History of The Beverly Hills Hotel

The Beverly Hills Hotel opened on May 12, 1912 before the city even existed. The idea was to create a hotel for people to stay at while looking at property to buy in the area. The original owner and founder of The Beverly Hills Hotel was Margaret Anderson and her motto for the hotel was, “Guests are entitled to the best of everything regardless of cost!”

The Polo Lounge has been known as the epicentre of power dining in LA and the preferred place to be for legendary stars and Hollywood deal-makers. It was established in the 1930s and was named after the polo fields on which it was built.

Our legendary pool opened in 1938 as ‘The Sand and Pool Club’, complete with sand to make it feel like a true beach club.

Our famous Martinique® banana leaf wallpaper was created in 1942 by heritage Southern California textile brand CW Stockwell, and selected by famed designer Don Loper in 1949 to adorn the walls of the newly renovated and redesigned hotel. It now enjoys iconic status as one of the most recognisable wallpapers in the world and has starred in several films.

The hotel was first painted its distinctive pink back in 1948, to complement the sunset and popular country style of the time. The hotel has been known as the ‘Pink Palace’ ever since.

The Crescent Wing was built in 1949 and designed by renowned architect Paul R. Williams, along with the reimagined Polo Lounge, Fountain Coffee Room and the lobby.

Paul R. Williams created our famous logo in the 1950s, developing a bespoke font which has since been trademarked to protect its distinctive style. In his honour, we also have a suite named after him.

The hotel closed for refurbishment in 1992, and in 1993 it officially became a Dorchester Collection hotel. Following a major restoration, it successfully reopened in 1995.

The hotel celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012 and was officially named the first historic landmark in the city of Beverly Hills. There’s so much history surrounding the hotel that author Robbie Anderson wrote a huge coffee table book about it called The Beverly Hills Hotel – The First 100 Years.

Steeped in history, our popular bungalows are the favoured choice of many guests. During these years, we completely restored them, whilst preserving their nostalgic ‘home away from home’ appeal. Several standout signature bungalows are now dedicated to their most notable guests, including Marilyn Monroe, Howard Hughes and Elizabeth Taylor.

Inspired by the flora and fauna of California, our spa was relaunched for a new era of exquisite relaxation, thanks to the creative vision of Champalimaud Design. From bespoke banana leaf wallcoverings to shades of deep lapis lazuli blue, our spa now features a soothing nature theme running through the entire experience.

This was a big year for us as we celebrated our 110th anniversary and the arrival of our new general manager, John Scanlon. The hotel was built on a pioneering spirit, carving out a unique place in history and continues to evolve and delight. Watch this space for the next chapter in our legendary story.