By Ralph Collier
From the Vierjahreszeiten in Munich to Claredge’s in London, there is no shortage of elegant places to stay the world over. Like all glamorous cities, Hollywood has become a mixture of the old and the new and the Peninsula Beverly Hills easily falls into the Old Guard Category where smiles flash enough bonding to retile a subway stop. Locals really hope you have a great day; they are psyched to be in Beverly Hills. They believe firmly that their latest project is a winner, that their bespoke Maybach is more expensive than yours; when talking to hotel guests don’t look for an angle – there is none.
Right in the heart of Beverly Hills, secluded behind ivy-covered walls, is where all the nobility of arts and letters regularly congregate along with stars of the stage and screen – toot your kazoo here for some rather base nobility. At the hotel desk, there is a staff that includes a well-turned-out concierge from whom you get the key, mail, newspapers or anything else you want. The Peninsula offers almost 200 guest rooms including 36 suites and 16 villas with a staff of hundreds. When it is not full, there can be four members for each guest. This is similar to the home of a rich friend with fresh flowers and fruit daily, monogrammed pillows, Frett linens and, should you be accompanied by your favorite dog, around-the-clock dog-walkers. Your puppy enjoys treats he never imagined.
Hollywood is the site of name-dropping by indirection. Ben Sonnenberg, the public-relations man, claimed he was in the business of erecting very large pedestals for very small statues; he was the champion of the Hollywood second name-drop, a kind of kitchen intimacy. When asked if he knew George Gershwin, he replied “Know him? I used to play gin rummy with his mother.” Hooray for Hollywood.
When you arrive at the Peninsula, a housekeeper appears to ask if there is anything you want. On our visit it was one of the few times of staying in a hotel when we did not have to ask for more hangers. And these were not the ubiquitous spiteful hangers of flimsy plastic or splintery wood with its top part permanently attached to the closet so guests won’t steal them – they were removable, made of smooth, heavy wood and there was even a rack full of shirred satin ones for m’lady’s sweaters and dresses. You know instantly that anyone who stays at the Peninsula ever steals anything – if he expects to be back in.
It is the serenity of it all that is so startling – the ability of the place, no matter how frantic the moment, to seem so right and so accommodating. Hollywood is far too busy to be called tranquil, but it is ordered in a way most American cities are not, and the Peninsula has that certain cachet that speaks of self-assurance. It has a record of luxury service that segues Eastern and Western hospitality.
The Peninsula Hong Kong, which premiered in 1920, made its worldly debut with white-glove service including the availability of its house cars, with a chauffeur and a Rolls or two. An offshoot is the reference to local culture, experiences along the lines of tai chi, calligraphy and Chinese dumpling-making. At the Peninsula Beverly Hills, anticipate experiences that reflect the local lifestyle, programs that are available within a few days, enabling arrivals to choose activities that match the interests and travel schedule. Phone in advance for particulars.
For the guest who trembles at the concept of public speaking, the hotel arranges for her or him to work with Bob Corff, the man who taught Cate Blanchett to sound like Bryn Mawr’s Katharine Hepburn in “The Aviator” or Jake Gyllenhaal to sound like a Western cowboy in “Brokeback Mountain.”
An Emmy-nominated producer and crew will film guests and their families touring Hollywood, shopping, surfing, relaxing by the pool – whatever suits their fancy in Tinsel Town. You will star in your own movie with the footage edited into a professional-quality film to be screened on DVD for nostalgic moments back home, by a director, who also coaches top executives for Oscar-winning performances in the boardroom. Prices begin at $185 per hour session. Just ask the concierge to set it up for you.
At the Peninsula’s Belvedere Restaurant, where we would happily take our parents if they were still alive, executive chef James Overbaugh captures diners with entrées that hover at the edge of awesome but don’t plunge into the abyss of the preposterous. He is a charmer. Be prepared to rave about a poached foie gras over a layered quince brioche French toast, with quince jam and Oloroso sherry gastrique, Gonzalez bypass, “Pedro Ximinez” with Dulce Sherry from Jerez. And desserts such as Banana Knodel with Meyers rum banana ice cream and caramel chocolate sauce served with a petite Siria port.
As you can see, the menu is extensive and varied, the unobtrusive service anticipates every need and the tables are discreetly placed. I would prefer to be where there is no jostling. It is said: the Peninsula is a focal point in Beverly Hills; the only reason not to stay there is if you can’t afford it. Traveler’s tip: A sign of the times. You may enjoy your third night at the hotel for 20 bucks in observance of its 20th anniversary.
For more information, please call 1-800-462-7899 or access www.peninsula.com/beverlyhills.
Ralph Collier is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers, the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association and the International Motor Press Association. His syndicated programs are heard on 32 radio stations and through their Web sites worldwide. Locally he can be heard Monday through Friday at 9:58 a.m. on WRTI 90.1 FM.
Reader Comments »
The Peninsula Beverly Hills celebrates its 20th anniversary July 21 -Los Angeles-Platinum Triangle-Beverly Hills Real Estate-90210-Bel Air-Holmby Hills-Sunset Strip-Hollywood Hills-Luxury Estates-Mansions-Celebrity Homes-Homes For Sale-Listings-Realtor-Real Estate – http://www.ChristopheChoo.com
Posted on: Beverly Hills Real Estate-Beverly Hills Homes For Sale
No comments:
Post a Comment