Beverly Hills Hotels

Of all the hotels in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills hotels are likely to be some of the most expensive, elegant and chichi. Yes, there are some just as expensive and pretentious in Hollywood and Santa Monica as well, but some of the ones in Beverly Hills are quite iconic and sought after.

If you are looking for inexpensive hotels in Los Angeles, you aren't likely to find many here. Yes, there are few more relatively affordable options, such as the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Beverly just south of Beverly Hills. But right in the middle of this rich and famous city land is scarce, rent is high and therefore you are going to pay the big bucks for most hotels.

If you are looking for the famous hotel that Eddie Murphy stayed in in the original Beverly Hills Cop, forget about looking in Beverly Hills. The "Beverly Palms Hotel" mentioned in the movie doesn't exist. The interior of the hotel is actually the interior of a hotel in downtown Los Angeles called the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.

We aren't going to go through all the amenities and prices for these hotels, just a general overview, since their own sites will have much more up to date availability and pricing. But below are some tidbits about the most famous and sought after Beverly Hills hotels as well as a couple unique standout that we like.

The Beverly Hills Hotel: Probably the most iconic in image as well as name is of course the Beverly Hills, located on Sunset Blvd between Crescent and Rodeo in a largely residential area (9641 Sunset Blvd., 310-276-2251). The location is beautiful and this elite hotel is almost hidden away behind palm trees, bird of paradise and other greenery. For classic Beverly Hills accomidations, it is hard to beat this. Is it expensive? You bet. But the pool area with private cabanas all around is hard to beat for relaxation and the hotel bars and Polo Lounge are often a destination for a great martini in and of themselves. Of note, while not far, this is not easy walking distance to shopping and restaurants in downtown Beverly Hills. Oh, also, the cover photo of the Eagle's album "Hotel California" was indeed shot here, not at the Hotel California in Santa Monica.

The Beverly Wilshire: Located right where Rodeo meets Wilshire Blvd., across from One Rodeo, this is about as central to downtown Beverly Hills as you can get (9500 Wilshire Blvd., 310-275-5200). Shops, restaurants and people watching are but a slight stones throw from your front door. Heck, its not even a stones throw, its right there! Complete with a Beefeater-type guard at the door and surrounded by the most expensive shops you can imagine (Tiffany and Company, Bulgari, etc.), the Beverly Wilshire is a beautiful but very expensive hotel in the heart of BH.

The Beverly Hilton: This one is a few blocks from the action, but still closer to downtown Beverly Hills than the Beverly Hills Hotel. Located a bit further west on Wilshire between Wilshire and Santa Monica (9876 Wilshire Blvd., 310-274-7777), the Beverly Hilton is a big hotel that may not look as elegant and chic from the outside, but is an excellent option. Trader Vic's Lounge is in the bottom of the hotel and is a fun, tiki-themed bar where we've spotted several celebrities.

Avalon Hotel: The Avalon is a bit off the beaten path, on the more southern end of Beverly Hills (9400 West Olympic Blvd., 310-277-5221). This old motel/hotel was renovated several years ago and made into a new, chic place that caters to the younger, hipper croud. We like it because it is a bit less pretentious than the big boys in Beverly Hills and has a cool older LA motel feel with a central pool area that doubles as an outdoor bar and lounge at night. This is a fun place and worth checking out.

Others: There are, of course, a number of other Beverly Hills hotels around. If you are trying to save money then stick to the outskirts or avoid Beverly Hills altogether. As was mentioned above, the Crowne Plaza on Beverly is a good option that is still near the heart of BH but much less expensive than most of the options above. Of course there are other elite and expensive options as well. The Luxe Hotel is smack dab in the middle of the most famous shopping area in the world, right on Rodeo! A bit to the northeast is Burton Way which houses several fancy hotels including the famous l'Ermitage (we've seen lots of celebrities, if you care about that kind of thing, waiting for their cars out front here) and the Four Seasons Hotel.

Have fun in Beverly Hills and Happy Travels!

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