My Guide to L.A. – Hotels

My Guide to Los Angeles (1 of 2)

I am constantly told that I would make a great concierge for the city of Los Angeles.  I have explored L.A. so much over the years that I know it like the back of my hand and have accumulated a large inventory of favorite places.  I recently decided to corral that inventory into a guide to L.A. to share with my fellow stalkers.  This guide will not be geared toward filming locations (though there will be some crossover with My Must-Stalk List), but will instead be recommendations of places to stay, eatdrink, play, see, shop and grab coffee when visiting Southern California.  I enlisted the Grim Cheaper’s help for this endeavor (he is even better than I am at city recommendations) and we spent countless hours putting the list together.  Because it is so vast, I broke it up into sections that I will be posting individually over the next week.  Today’s post will cover hotels.   Note – I am only reviewing hotels where I have actually stayed or spent considerable time.

Guide to Los Angeles (1 of 2)

It is a sad truth that there really are no “affordable” hotels in L.A.  If you come to Los Angeles and want to stay in a decent place (read: clean, modernized, safe, at least somewhat upscale), you are most likely going to spend a minimum of $150 to $200 a night.  That’s just a fact of life when it comes to this great city.  Deals can be found, though.  As a pricing guide for this post, I chose a random Friday in September to check rates at my recommended hotels.  The available rate I found is posted next to each property name and the hotels are listed in order of those rates, from lowest to highest.

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1. Mikado Hotel ($129) 12600 Riverside Drive, Valley Village – A good, solid budget hotel.  The rates are low, the rooms are clean and semi-updated, the location is central and safe, and the restaurant is fantastic.  (The GC and I once enjoyed a fabulous meal there with Mike the Fanboy.)  Amenities include a pool, a hot tub, gardens, ponds, free parking, free Wi-Fi and complimentary breakfast.  Though not fancy by any means, I would not hesitate to recommend this to those working with a limited budget.

2. The Westin Los Angeles Airport ($130) 5400 West Century Boulevard, Westchester By far, the best deals the GC and I come across are at the hotels surrounding Los Angeles International Airport.  We use Hotwire when booking near LAX and can almost always secure a 4-star room for under $100.  (Note – the above rate is not from Hotwire, but from The Westin website.)  Though the area is certainly not neighborhood-y, there are tons of fabulous restaurants nearby, parking is surprisingly convenient, and, though a bit removed, the location is close to all of the beach cities and the South Bay.  The Westin had the cheapest rate on the particular date I chose for this post, but we also recommend Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Airport (we LOVE the Sleep Advantage Quiet Zone concept!), Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel and the Hilton Los Angeles Airport.  (The photo below is via The Westin website.)

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3. Hilton Garden Inn Calabasas ($143) 24150 Park Sorrento, Calabasas The GC and I stayed at this hotel one Halloween a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it.  Not only are the rates great (and parking is free!), but the accommodations are very nice, the room service is stellar, and the hotel is within walking distance to The Commons at Calabasas, a super cute shopping center with fabulous boutiques, restaurants and a Starbucks (yes!).  Though it might seem far removed from many L.A. attractions, Calabasas is only 30 miles from downtown, 20 miles from Universal City and 18 miles from Malibu.  Not to mention that the city is, in and of itself, an adorable place with a lot to offer visitors.  (The picture below is via the Hilton Garden Inn website.)

The fresh and modern lobby of our Calabasas hotel welcomes you.

4. Sheraton Agoura Hills ($161) 30100 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills – A really nice hotel with very reasonable rates (and parking is free!).  Again, this one might seem far removed from many of L.A.’s tourist attractions, but it is only about 35 miles from downtown, 25 miles from Universal City and 15 miles from Malibu.  In fact, this is where the GC and I booked a block of rooms for our wedding guests to stay when we got married in Malibu in 2010.  The upscale hotel features an outdoor pool, a gym, free shuttle service to area locations, and two restaurants.  Liquid Lounge is especially fabulous – the GC and I dined there while staying at the Sheraton recently after attending a friend’s wedding in Malibu.  (The photo below is via the Sheraton website.)

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5. The Westin Bonaventure Hotel ($167) 404 South Figueroa Street, downtown Los Angeles –  The Westin Bonaventure is one of our go-to downtown L.A. accommodations.  The futuristic-looking, 1,474-room property was designed by John Portman in 1974 and has the distinction of being Los Angeles’ largest hotel.   The Bonaventure website dubs itself as being a “city within a city” and it truly is.  You could easily check in for two weeks and never have to leave.  The property boasts countless dining options (there is even a food court!), shops, a market, a gym, a pool, spa services, a hair and nail salon, 24-hour room service (one of my favorite hotel perks!) and a business center.  Rates here are typically lower than at other similar-caliber downtown hotels.  Be aware, though, that parking at the Bonaventure, as well as at all downtown lodgings, is steep – like $45-a-day steep.

Westin Bonaventure (1 of 1)

6. Hotel Angeleno ($179) 170 North Church Lane, Brentwood The 17-story, cylindrical structure that towers over the I-405 in Brentwood is an iconic sight for all Los Angeles denizens.  The GC and I only recently started staying there and we absolutely love it.  Originally a Holiday Inn, the property underwent an extensive renovation in 2006 and was transformed into the spectacularly retro Hotel Angeleno.  Rates are extremely reasonable considering the hotel’s caliber and include free valet parking, free Wi-Fi, and a complimentary evening wine hour.  Amenities include a penthouse restaurant and bar, a lobby café, a business center, a pool, a gym, and 24-hour room service.  Each room also features a private balcony, the views from which are downright amazing.

Hotel Angelino (1 of 5)

7. Courtyard by Marriot in Pasadena ($179) 180 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena – Though the design and décor of the Courtyard Pasadena are very nice, for me this one is all about location, location, location!  The hotel is situated in the heart of Old Town Pasadena, within walking distance to virtually everything the area has to offer, including museums, shops and restaurants.  If you are planning to stay in Pasadena (and I highly recommend doing so – if I had my druthers, I would always stay in Crown City when visiting L.A.) and desire convenient lodging, look no further than the Courtyard.   The property also features a fitness center, a pool, a large lobby with countless seating areas, and a restaurant/café.

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8. Hyatt Westlake Plaza ($185) 880 South Westlake Boulevard, Westlake Village – As is the case with some of the other hotels I’ve recommended, this property might be considered far removed from L.A., but it is only about 40 miles from downtown, 30 miles from Universal City and 15 miles from Malibu.  In fact, thanks to its proximity to the ‘Bu, one of my friends stays there regularly whenever she comes to town to visit her son who is enrolled at Pepperdine University.  The Hyatt Westlake Plaza is a very pretty, reasonably-priced option for those who want to visit all of the different areas of Los Angeles.  Amenities include a patio bar, a farm-to-table restaurant, a business center, complimentary Wi-Fi, complimentary valet and self-parking, a heated swimming pool, two whirlpools, two saunas, and landscaped gardens with waterfalls.  Bonus fact – Beverly Hills, 90210 filmed there numerous times!

Hyatt Westlake Plaza (5 of 7)

9. dusitD2 Hotel Constance Pasadena ($199) 928 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena – My family’s new favorite Pasadena hotel!  The historic property was originally built as the Hotel Constance in 1926, but, after serving as a retirement home for decades and then sitting vacant for several years, was finally revamped as the dusitD2 Hotel Constance Pasadena in 2014.  Besides the fabulous ultra-modern décor and top-notch rooms, customer service at the hotel is bar none!  The last time we stayed there, while the bellman was walking us to our room, my dad mentioned to my mom that he had forgotten to stop by the store on his way into town to purchase the special cereal that he eats regularly.  The bellman overheard and mentioned that he would be happy to run to the market for us.  Like, huh?  That stuff happens?  Well, it does at the Hotel Constance.  The staff there will literally do anything for their guests.  And yes, the bellman did run to the store to purchase my dad’s cereal – at no charge!  Love, love, love this place.  The lobby bar, BluRoom Cocktail Lounge, also serves what is easily one of the best happy hours in town!  Huge $6 cheese plate?  Yes, please!  (I’m actually really leery to post this hotel on my list as I fear doing so will cause it to be more popular and therefore get booked up regularly and/or drive the rates sky high.  The things I do for my fellow stalkers!  Winking smile)

Hotel Constance Pasadena

10. Magic Castle Hotel ($199) 7025 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood  – This gem of a hotel is located in the heart of Hollywood (within walking distance to Hollywood & Highland, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and the L.A. Metro) and offers up some of the best, most personalized customer service in the city.  Simply put, guests are treated like family at the Magic Castle.  Just a few of the hotel’s perks include include free mini-bar items (yes, free candy bars, chips and popcorn!), free Wi-Fi, complimentary continental breakfast (pastries are provided by Susina Bakery & Café – one of my faves), free laundry service, over one hundred DVD titles available to borrow (each room comes equipped with a DVD player), and popsicles and “ice-cold towels infused with lavender and mint” which attendants offer every hour on the hour to poolside guests.  Hotel patrons are also allowed access to the ultra-exclusive, members-only Magic Castle club and restaurant (a place I HIGHLY recommend visiting if you have the opportunity).  You can read an in-depth post about the level of service offered to guests at the Magic Castle here.  It is quite simply incredible!  The bad news?  The hotel is a boutique property with a limited number of rooms and it tends to book up extremely quickly, so if you do plan on staying there, I recommend making reservations far in advance.

Los Angeles Hotel Recommendations (3 of 7)

11. The Queen Mary ($219) 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach – Easily SoCal’s most unique hotel, The Queen Mary is a former Cunard cruise liner that has been docked in Long Beach since 1967.  Walking aboard the Art Deco-style ship is like stepping back in time to the 1930s, when she was first launched.  Prior to opening as a hotel in 1971, the 1,019-foot vessel (she’s longer than the Titanic!) underwent a massive renovation to restore her to her original grandeur.  The result is nothing short of spectacular.

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The Queen Mary currently boasts all of the amenities typically associated with a modernized hotel (a salon, a spa, a gym, shops, restaurants, bars and a Starbucks – hallelujah!), all the while keeping the historic look and feel of a 1930’s cruise ship.  (The shopping promenade is pictured below.)  I have stayed on the liner on three different occasions and not only had a blast each time, but found that there was always something new to discover aboard.  If you do book a stay on The Queen Mary, I highly recommend taking one of the many tours offered, grabbing a drink at the Observation Bar & Art Deco Lounge and dining at Sir Winston’s Restaurant & Lounge.

The Queen Mary (2 of 2)

12. The Langham Huntington, Pasadena ($220) 1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue, PasadenaAlthough The Langham Huntington is Pasadena’s most luxurious hotel, affordable rates (under $200 including tax and parking) can often be found online.  My family stays here regularly thanks to those low rates and cannot get enough of the place.  The hotel is absolutely gorgeous and the landscaped grounds were made to be explored.  The Langham definitely provides a resort-style atmosphere with a large heated outdoor pool, a fitness center, an award-winning spa, three restaurants/lounges, a kids program, a pets program, gardens, ponds, a sprawling lawn, historic ballrooms, and daily tea service.  If you are coming to L.A. with the intention of sightseeing, this would not be the place to stay because you will check in and never want to set foot off the grounds.  Even if you do not book a room here, I highly recommend a visit to The Langham to see its vast beauty in person.

Los Angeles Hotel Recommendations (1 of 7)

13. Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles ($237) 506 South Grand Avenue, downtown Los Angeles – The Millennium Biltmore Hotel is one of my favorite places in all of Southern California.  The historic property was originally built in 1923 and its gorgeous detailing has not been altered since.  It is easily one of the most beautiful sites I have ever visited in my life.  The GC booked a room for us at the Biltmore on one of our first Valentine’s Days together and we have been coming back regularly ever since.  When we lived in L.A., it was our go-to hotel during our many staycations.  Though the rate for the particular weekend I chose in September is a bit on the high side, much better deals can often be found online.  Just don’t forget about the $45 daily parking fee, which, as I mentioned above, all downtown L.A. hotels charge.

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If you book a room at the Biltmore, do not miss the opportunity to take a dip in – or at least peek in at – its stunning indoor pool.  It is absolutely exceptional!  The famed Crystal Ballroom is also a sight to behold.  I literally spend hours exploring the property each and every time I stay there.  The Biltmore is an absolute gem of a hotel and one of L.A.’s most beautiful treasures.  (The photos above and below are courtesy of Mike, from MovieShotsLA.)

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14. Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel ($263) 11461 Sunset Boulevard, Brentwood – The Luxe was a recent find for my family.  We stayed there for the first time a few months ago and were able to secure a fabulous rate thanks to the fact that my dad had a doctor appointment at UCLA, which is located nearby.  The hotel is one of L.A.’s most stunning and serene properties.  It is the perfect spot to stay for those who really want to get away from it all.  Upon checking in and exploring the sprawling grounds, we quickly dubbed the Luxe our new favorite West Side hotel.  Though rooms can be pricey, they are much less than what you would expect considering the caliber of the property.

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Amenities include On Sunset restaurant (one of the prettiest eateries I have ever seen – it’s pictured below), a lounge, a heated outdoor pool and countless outdoor seating areas.

Luxe Hotel (4 of 4)

15. The Redbury Hollywood ($273) 1717 Vine Street, Hollywood – This hotel is one of the few on the list that I have never actually stayed at.  I have visited it numerous times, though, and am always mesmerized by its unique décor.  The 57-room, 5-story property was designed by photographer/music video director Matthew Rolston, who wanted to create a “theatrical” environment where guests would feel “like actually being in one of my photographs or music videos.”  He definitely achieved that goal.

Los Angeles Hotel Recommendations (6 of 7)

The Redbury’s décor is a mix of Old Hollywood grandeur and bohemian whimsy and there seems to be a new element to discover waiting around each and every corner.  The all-suite hotel features two restaurants, 24-hour in-room dining, free passes to a local gym and in-room spa service.  The place is also a celebrity hotspot, so if you book a room, be sure to keep your eyes peeled!

Los Angeles Hotel Recommendations (4 of 7)

16. The Beverly Hilton ($299) 9876 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills Conrad Hilton had this luxury Welton Becket-designed hotel constructed in 1955.  Owned by Merv Griffin for a time, it eventually changed hands in 2003 and was given an extensive interior facelift.  Thankfully, its fabulous mid-century modern exterior was left untouched.  Over the years, the historic property has played host to countless celebrities, presidents and other luminaries.  The Beverly Hilton boasts the city’s largest pool (it was inaugurated by Esther Williams!), three eateries, 24-hour room service, a spa, a gym and a salon.  Thanks to its central location and upscale décor, its inclusion on this list is a no-brainer.  The best aspect of the property, though, is the fact that it hosts hundreds (I’m not exaggerating) of red carpet events each year, so the chance of seeing a star during your stay is practically guaranteed.

Los Angeles Hotel Recommendations (4 of 5)

17. Sunset Marquis ($345) 1200 Alta Loma Road, West Hollywood – On a hidden stretch of 3.5 tree-lined acres located just steps off the Sunset Strip sits the Sunset Marquis.  The gorgeous property has been a sanctuary for celebrities visiting Los Angeles (musicians, especially) since its inception in 1963 and once you set foot on the grounds, it is not hard to see why.  The hotel is quiet, secluded and absolutely beautiful.  It was originally established by developer George Rosenthal to house performers and guests of the now defunct Playboy Club L.A., which he also helped to found.  It quickly became a retreat for musicians performing on the Sunset Strip and has remained a haven for the rich and famous to this day.  While the rooms are nothing to shake a stick at, it is the Marquis’ stunning grounds that continually have me drooling.

Sunset Marquis Hotel (1 of 1)

18. Sunset Tower Hotel ($395) 8358 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood – Located on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood, the Sunset Tower Hotel has long been one of my favorite places to grab a drink.  Built in 1931 by architect Leland A. Bryant, the structure is an Art Deco masterpiece.  Celebrities have flocked to it since the very beginning, with such stars as Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard all having spent time there during the heyday of Hollywood.  More recent visitors include Tom Cruise, Sean Penn and Jennifer Aniston, who is a regular.  The property boasts fabulous architecture, amazing décor and some of the best views in all of Southern California.  Even if you don’t book a room there, be sure to grab a drink at The Terrace, which overlooks the hotel’s pool, as well as the skylines of Century City, downtown L.A. and West L.A.

Los Angeles Hotel Recommendations (5 of 5)

The hotels listed below fall into my M.I.N.O. category – aka Money Is No Object.  They are the best of the best, but will easily set you back a good $400-800 a night for a standard room.  If you are lucky enough to be working with that kind of a budget, these are the spots I’d recommend you stay.

19. Hotel Casa del Mar ($403) 1910 Ocean Way, Santa Monica Hotel Casa del Mar was originally established as the Club Casa del Mar beach club in 1926.  After serving as an army facility, a drug rehabilitation center and Nathan Pritikin’s Pritikin Longevity Center, it was purchased by the Edward Thomas Hospitality Corporation in 1998, given an extensive restoration and transformed into the luxurious Hotel Casa del Mar.  The stunning property is located steps from the beach and offers unparalleled views of the Pacific.  Amenities include three restaurants/lounges, a pool, a spa and a gym.  The hotel is also within walking distance to the countless shops and restaurants located on both Main Street and the Third Street Promenade.  Casa del Mar is easily one of the most gorgeous hotels I have ever visited.  Those looking to embrace the glamour of Old Hollywood during their stay should definitely check in here.

Los Angeles Hotel Recommendations (6 of 6)

20. Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows ($469) 101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica Located steps from the Third Street Promenade, the Santa Monica Pier and the Santa Monica beach, the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows is one of the city’s most premiere properties.  The upscale site is an oasis in the middle of the area’s many bustling tourist attractions and has long served as a retreat for visiting celebrities.  Greta Garbo even lived there for a time.  The hotel is most famous for the massive Moreton Bay Fig Tree that stands at its entrance and gifts the place with a decidedly tropical feel. The views of the Pacific and accompanying ocean breezes only add to the property’s island-like aura.  It is not hard to see how it came to be chosen to mask as a Hawaiian hotel in an episode of Entourage and an Australian resort on Modern Family.   Besides being situated in a fabulous location, the Fairmont also features beautiful grounds, ponds filled with turtles and koi, a pool, a spa, a restaurant, and two lounges.

Los Angeles Hotel Recommendations (2 of 7)

21. Shutters on the Beach ($595) 1 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica Shutters on the Beach is easily one of L.A.’s most picturesque hotels.  Its white clapboard exterior gives off an East Coast/Cape Cod-style vibe, while the interior has more of a romantic lodge aesthetic, with large fireplaces surrounded by a myriad of comfortable couches and arm chairs.  I first learned about the hotel from the novel Jemima J (one of my favorites), in which the titular character checks into Shutters while visiting Los Angeles.  Author Jane Green’s description of the place was nothing short of dreamy and I was compelled to visit it soon after I finished the book.  It was love at first sight and not at all hard to see how Green came to feature the property so prominently in her story.  Shutters, which sits steps from the beach and the Santa Monica Pier and is within walking distance to all area attractions, boasts three restaurants/lounges, a spa, a fitness center, and fabulous ocean views.  It is everything you could ever want in a beachside hotel.  If I had the funds, I would continually check in there when visiting L.A.

Los Angeles Hotel Recommendations (3 of 6)

22. The Beverly Hills Hotel ($615) 9641 Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills – Though the Pink Palace has found itself at the heart of controversy as of late, it is such a Hollywood icon and so steeped in L.A. history and celebrity lore, I felt it would be a travesty to exclude it from this list.  The property also happens to be one of my favorite spots in all of Los Angeles.  The legendary Beverly Hills Hotel calls to mind the Tinseltown of yesteryear and stepping through its doors is like stepping into a different world.  CNN hit the nail on the head when it stated that the BHH “is as Old Hollywood as it gets.”  The famed pink and green-hued site opened its doors in 1912, before the city of Beverly Hills had even been established.  Though it currently features all of the modern conveniences expected at upscale hotels, the place expertly maintains its yesteryear aesthetic.   Amenities include four restaurants/lounges (two of which, The Polo Lounge and the Fountain Coffee Room, are landmarks in and of themselves), a massive pool, a 1,900-square-foot spa, a salon, a gym, complimentary transportation to local attractions and a business center.  If you want to feel like a celebrity during your stay, this is the place to book.

Los Angeles Hotel Recommendations (2 of 5)

23. Hotel Bel-Air ($655) 701 Stone Canyon Road, Bel-Air – Hotel Bel-Air is one of the most beautiful and serene sites in all of Los Angeles.  The quiet, intimate property, which is located right off of Sunset Boulevard, boasts a huge swan-filled pond, 12 acres of lush landscaping, meandering pathways, countless tucked-away terraces, a restaurant (helmed by Wolfgang Puck), a bar, an award-winning spa, a business center, a gym, a large pool and some of the friendliest staff I have ever encountered.  The Hotel Bel-Air website states, “this peaceful getaway-from-it-all is where the rich and famous go to hide.”  As such, be forewarned that due to the quiet and tranquil nature of the property, I would not recommend HBA as a place for kids (though it does offer specialized services for children).  But for those seeking a secluded and private retreat, this is the first spot I’d suggest.

Los Angeles Hotel Recommendations (7 of 7)

So there you have it, folks!  My recommendations for the best hotels in L.A.  Stay tuned the rest of the week for my guide to where to  eat, drink, play, shop and grab coffee.

The Historic Mayfair Hotel from “The Office”

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Fellow stalker John Bengtson, from the SIlent Locations blog, sent me an email last week after reading my post on Red Studios Hollywood from The Artist (a location that I had learned about from his website) informing me that he had tracked down some locales from Season 7’s “The Search” episode of The Office that I might be interested in stalking, most notably The Historic Mayfair Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles where Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and Holly Flax (Amy Ryan) shared a rooftop kiss.  Ironically enough, my good friend, fellow stalker Owen, from the When Write Is Wrong blog, had also sent me this location on February 4th of last year, the day after the episode had originally aired, along with a list of all of the other places featured in “The Search”.  And while I did stalk a few of them – Kung Pao China Bistro and Larry’s Chili Dog – for whatever reason, I never made it out to The Mayfair.  So, this past weekend, I decided to change that and dragged the Grim Cheaper right on over there.  (I am not sure what happened with the above photograph, but somehow it turned out a bit wonky and neither the GC nor I realized it at the time.)

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The Historic Mayfair Hotel was originally designed in 1927 by Alexander E. Curlett and Claud W. Beelman, the same architecture team who gave us the Park Plaza Hotel near MacArthur Park (an extremely popular filming location that I have stalked, but have yet to blog about), the Cooper Arms condominium building in Long Beach, and the Los Angeles Board of Trade Building in Downtown L.A.  The 13-story hotel, which at the time was named simply The Mayfair, was commissioned by Texas oil tycoons and was constructed at a cost of $1.5 million – and we’re talking 1920’s dollars!  In its heyday, the luxury property hosted such luminaries as Mary Pickford and John Barrymore.  Raymond Chandler even wrote and set his 1939 short story “I’ll Be Waiting” at The Mayfair, although he dubbed the place the “Windermere Hotel” in the tale.

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The property, which originally boasted 350 rooms, but now has just 304, was the largest hotel west of the Mississippi at one time and featured an immensely popular supper and dance club known as the Rainbow Isle Room, from which George Eckhardts, Jr. and the Rainbow Isle Orchestra would broadcast a live radio show each night.  In 2004, after suffering from a long period of neglect, the structure underwent a massive and much-needed $40 million renovation, at which point it was renamed The Historic Mayfair Hotel.  You can check out some great photographs of the place during its early days on The Mayfair’s Facebook page here.

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In “The Search” episode of The Office, after being stranded at a supposed Scranton, Pennsylvania-area gas station, Michael Scott goes on a walkabout which ends on the rooftop of The Historic Mayfair Hotel.  When Holly finds him there and Michael tells her how much he has missed her, the two finally kiss, ending several years worth of will-they-or-won’t-they-get-together storylines and allowing  audiences to finally breath a long-overdue sigh of relief.  Not surprisingly, the roof area of The Mayfair is closed to the public, so I was unable to snap any pictures of it.

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Mike, from MovieShotsLA, figured out that The Mayfair stood in for the supposed Chicago, Illinois-area The Addison Hotel where Beth Cappadora (Michelle Pfeiffer) attended her 15-year high school reunion in 1999’s The Deep End of the Ocean.

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It was from the lobby of The Mayfair that Beth’s 3-year-old son, Ben Cappadora (Michael McElroy), was kidnapped.

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As you can see above, despite the renovation, the lobby still looks very much the same today as it did back in 1998 when The Deep End of the Ocean was filmed.

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The super-nice front desk clerk that we spoke with while we were there informed us that both the interior and the exterior of the property had also appeared in 1994’s True Lies, as the supposed Washington, D.C.-area Washington Mayfair Hotel where Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger), on horseback, chased motor-cycle-riding religious zealot Salim Abu Aziz (Art Malik) through a lobby.

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The Mayfair lobby was actually one of three different lobbies used in that particular scene.  Harry is first shown chasing Salim across the length of The Mayfair’s lobby.

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The two then turn a corner and are magically transported to the now-defunct The Ambassador hotel, the same lobby of which was used as the Regent Beverly Wilshire in 1990’s Pretty Woman.

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The duo then heads outside, “across the street” and into The Westin Bonaventure Hotel.  In reality, when the Ambassador was still standing, it was located a good two miles away from The Bonaventure.  Ah, the magic of Hollywood!

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Thanks to the Richard Dean Anderson Website, I learned that The Historic Mayfair Hotel was also used in the 1986 Season 1 episode of MacGyver titled “The Assassin”.

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I am fairly certain that only the exterior of the property appeared in the episode, though, and that all of the interior hotel scenes were filmed on a set.  And while IMDB states that The Mayfair was also featured in 2009’s Don’t Look Up, I scanned through the flick yesterday while doing research for this post and did not see it pop up anywhere.

Big THANK YOU to fellow stalkers John Bengtson, from the SIlent Locations blog, and Owen, from the When Write Is Wrong blog, for telling me about this location and to Mike, from MovieShotsLA, for informing me of its appearance in The Deep End of the OceanSmile

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  Smile

Stalk It: The Historic Mayfair Hotel, from “The Search” episode of The Office, is located at 1256 West 7th Street in Downtown Los Angeles.  You can visit the hotel’s official website here.

The Beverly Hills, 90210 Spring Dance!

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A few weeks ago, I happened to pop in my Beverly Hills, 90210 Season 1 DVDs to watch the “Spring Dance” episode – one of my very favorite 90210episodes of all time!  As I scrolled through the DVD menu, I realized that, unbelievably, I had yet to watch that episode accompanied by the commentary by series’ creator Darren Star.  So, I settled in with a nice Starbucks Iced Latte to listen to what Darren had to say.  And I am SO glad I did, because besides dishing juicy little tidbits of information (such as Shannen Doherty and Luke Perry were not getting along at all that day), Darren also stated that the West Beverly High Spring Dance sequence had been filmed at the Universal Sheraton Hotel in Universal City.  So, I of course, grabbed my boyfriend and my camera and immediately headed over there!  🙂

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Unfortunately, last year the Sheraton Universal Hotel underwent a $25 million renovation project and now looks completely different than it did back in 1991 when 90210 was filmed there.  🙁  Even the hotel’s main entrance has changed significantly and the circular awning which was shown as the gang drove up to the prom venue has been replaced.  : (   According to the hotel’s General Manager, Peter Walterspiel, the forty year old Sheraton “needed a facelift pretty badly”.

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First opened in 1969, the twenty story, 451 room hotel is now ready to face the 21st Century.  Although I never saw the Sheraton pre-remodel (except on 90210, that is!) , I absolutely love the way it now looks!  The lobby is shiny and modern and full of bright, open spaces.  And there are many black and white photographs of old time movie stars, like Audrey Hepburn and my girl Marilyn Monroe, lining the lobby walls!  Gotta love it!  🙂

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I really wanted to grab a cocktail in the hotel’s Club Lounge (where the lights change colors based on the cycle of the sun!), but alas it was only 4 in the afternoon when I was there.  🙁  Oh well, next time!

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The Beverly Hills, 90210 Spring Dance scenes were filmed in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom, which, thankfully, looks much the same today as it did eighteen years ago when it appeared on 90210.  🙂  Although some parts of the room have changed since that time, you can see in the above photos that the dark wood doors, wainscoting, and even the wallpaper are still the same.

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You can see in the above photos that the wierd lights located above the ballroom doors also haven’t changed since the filming.  The screen capture I made of the lights didn’t come out very well, but if you watch the episode you can see the lights more clearly.

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Many other productions besides Beverly Hills, 90210 have also been filmed at the Sheraton Universal Hotel.  The reality series Cougar used the hotel for both location filming and as the place where all of the contestants were put up during the filming.  According to the concierge the escalators leading down to the hotel’s conference rooms were used repeatedly on the show (pictured above).  Contestants from the reality series America’s Got Talent were also put up at the Sheraton Universal.  And on an episode of Hogan Knows Best, Brooke Hogan and her father, Hulk, checked into the Sheraton while visiting Los Angeles.  A recent episode of the television series Chuck was filmed in the Club Lounge and the hotel was also featured in both Desperate Housewives and CSI: Las Vegas.

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The Universal Sheraton, which is nicknamed the “Hotel of the Stars”, often plays host to celebrities, as well, including George Clooney, B.B. King, Michael Jackson, Ava Gardner, Tom Hanks, Sophia Loren, Gladys Knight, John Travolta, Dolly Parton, Matthew McConaughy, and my girl Jen Aniston.  Telly Savalas, Jen’s godfather, actually LIVED in the hotel for over 17 years!!!!  Apparently, Telly began staying at the Universal Sheraton while starring in the television series Kojak, which was filmed just down the road at Universal Studios.    He was so keen on the hotel that he ended up moving his wife and kids in and making it his permanent residence.  Supposedly, he used to hang out quite often in the lobby bar and was always willing to take pictures and sign autographs for hotel guests.  🙂  Sadly, on January 22, 1994, Telly passed away in his Universal Sheraton Hotel suite.  He was only 70 years old.  🙁

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I HIGHLY recommend stalking – or even staying at – the Universal Sheraton.  In fact, I am trying to think of a good excuse to drag my boyfriend there for a weekend.  🙂  The staff was incredibly nice to me and answered all of my silly questions about the filming that had taken place there over the years – although no one remembered the 90210 Spring Dance being filmed there back in 1991.  LOL  For all of you tourists who are planning a trip to Universal Studios, the Sheraton Universal would be the place to stay as it is literally a hop, skip, and a jump away from the theme park.  You wouldn’t even have to rent a car.  🙂  Oh, and my favorite part of the hotel?  The mini Hollywood sign located at the Sheraton’s main entrance (pictured above).  LOVE IT!  🙂  I’ve gotta get me one of those for my backyard!  🙂

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  🙂

Stalk It: The Sheraton Universal Hotel is located at 333 Universal Hollywood Drive in Universal City.  You can visit their website here.  The Beverly Hills, 90210 Spring Dance took place in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom, located just downstairs and to the right of the main lobby.

The W Hotel

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This weekend while out doing some stalking of L.A.’s Westside, I dragged my boyfriend to the W Hotel, which was featured in both fave movie Win A Date With Tad Hamilton and the new 90210.  I have wanted to stalk the W ever since I first watched Win A Date  over four years ago, but somehow never got around to it until this past Sunday.  I actually can’t believe that I waited so long to stalk the modern style hotel, but, as I’ve said before, in L.A. there’s just so much to stalk and so little time!   🙂 

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The W Hotel is actually featured quite a few times in Win A Date.  The poolside restaurant, named “The Backyard”, shows up in the very beginning of the movie as the location where Tad and his agents (who are both named Richard Levy) do lunch.  It is during this luncheon that Tad is told he must clean up his public image and thus the “Win A Date With Tad Hamilton” contest is born.

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The W also shows up a bit later on in the movie as the hotel where contest winner Rosalee Futch (aka Kate Bosworth) stays while she is in L.A.  The front entrance of the hotel is shown when she first checks in, as well as when she is picked up and dropped off for her dream date with Tad.

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The lobby area of the hotel and the stairway leading up to the pool are also both featured in the movie.

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On the new 90210, Naomi Clark, following in the footsteps of Dylan McKay from the original series, forgoes living with her parents to permanently check in to the ultra-trendy W.   In the episode entitled “By Accident”, Naomi moves out of her cheating father’s house and into Room 723 of the hotel.  The W has been featured on the series several times since then, most prominently in the Valentine’s Day episode entitled “Of Heartbreaks and Hotels”. 

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Many areas of the hotel were shown in that episode including the front entrance;

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the lobby;

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the hotel’s NineThirty Restaurant where Silver and Dixon share a Valentine’s Day dinner;

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the hotel’s coffee bar where Naomi first meets cutie bartender Liam (in real life the coffee bar is set up daily between 6 and10am  just outside of the NineThirty Restaurant, but sadly it had already been removed by the time we got there, so I didn’t get to snap a photo of it);

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the hotel’s Whiskey Blue Bar where Silver and Naomi grab some tea;

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and, just like in Win A Date, the hotel’s Backyard restaurant where Naomi gets stood up by Liam.

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I HIGHLY recommend stalking the W!  The hotel somehow manages to be ultra-trendy and ultra-modern, yet extremely welcoming at the same time.  The staff truly could not have been nicer to me and answered all of my silly questions about the filming of 90210  and Win A Date.  🙂   Since we were stalking the place in the middle of the day, though, we weren’t able to grab a drink in the hotel’s Whiskey Blue Bar.  But you can bet that is something I am going to do in the very near future.  I also must book a room and drag my boyfriend there for the weekend sometime!  Even though ultra modern hotels are usually not my thing, I really fell in love with this one.  🙂 

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Until next time, Happy Stalking!  🙂

Stalk It: The W Hotel is located at 930 Hilgard Avenue in the Westwood area of Los Angeles.  You can visit their website here.

Hilton Checkers Hotel

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A few months ago, Mike, from MovieShotsLA,  scored the two of us invites to a party and silent auction being held by the Location Managers Guild of America.  We had a fab time at the party and got to meet many location scouts, none of whom had any idea that there were people like us out there obsessed with movie and television locations.  LOL  Anyway, the highlight of that evening was when I placed the winning bid on a one night stay in the Penthouse Suite of the Hilton Checkers Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles for the bargain price of $160!  I’m not kidding!  So this past weekend my boyfriend and I cashed in on our big win and spent a night in luxury at the historic boutique hotel. 

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On its website the Hilton Checkers Hotel touts itself as being Downtown Los Angeles’ only four diamond boutique hotel – and, let me tell you, it didn’t disappoint!  Checkers was originally built in the 1920s and was called “The Mayflower”.   The boutique hotel, which stands at twelve stories high, was built at a time when the City of Los Angeles did not allow any buildings in the Downtown area to have more than twelve floors.  In 1984, the hotel was completely renovated and remodeled and given it’s current moniker. For a time it was owned privately and then was sold to Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.  When it was purchased by the Hilton Hotel chain in 2002, it took on the name Hilton Checkers.

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Checkers Hotel has two Penthouse Suites – one each on its 11th and 12th floors – and I can’t tell you how excited I was to be staying in one of them!  Besides soon-to-be-famous actress Lindsay Blake :), numerous other celebs have stayed in the hotel’s Penthouse Suites over the years, including Jim Carrey (who lived in one while he was filming the movie Man on the Moon), Carol Burnett (who also resided in one for a few months during her stint at the Ahmanson Theatre performing in Putting It Together), Ray Charles, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith (who were recent guests), and Cher (who books a Penthouse each year when she’s in town for the Grammys).  

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Both of the Checkers’ Penthouse Suites are identical in size and decor.  Each boasts two bathrooms, a separate bedroom with a desk and reading chair,

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a separate dining room with a marble table that seats eight,

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and a large living room complete with a fireplace and big screen plasma TV.

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 Besides celebs, dignitaries have also been known to visit the hotel.  According to the book Hollywood & the Best of Los Angeles Alive!, in 1992 President Richard Nixon and Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev had a meeting in the Checkers’ Library (pictured above). 

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And, of course, Checkers is also a popular filming location!  The hotel was featured twice in a Season One episode of fave television show Shark.  In the episode, entitled “Fashion Police”, Sebastian Stark dines at the hotel’s award winning restaurant, named Checkers Downtown, with the mayor.

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Later on in the episode, Stark arrests fashion designer Z Pruitt (played by Diedrich Bader) at a lingerie party being held at Checker’s rooftop pool. 

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Other productions filmed at the hotel include  Heroes, which used Checker’s front entrance, and the now-canceled What About Brian, which  filmed in the lobby area.  In 2003’s A View From The Top, Checkers stood in for the Paris hotel where Gwyneth Paltrow stays on a layover.  Paula Abdul and a few of this season’s Idols   just recently filmed a segment by the hotel’s pool.   And Dancing With The Stars has also shot numerous segments at the hotel.    Just last week Carson Daily filmed a television interview about the birth of his son in the Checkers Lounge (pictured above).  And Stefanie Powers, of Hart to Hart  fame, has filmed numerous PBS specials onsite. 

I HIGHLY recommend stalking Checkers!  It’s a really beautiful hotel and I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again.  And if you can swing it, I’d definitely recommend booking a Penthouse room!  🙂

Until next time, Happy Stalking!  🙂

Stalk It: Hilton Checkers Hotel is located at 535 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles.  You can visit their website here.

The Millennium Biltmore Hotel

One of my favorite places to visit in all of LA is the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, located in Downtown Los Angeles. The hotel is also a favorite of film producers and it has been used in more productions than I can blog about. The hotel was built in 1923 and at the time was simply called The Biltmore. The building is absolutely gorgeous inside and out and definitely looks like it came out of a different era. Besides being a popular filming location, the hotel has played host to the Academy Awards on eight separate occasions between the years of 1931 and 1942. The hallway on the way to the hotel pool has many framed photographs of old time Hollywood celebrities who stayed at the Biltmore.

Movie buffs will probably most easily recognize the Biltmore from the first Beverly Hills Cop movie where it was used as the hotel where Eddie Murphy sets up camp during his stay in Beverly Hills. Molly Ringwald’s prom from Pretty in Pink was held in the hotel’s Crystal Ballroom, a room which was also used in Rocky III, The Sting, Ghostbusters, Alien Nation and The Fabulous Baker Boys. The Biltmore’s indoor art deco style pool was the pool where Ryan Phillipe and Reese Witherspoon take a midnight dip in the movie Cruel Intentions. The pool was also used in Bugsy and The Fan.

The movie Bachelor Party also filmed extensively at the Biltmore where it was used as the location of Tom Hanks’ wild bachelor party. And yes, they really did put a live donkey in the hotel’s elevator during the filming! Both Bachelor Party and Beverly Hills Cop were filmed in the Biltmore’s former lobby. Currently that room is a part of the hotel’s Smeraldi’s restaurant and is used for high tea and dinner. Today, the lobby is located in the hotel’s former Music Room, which was used in 1960 by JFK as the location of his official campaign headquarters. The Music Room’s ornate glass and wrought-iron ceiling (pictured below next to the “Stalk It” paragraph) was the model for the dining room ceiling of the ship in The Poseidon Adventure.

Alfred Hitchcock used the Biltmore’s 11 story high back staircase for the vertigo sequences in his 1958 movie of the same name. Hang over the ledge of the staircase on the 11th floor and you might catch a bit of vertigo yourself! In all, over 300 productions have been filmed at the hotel, including Species, The Nutty Professor, Independence Day, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, True Lies, The American President, In the Line of Fire, Mother, and the short lived TV show Vanished. Britney Spear’s Overprotected video was filmed in a large hallway just off the lobby of the hotel. You can watch that video here. Once you’ve visited the Biltmore, you will recognize it popping up all over the big and small screens.

The Gallery Bar is one of my favorite spots at the Biltmore. It is dark and quiet and definitely evokes an aura of Old Time Hollywood. The Bar was most recently used in National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets as the location of Abigal’s date at the beginning of the movie. But the Gallery Bar’s main claim to fame is its signature drink – the Black Dhalia Martini, named for one of LA’s most famous unsolved murder cases. Actress Elizabeth Short, whose nickname was the Black Dhalia, walked out the Biltmore Hotel doors on January 9, 1947 at approximately 6:30pm. She was never seen again. Her mutilated body was found six days later in an abandoned field. The last person to ever see the Black Dhalia alive was the Biltmore doorman who tipped his hat to her as she walked south down Olive Avenue. Although garnering widespread media attention and public fascination that exists even to this day, the case has yet to be solved.

The last time I stayed at the Biltmore, there were FIVE separate productions being filmed in and around the hotel – a car commercial, a fitness water commercial, the TV shows Alias and Standoff, and the pilot episode of Capitol Law with Joshua Jackson. I was especially excited to see Josh because Pacey was always my favorite Dawson’s Creek character. I so heart Josh! The grainy photo to the left is one I snapped of him during filming. 🙂

Until next time, Happy Stalking!

Stalk It: The Millennium Biltmore Hotel is located in Downtown Los Angeles at 506 South Grand Avenue. I highly recommend staying there if you find yourself in the LA area. The rooms are exquisite and extremely reasonable. Be sure to ask the hotel’s concierge about the Biltmore’s filming history – they usually have some great stories to share and they will also give you a print out of every single production ever filmed at the hotel.

Westin Bonaventure Hotel

Chances are, if you’ve ever taken the 110 Freeway through Downtown Los Angeles, you’ve noticed the futuristic, space-age style structure located on the west side of the freeway. That building is the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, and it has been featured in countless movie and TV productions. The hotel, which is just as futuristic and space-age looking on the inside as it is on the outside, was most prominently featured in the Johnny Depp movie Nick of Time.

The ultra-modern cement and glass hotel was built in 1974 by architect John Portman and is the largest hotel in Los Angeles. The hotel stands 367 feet tall and has 35 floors. The top floor of one of the hotel’s towers is actually a revolving cocktail lounge and observation tower with INCREDIBLE views of Los Angeles. Step inside the Bonaventure and you’ll have no doubt as to why producers have returned to the hotel over the years for filming. The building is one hundred percent unique with tall glass towers and elevators, large cement pillars, beams and floors, and countless fountains and ponds located throughout the lobby area.

Besides Nick of Time, the hotel has also starred in countless other movie and TV productions including Forget Paris, Mission Impossible III, Hard to Kill, Escape From LA, Epicenter, This is Spinal Tap, CSI and In the Line of Fire. Arnold Schwarzenegger rode a horse into one of the glass elevators in the movieTrue Lies and the waitresses from the 80s TV show It’s A Living worked in the hotel’s revolving BonaVista Lounge located on the 34th floor. If you walk through the hallway leading from the parking garage to the hotel lobby, you will see the movie posters from each of the productions filmed at the Bonaventure. Each elevator also has a plaque notating which feature film was filmed there.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It:The Westin Bonaventure Hotel is located at 6th Street in Downtown Los Angeles. Be sure to hit up the BonaVista Lounge while you are there – the views alone are worth the trip! 🙂

The Bel Air Hotel

img_1923.jpg In honor of the eagerly anticipated issue of New York Magazine that hits newsstands tomorrow, in which Lindsay Lohan recreates Marilyn Monroe’s very last photo shoot, I thought I’d blog about the Hotel Bel-Air. Photographer Bert Stern held both the 1962 Marilyn Monroe photo shoot and the recent Lindsay Lohan shoot at the Hotel Bel-Air. Although you don’t see the hotel in any of the pictures of the LLo or Marilyn shoot (not that you’d notice even if the hotel was pictured in the background!!) the Bel Air is absolutely gorgeous and is definitely a Los Angeles Must See!

img_1911.jpg One of the cool side benefits of being a stalker is all the cool places I discover while I am out and about stalking. My first visit to the Hotel Bel Air was for a stalking outing, but it has quickly become one of my favorite places to have a weekend drink. Hotel Bel Air has long been a haven for the rich and famous, and it’s not very hard to see why. The grounds are absolutely incredible – with huge swan-filled ponds, outdoor fireplaces, large sprawling lawns and tree covered terraces. I can’t think of a more relaxing retreat in Los Angeles – or a better place for stalking! 🙂

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

img_1924.jpg Stalk It: The Hotel Bel Air is located at 701 Stone Canyon Road in Bel Air. You can visit the hotel’s website, and reserve a room, here. The Champagne Bar inside the hotel is a fab spot for celeb stalking, and – with its overstuffed chairs, roaring fireplace and dark wood walls – it’s the perfect place to share a romantic evening. Disregard the sign on the door saying there is a dress-code – they did away with the jacket and tie rule years ago.