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Step past the banana-leaf wallpaper of The Beverly Hills Hotel, and you’re not just entering a five-star hideaway—you’re stepping into a century of Hollywood’s most decadent history. Long before Rodeo Drive glittered with designer boutiques and Beverly Hills became synonymous with luxury, there was the Pink Palace, an oasis that predates the city itself. Built in 1912, this iconic hotel has been the ultimate playground for the world’s most elite, hosting royalty, rock stars, and silver screen legends alike.
Hollywood’s Living Room
Few hotels in the world have a guest list as star-studded as The Beverly Hills Hotel. Elizabeth Taylor honeymooned here—six times. Marilyn Monroe loved it so much that she made Bungalow 7 her private retreat. John Lennon and Yoko Ono set up camp in a suite for a week, hiding away from the world. Even the Rat Pack treated the Polo Lounge as their personal clubhouse, sipping martinis under its signature green-and-white-striped awning.
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An Architectural Love Affair
The hotel’s legendary pink exterior wasn’t always pink. The original Mediterranean Revival-style building was repainted in its now-iconic blush shade during the 1940s, giving it the nickname The Pink Palace. Inside, the aesthetic is just as striking: palm fronds, Art Deco touches, and old-Hollywood glamour at every turn. The legendary bungalows—23 in total—offer private sanctuaries, each one steeped in its own lore. Bungalow 5, for instance, was a favorite of Frank Sinatra, while Howard Hughes famously insisted on renting multiple bungalows—but no one could ever be quite sure if he was actually there.
Cementing Its Legacy
By 2012, after a century of hosting icons and shaping pop culture, The Beverly Hills Hotel became the city’s first official historic landmark. But its influence isn’t just historical—it’s cinematic. It’s been immortalized in films, name-dropped in countless songs, and was even the visual inspiration behind The Eagles’ Hotel California album cover.
The Ultimate Hideaway
Despite its public history, The Beverly Hills Hotel remains the most discreet of sanctuaries. It’s a place where deals are inked over champagne brunch, where modern-day icons slip away from the paparazzi, and where the ghost of Hollywood’s golden era still lingers beneath the towering palm trees.
It’s more than a hotel—it’s a legend wrapped in pink stucco and palm fronds. Whether you’re checking in or just stopping by for a cocktail at the Polo Lounge, you’re walking in the footsteps of greatness. And in a city built on dreams, The Pink Palace remains its most enduring fantasy.
