No roar, no fanfare. A stillness. The hotel waits quietly. And then the birdsong, the lake, the familiar bridge to this world within a world. Tropical greenery fills your vision and the swans glide on. Welcome to Hotel Bel-Air.
Alphonzo Bell, an entrepreneur and wealthy oil tycoon, bought 600 acres of land west of Los Angeles. He named the area ‘Bel-Air’ and created an exclusive neighborhood. To manage the creation of his vision, Bell built an estate planning office in the canyons. This building is now our hotel's main mission-style property.
In early 1946, a Texan hotel entrepreneur named Joseph Drown purchased 18 acres of land from Alphonzo Bell, including our original building. Working with architect Burton Schutt, he began transforming the site into an elegant and secluded hotel which officially opened on August 24, 1946.
In the 1970s, a young Cuban architect named Manuel S. Alavarez led a major hotel restoration. His aim was to bring the colours from the gardens into the rooms and provide a warm, ‘non-hotel’ look.
Hotel Bel-Air joined the portfolio of Dorchester Collection hotels in 2008. Shortly after, an extensive two-year renovation project was underway with revered designer Alexandra Champalimaud and the Rockwell Group. All 103 guest rooms and public spaces were updated yet still remain reminiscent of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
DESTINATION GUIDE
Hotel Bel-Air and the wonders of LA
Los Angeles is a sprawling metropolis where dining and nightlife are only a short distance from breathtaking mountain ranges and 75 miles of sun-drenched coastline. Let us guide you through this eclectic, dynamic and theatrical city full of endless activities.
