The Waldorf Astoria Adds More “OoLaLa” to LA

Beverly Hills’ shopping, dining and people watching are the stuff of legend, even with new “it” neighborhoods gaining prominence and Downtown L.A.’s recent transformation from ugly duckling to 21^st-century swan-in-the-making. No matter what the trends are, Beverly Hills is not going anywhere, and its time-honored hotels on the map still draw the faithful in.

Since the city’s bid for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games, Los Angeles’s tourism industry and numerous hospitality companies have looked to add thousands more hotel rooms at every price point. This in turn, provided a perfect opportunity for a glittering new luxury property — The Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills — to raise the stakes and open its doors. It’s an amazing balance of tradition and audacity, smack-dab next door to the Beverly Hilton. Décor-wise, parts of the hotel decorated in the older hotel’s signature pink and green make one feel like it could be the annex of the other.

Inside the property, the lines blur aesthetically between “Golden Age” Hollywood and 21^st-century luxury, down to the destination restaurant Jean-Georges Beverly Hills and the companion Rooftop by JG, which shakes up the French-American gastronomy of the New York City legend with Los Angeles-inspired infusions of Asian and Latin American flavors. Furthermore, the plating presentation (especially the desserts) delight even the youngest foodies as the multigenerational family groupings on our night at the restaurant will attest.

© Erik Lattwein | Dreamstime.com

One hundred and nineteen oversized guestrooms and 51 suites crafted by interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon within the dramatic 12-story building are perfectly attired for families indulging in the ultimate Beverly Hills luxury experience, from state-of-the-art technology to the warm white stone, rich woods and floor-to-ceiling windows found in many of the stately homes celebrities and captains of industry live in. Private balconies and window open out to postcard views of Beverly Hills’ plush shopping district and the Hollywood Hills.

A swim in the heated pool on the beautifully landscape rooftop lounge deck will be difficult to resist, as it is among the largest of its kind in Beverly Hills and available exclusively to hotel guests. Although the hotel is walking distance from Beverly Hills’ gilded boulevards — one of the property’s best perks for families — the Aston Martin Retail Store at the property’s street level is a marvel that will enchant all autophiles with its myriad of sleek accessories, gifts, collectibles and a few actual cars to admire.

The hotel is also pet friendly, and offers babysitting services and local area transportation. As the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills is also part of the Hilton portfolio, Family Fun Packages are periodically offered. Though are many novel stores within walking distance, as well as the futuristic Westfield Century City Mall, parents can also steer the kids toward some bona fide culture. The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, one of the L.A. area’s newest theaters, stages numerous family-friendly shows through its Theater for Young Audiences division and collaborations with various theater companies from across the world.

Curious television watchers, meanwhile, can stroll to the Paley Center for Media, where parents can introduce kids to their childhood favorites in private screening pods, or take in a family screening on most Saturdays. The Beverly Hills Public Library offers summer performances and reading programs, and other activities as well as a nice taste of “real world” Beverly Hills.