Hotel Review: The Beverly Hilton

The Beverly Hilton is a luxury hotel located in the heart of Beverly Hills, California, and has a history of hosting famous events and people.

While there are many reasons to consider staying at The Beverly Hilton — including the hotel’s restaurants, recently renovated rooms and its famous pool — below is our review of The Beverly Hilton to help you decide whether the hotel is right for your stay in Los Angeles.

The Beverly Hilton is located on the corner of Wilshire and Sunset boulevards, less than a mile from Rodeo Drive. While you could easily spend a few days taking advantage of the shopping, people-watching and restaurants in Beverly Hills, as well as the hotel facilities, the hotel is also a great base for exploring Los Angeles.

The Beverly Hilton is less than a 20-minute drive away from sites like J. Paul Getty Museum, West Hollywood and Santa Monica (depending on traffic, of course).

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The hotel’s design is a mix of mid-century, old Hollywood and contemporary luxury.

Walking into the hotel, you can immediately sense its history. The hotel has hosted the Golden Globe Awards for over 40 years, was previously owned by Merv Griffin and has welcomed many other famous events and guests. But by sensing its history, we don't mean that it feels entirely dated. The Beverly Hilton has also invested in making the hotel modern, spending almost $90 million on renovations since 2008.

Areas of the hotel that felt more “old Hollywood” are the lobby, pool and rooms, whereas the more modern areas of the hotel include the restaurants and the gym.

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There are a number of different dining and drink options for guests at The Beverly Hilton, including:

• CIRCA 55, which offers traditional California dishes with a modern twist for breakfast, lunch and dinner (we recommend having breakfast by the pool). 

• Sant’olina, a rooftop restaurant that offers sweeping views of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles as well a delicious mixture of Mediterranean and Israeli food. 

• Lobby Lounge, avails cocktails, small bites and people-watching.

• In-room dining is available from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

We recommend reserving dinner at Sant’olina and ordering the warm za’atar laffa bread, which is made fresh every 30 minutes, with the beet muhammara dip. 

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The Beverly Hilton has 566 guest rooms that are located in either the Wilshire Tower, the Oasis building or the pool area. If you’re wondering where to stay in the hotel, below is a quick overview:

• The Wilshire Tower. Rooms here focus on views of the hills surrounding the property and have balconies to create a feeling of indoor/outdoor living. Guests can take advantage of the sunny California weather.

• The Oasis building. Rooms feature views of the hotel’s courtyard and fountain. Many rooms have recently updated bathrooms.

• Pool area. Tropically-inspired cabana rooms surround the pool, offering pool-deck patios. 

The cabana rooms in the pool area offer more of a party vibe (we saw a few doors open with guests playing music and going back-and-forth between rooms), so choose from other options if you’re looking for a quieter experience.

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The Beverly Hilton offers guests a number of amenities, including:

• Aqua Star Pool. Open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., you can book a private daybed or relax on a lounge chair and see if you can spot a celebrity walking by.

• Fitness center. State-of-the-art gym with weights and cardio equipment, also offering guests apples, headphones and fresh towels.

• Upgrade Labs. An appointment-only fitness and health center, offering treatments like cryotherapy and an AI adaptive bike that are priced per session.

• The Bellezza Salon. With access to hair stylists and manicures and pedicures.

The Beverly Hilton is a mix of old Hollywood and modern luxury design, and has a great location for enjoying the main tourist attractions in Los Angeles.

While the hotel is deeply embedded in Hollywood history, it has undergone major renovations that make the hotel feel contemporary without losing any of its history and charm. 

If you’re planning a visit, we’d recommend booking a dinner at Sant’olina where you can take in views of Beverly Hills and the Los Angeles skyline. Stay in The Wilshire tower so you can enjoy similar views and a room with a terrace to soak up the typically sunny Southern California weather.

(Top photo courtesy of Josh Garber)