverly Hills glamour without the pretense
Guest rooms have luxurious features: Italian marble, pillow-top mattresses, iPod docks
Free Wi-Fi throughout hotel
Fitness center is not open 24/7
Pricey parking, by valet only
Less stuffy than the Beverly Hills Hotel, more glam than the Beverly Hilton, this iconic Beverly Hills hotel is a top luxury pick for business or leisure, families or romance. With beautiful guest rooms, a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, and a great spa, pool and fitness center, plus doting Four Seasons service, it's hard to find fault.
Scene
A Beverly Hills classic without the snobbery
First things first. Yes, this is the hotel featured prominently in the 1990 film Pretty Woman. And yes, you can borrow the DVD from the concierge's extensive DVD library (they have multiple copies) without embarrassment. "That's a great film," one of the smartly suited concierges will say, as if you're one of the first guests to want to watch the film in the hotel. Of course, you're not, you're the 10,000th, but no matter. At the Beverly Wilshire, every guest, no matter who they are, is treated like someone special. Upgrades are common, and the concierges enthusiastically assist guests with any request.Built in 1928, the iconic, 395-room Beverly Wilshire is as Beverly Hills as Rodeo Drive. Indeed, it's just across the street from the famed stretch of luxury shopping, and just a couple blocks down Wilshire Boulevard from upscale department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York. Formerly the Regent Beverly Wilshire, the hotel changed its name to the "Beverly Wilshire Beverly Hills, A Four Seasons Hotel" in 2006, more than a decade after the Four Seasons began managing the property. The doting service you'd expect from that luxury chain is present from check-in to checkout, though help can be a bit slow around the pool. A massive, $40-million renovation in 2006-2007 included the addition of the spa and Wolfgang Puck's steakhouse, CUT, which attracts a hip, young clientele (or younger women with older men), as well as an overhaul of the pool and all guest rooms. In 2010, the presidential and penthouse suites received even more dramatic makeovers as well.While the hotel is a Beverly Hills classic, it feels surprisingly lively and unpretentious. Classic rock tunes by the likes of Sting and Billy Joel play throughout the lobby and spill from the trendy Sidebar in the evening.Just as the fictional hotel staff in Pretty Woman treated Julia Robert's prostitute character like a princess, you get a sense at the real-life hotel that for a magical moment every guest is someone special. It's a far different feeling than at the hushed, stuffy confines of the Beverly Hills Hotel or the slightly less exclusive, more modern Beverly Hilton. Guest rooms may not be quite as large or as opulent as the Beverly Hills Hotel, but they're still luxurious and lovely. For those looking for a quintessential Beverly Hills Hotel without the snobbery, this is a top pick.
Service
The warm, professional service you'd expect from a Four Seasons property, but poolside service is inconsistent
Dressed in well-cut suits, the staff delivers the professional, accommodating service the Four Seasons is known for. Service is also warmer and more personable than at the more formal, slightly stuffy Beverly Hills Hotel. The front desk staff is generous with upgrades, and chatty and good-humored concierges are comfortable assisting with a diverse range of requests, not just booking expensive restaurants. The bell staff even suggested a place in the area to buy inexpensive liquor. However, with 395 rooms spread across two towers, the hotel is large, leading to occasional waits.- House car available to take guests within a three-mile radius of the hotel throughout the day. (The Beverly Hills Hotel and Beverly Hilton also have a house car, though their hours and coverage areas are slightly less generous)
Location
In the middle of the Beverly Hills shopping and dining district
The hotel is in Beverly Hills, an enclave of wealthy living and luxury shopping in the middle of L.A.'s west side. It sits on a pedestrian-friendly (for L.A.) stretch of Wilshire Boulevard, at the intersection of Rodeo Drive, the famed stretch of designer shops with everything from La Perla to Louis Vuitton. Step out of the main entrance on Wilshire Boulevard, and you're in the middle of Beverly Hill's shopping and dining district.- Guests can easily walk to shops on Rodeo Drive, just across the street, or major department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York, both just a few blocks down Wilshire Boulevard.
Rooms
Classic luxury in every guest room
With Italian marble bathrooms, iPod docks, and sublimely comfortable beds -- 400-threadcount (800 in suites) sheets, pillow-top mattresses, thick down comforters and pillows -- rooms pack in the luxury you'd expect. Guest rooms are spread across two wings, the original 10-story Wilshire Wing, the main building with the restaurants, and the 14-story Beverly Wing, which was added in 1971 and houses the spa, fitness center, and pool. Navigating between the two wings, which are connected both on the ground floor and across a 2nd floor "sky walk," is easy -- this is a fairly compact property in the middle of the city.Rooms in both wings were completely renovated in 2006-2007. The entry-level Moderate rooms are 385 square feet, slightly larger than those at the Beverly Hilton (350 square feet), but smaller than those at the Peninsula (480 square feet). However, the hotel has only five Moderate rooms, and they book up fast. Guests are more likely to get a Superior room, which costs a bit more and is larger (400 square feet). Most of the extra square footage is in the bathroom, which has a separate shower and tub, not the Moderate Room's shower/tub combo. For even a bit more, guests can book a Deluxe room, which is a Superior room on a higher floor. And if guests want to go above and beyond, the presidential and penthouse suites cost a pretty penny, but were gorgeously renovated in 2010.- Superior and Deluxe rooms with balconies are available at no additional cost. Guests can request a balcony when booking, but it can't be guaranteed.
Features
With a superb pool, fitness center, and spa, the features best the competition.
With a huge, two-story fitness center, a beautiful Mediterranean-style pool, and a spa with free day spa facilities for guests, the hotel's features place it above much of its competition. Its huge fitness center easily surpasses the Beverly Hills Hotel's tiny excuse for a gym and even the Beverly Hilton's lovely Fitness Center by Precor. The Spa at Beverly Wilshire has lovely day spa facilities, including a steam room and "experience showers" that mimic the feel and sound of different rainstorms at the push of a button, which hotel guests can use for free, something the Beverly Hilton and Beverly Hills Hotel don't offer. (The Peninsula, however, also has free day spa facilities for guests.)- The huge fitness center has one floor devoted to cardio, with over a dozen TechnoGym machines with individual TVs, a 2nd story for strength training, with a vast array of weight machines, and a large, tranquil room set aside for yoga. The only thing that's missing is 24-hour access, but water, Gatorade, and fruit are free.
Pet Friendly
Pets under 15 pounds allowed at no extra cost
Guests can bring one pet (under 15 pounds) per room at no extra charge. Pet beds are available, but the hotel doesn't offer over-the-top animal amenities like the extravagant pet room-service menu at the L'Ermitage Beverly Hills. Guests checking in with their pet must sign a waiver saying they will not leave the animal alone in the room.
Family
A great luxury option for families
With DVD players in all guest rooms and an extensive DVD library of children's titles, a pool, standard rooms with two double beds, and children's menus divided by age ranges, this is a top luxury pick for families.- Moderate, Deluxe, or Superior rooms with two doubles beds can sleep two adults and two children age 10 and under.
Cleanliness
Pretty spotless
From the sparkling lobby to the immaculate guest rooms, the hotel is pretty darn spotless, especially after an extensive $40-million renovation in 2006-2007 gave it a fresh shine.
All-Inclusive / Food
Great on-site dining, including a Wolfgang Puck hot spot, poolside food, and two bars, plus plenty of eateries within walking distance
With a branch of celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck's steak house CUT, poolside dining, and indoor and sidewalk seating at The Blvd., plus two bars and 24-hour room service, the Beverly Wilshire gives guests (and locals) plenty of food and drink to enjoy. The convenient location right in the middle of Beverly Hill's means it's easy to walk to other area restaurants, from iconic delis to fine dining outlets. With so much on site or close by, the hotel easily bests the dining scene at the Beverly Hilton, which has a less convenient location, no celebrity chefs, and only one restaurant on site.- Wolfgang Puck's CUT attracts a fashionable crowd and the occasional celebrity (Justin Timberlake has visited) to its steakhouse menu -- waiters even bring by the cuts of beef -- and modern space, designed by starchitect Richard Meier.
Ambassador Suite
Beverly Suite
Corner Beverly Suite
Deluxe Beverly Suite
Deluxe Room
Governor Suite
Moderate Room
One-Bedroom Beverly Suite
One-Bedroom Suite Wilshire Wing
Penthouse Suite
Premier Studio Suite
Presidential Suite
Rodeo Studio
Rodeo Suite
Superior Room
Veranda Suite
Wilshire Suite
United States