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Hobnobbing with Hollywood types isn’t the only thing you can do at The Lobby Lounge & Bar at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills. Often the swanky bar at this Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel will host live music performances like a jazz trio, which serves as the perfect background music for your intimate conversation. After all, sitting in a comfortable lounge chair with a handcrafted, seasonal cocktail in hand admiring the glowing fireplace calls for some soothing live music. Since The Lobby Lounge & Bar is the only bar on the property of this Beverly Hills hotel, it’s also the only spot you can enjoy live music. While there is a grand piano in the lobby of the L’Ermitage, it’s used purely for aesthetic purposes.

All of the rooms at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills are well appointed and spacious.
Guestrooms range from 625 to 675 square feet, while suites are considerably larger, starting at 1,200 square feet up to 4,400 square feet. But the crème de la crème of guestrooms is one of the Premier King rooms, which overlook the Hollywood sign and the world-famous Hollywood Hills. Inside, amenities like Egyptian sheets, a spacious marble-clad bathroom and a private bar will make you feel like a celebrity.
 
The Presidential Suite, which is the largest room at this Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star boutique hotel at 4,400 square feet, is more like your private Beverly Hills apartment than a hotel room. Just like the guestrooms, it features amenities like platform beds, an iPod docking station, Bose speakers, Inncom room entry system, wireless Internet and more  — but on a much grander scale. It boasts a dining room, a living room complete with a grand piano, a screening room, a kitchenette with a fully stocked refrigerator, three bedrooms, two full bathrooms and one guest bathroom — the definition of Beverly Hills hotel luxury.

L’Ermitage Beverly Hills’ sparkling heated rooftop pool is incredibly appealing on a sweltering day (or on a breezy, not-too-hot day too) and is the perfect place to get in some rest and relaxation under the sun; you’ll also be able to enjoy special amenities only available at the pool. Grab a lounge chair, which will be set up with a towel, and get comfortable. You’ll find more towels and bottled water stocked nearby on a table along with suntan lotion. During daytime hours, there’s fresh fruit on hand if you get hungry, and sometimes the chef will send up ice pops so you can stay cool.
 
If you want more privacy at the L’Ermitage Beverly Hills’ pool, rent a cabana for a full day or a half day. They feature the only shade you’ll find out by the pool. They’re stocked with amenities — complimentary water, fruit and soda, plus a flat-screen TV, DVD player, CD player, radio, fax machine and phone to keep you occupied. If you’re looking for more relaxation by the pool, book a spa treatment in a cabana; there’s information outside by the pool if the mood strikes you at the last-minute.
 
Another great complimentary amenity offered at the pool of this Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel: free yoga on the rooftop on the other side of the pool to help you mellow out on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. Stop in at the L’Ermitage’s concierge desk to sign up and then head up to the rooftop where you’ll find mats and all the other yoga accessories you’ll need. Afterward, the chef will bring up complimentary smoothies for all yogis — another special amenity that’s hard to turn down.

When you check in to L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, you’ll be asked when you would like turndown service, to be sure you’ll be out of the room so the staff won’t disturb you. Once you return to the room of your Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel from a lavish dinner and cocktails or from stepping out to a movie premiere (one can dream, right? You are in Beverly Hills), you’ll find that your room has been prepared for your beauty sleep so you can hit the town the next day well-rested. The L’Ermitage Beverly Hills’ turnout service includes a tray on your bed with information for laundry and shoe shine services, along with a shoehorn and a buffer. A breakfast room service menu and a card with the temperature forecast for the next day will be propped up against a pillow. The drapes will have been drawn closed using neck pillows from the bed to hold them back, totally blocking out the light. The bed will be pulled back for you with the golden pillow shams taken off (and hidden behind the bed in a cabinet). Next to the bed, on the bedside table, a tray will be pulled out with a bottle of water and a glass set out on top. The remote for the TV will be left next to the bed as well on the wooden bed frame. Finally, the turndown service at the L’Ermitage includes leaving on the bedside lamps and turning off the rest of the lights so you can tuck into bed and switch off the bedside lamps, turn on the TV and mellow out before falling asleep.

The L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, the renowned Beverly Hills hotel, doesn’t charge any fees. So you won’t rack up extra expenses on top of your room charge. Instead, you’ll get fabulous service along with complimentary amenities at this Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Hotel — a combination that would make any traveler happy. For instance, you’ll be treated to complimentary Internet access throughout the course of your stay, and you can also choose from a complimentary pillow menu to help rest your head in comfort and style. Be sure to take advantage of the gym at the L’Ermitage Beverly Hills and take a dip in the rooftop pool; all this and more is free with your reservation, no added fees required.

If you're heading to The Peninsula Beverly Hills for a vacation or business trip, you're in for a treat. Here are the five things we think you need to know before you go:

1. The location is great. The Peninsula Beverly Hills' prime spot means you'll have everything you need at your fingertips. You really don't need to leave the hotel, but if you would like to shop, check out great restaurants or just grab a cup of coffee, you can find it all nearby. A Starbucks is conveniently located a block away, Century City mall is about six blocks away and so is Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York and other luxury shops. You're just a quick walk to the famous Rodeo Drive, and a cab ride away from downtown L.A. and Hollywood.

2. The hotel is classic. The Peninsula Beverly Hills emanates a regal and sophisticated style. This Five-Star hotel isn't looking to be trendy, but if you want a refined experience and welcoming staff, this is the place for you. You'll get comfort, luxury, personalized service and a friendly staff all rolled into one.

3. If you're looking for privacy, you can find it here. The villas, located in separate detached buildings in the hotel's garden, make you feel worlds away from busy Wilshire Boulevard. They sit on beautiful grounds with winding pathways that lead to and from the hotel and waterfalls and flowers sprinkled throughout. The villas are perfect for honeymooners, celebrities who want to get out of the public eye, families who want privacy or even for a group of girlfriends looking for some time to catch up.

4. The personalized service at The Peninsula Beverly Hills is top-notch. You'll find that certain features in your room have been customized just for you. From the pillowcases with your initial to the welcome amenities, the staff will go out of its way to make you feel special. If you're a regular guest, it'll keep track of what you like and don't like so on your next visit it can be even more thoughtful.

5. The hotel is family-friendly. The Peninsula Beverly Hills is a great place for parents and kids. The rooftop pool is always a hit with children, and they'll like the special attention they receive in restaurants and from the staff. We've heard that if you happen to leave your teddy bear or other stuffed animal at the hotel, the staff here will send it back to you with a letter and photos about what your friend has been up to in Los Angeles. Now that's personalized service.

The Peninsula Beverly Hills’ outdoor heated pool sits on the fifth floor, along with The Roof Garden restaurant and bar, The Peninsula Beverly Hills Spa and the gym. The rooftop offers a beautiful view of Beverly Hills, Century City and even as far as downtown L.A. Cabanas run the length of the 60-by-20-foot pool. At the end of the rectangular pool, there is a circular whirlpool up a few steps, allowing you to take in even better views while you soak. If you’re looking for a bit more privacy, rent one of The Peninsula Beverly Hills’ 12 cabanas for either the day or the night. The posh cabanas include a chaise lounge and other seating, along with a stocked refrigerator, flat-screen TV and DVD player and cordless telephone. The cabanas are always comfortable, no matter the weather outside; they have air conditioning and heat.

The pool is open daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Keep in mind that there is no lifeguard on duty, so if you’re bringing your kids to the pool, it’s up to you to look after them. You’ll find sunscreen, towels, bottles of water and other amenities, so if you forget something, the hotel has you covered.

The rooms at The Peninsula Beverly Hills are classic, refined and sophisticated. With colorful touches of pinks, creams, blues and greens, the traditional rooms feel fresh — and they should, since they were renovated in August 2011. Cream walls with white molding provide a neutral background to the floral fabrics in the drapes and canopy. The Peninsula Beverly Hills' beds have a light wood headboard and the sheets, pillowcases and comforters are white with light cream and gray stripes. Nightstands on both sides of the bed offer the most up-to-date technology. Use the bedside control panel to crank up the air-conditioning or turn off the lights with a touch of a button. There's also a Bose stereo to try out.

The work area has a desk and two graceful chairs. A fax machine, copier and printer combination is an extra perk that makes work tasks easy. The pale green loveseat with bright pink pillows is a good spot to relax, and you'll find a basket of magazines next to it. The closets are spacious, with enough room to leave your suitcase and plenty of hangers so you can fully unpack. There is a small dresser within the closet to give you more space for your things.

All the rooms here are spacious and easy to relax in, but we recommend the patio deluxe rooms, which give you a small private terrace that faces out to the hotel's gorgeous garden. Overall, the rooms are comfortable and chic, exactly what you would expect from a Five-Star hotel.

Beverly Hills is the neighborhood and it is in the hotel's name, so you would expect the design style at The Peninsula Beverly Hills to be nothing but luxurious. And it is. But in addition to the glamour you'd expect from the 90210 address, the Five-Star hotel is also an incredibly comfortable place that's welcoming. The traditional decor is regal and sophisticated, but not intimidating. Hidden away from the street, with a secluded front drive and a garden in the back, The Peninsula Beverly Hills is the perfect hideaway for celebrities or VIPs who want to escape the limelight and just relax in a beautiful environment. But it doesn't mean the style is laid-back. You'll find grand mirrors, Oriental rugs and Asian artwork in the public areas of the hotel.

The guestrooms are classic, with floral drapes on the windows, white moldings on the walls and linen canopies on the beds. Here, you'll see more marble and graceful furniture, seemingly out of another era of grand luxury. The Belvedere restaurant, The Club Bar and the lobby Living Room all have grand floral arrangements and lavish features, including marble floors and crystal chandeliers. The grand piano and tufted curved arm sofa in the Living Room transport you to a time where women are ladies and men are gentlemen. The hotel has that glamorous old Hollywood feel from an era long ago but is filled with technology and features of today.

If you prefer to travel with a bit of drama, The Peninsula Beverly Hills offers its house town car to add some excitement to your arrival or departure. Rides to anywhere in Beverly Hills are complimentary; a chauffeur will drop you off. Just stop by or call the concierge to arrange it. If you're going farther, like the airport, you can use the car for a flat fee of $135.

Chauffeurs are nice, but if you're staying in a suite at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, you can move into the driver's seat. Book a complimentary Cadillac to use during your stay at the hotel for a trip to the beach, Griffith Park or the many other attractions in and around Los Angeles. Set up with your own car, you'll have the freedom to explore.

The Peninsula Beverly Hills really knows how to do turndown. As soon as you check in, you're asked when you'd like the service, so there's no chance you'll miss it. When you arrive back to your room later in the evening, you'll find that the drapes have been closed and the TV has been turned to face the bed. The remote is placed close at hand, as are the list of DVDs in the library and cable channels. You'll find a breakfast room service menu leaning against your pillow, along with a note card with the next day's weather forecast and a card you can fill out if you need help printing your boarding pass. Of course, the covers have been pulled back, ready for you to climb in for a good night's rest. You'll find a bottle of Fiji water on your bedside table along with a glass and a bottle of NeuroSleep, a nutritional supplement meant to give you everything you need for rest and renewal. The room and bathroom have been tidied, toiletries are replenished and anything in your room that's out of place will be neatly put back, saving you from bothering with any pesky before-bed organization.

The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Peninsula Beverly Hills is simply lovely, from check-in to checkout, so it’s hard to pick out just a handful of things that we really love. Here’s our top five list:

1. The staff. The friendly staff makes your stay even better. From the bell staff, front desk team and concierge to the waiters at The Roof Garden and The Belvedere to the housekeeping group, you won’t find nicer people to stay with for the evening. Above and beyond is the norm here, where an old-school commitment to service makes you feel welcome. They’ll call you by name and remember what you like and don’t like, so your next stay will be even more customized.

2. The villas. The hotel’s villas are a unique getaway. The Peninsula Beverly Hills’ villa suites are in a garden area behind the hotel with lush trees and flowers making it a secluded spot. You’ll get all the same great services as you would in the hotel, but the villas allow you more privacy, more space and more of a residential feel with your own private front- and back-door entrances. Some villa suites come with their own Jacuzzi, kitchenette and dining room.

3. The Living Room. We love the Living Room. Right off the lobby, the salon is a sophisticated place to take afternoon tea, have a cocktail or a conduct a quick business meeting. Another great reason to hang out in the Living Room is that Antonio Castillo, the hotel’s resident pianist, plays there Tuesday through Saturday starting at 8 p.m.

4. The Roof Garden. The Roof Garden is a must-visit. Located right next to the outdoor pool and Jacuzzi, this casual restaurant has outstanding views of downtown L.A. in one direction, Century City in another and the Hollywood Hills completing the set. An outdoor fire pit surrounded by couches makes for a romantic spot after dark, and during the day, it’s perfect for a girls’ lunch or some cocktails. The garden environment makes you forget that you’re in a big city.

5. The service. The personalized service is outstanding. Have we mentioned that the staff here goes out of its way to please? It provides customized service, too, from monogrammed pillowcases to personalized welcome amenities. Kids especially love the special attention. Before you arrive, the reservationist will ask about what your child likes, and most likely, you’ll find something waiting for him in the room — maybe his favorite book or a teddy bear to keep him company.

If you're looking for a room with a great view, book one of The Peninsula Beverly Hills' patio rooms. These luxurious rooms have a little outdoor space that overlooks the villas and garden behind the main building. These have the most quiet and peaceful views. If you're hoping for a little more scenery, the rooms on the fifth floor are the highest. In those rooms, you will see the garden, fountain and the residential area behind the hotel. If city views are what you're after, ask for a Beverly suite, which looks out at the front drive and has a nice glimpse of Beverly Hills. Of course, the best view in the Five-Star hotel comes from the rooftop, either near the pool or at The Roof Garden, where you can take in vistas of downtown Beverly Hills, the Hollywood Hills, Century City and downtown L.A.

The Beverly Hilton’s turndown service sets the stage for sleep. On a recent visit, the Bose Wave Music system CD/radio was playing some mellow music, the clear beaded bedside lamps were turned on and there was a note next to our pillow. The small paper had the following day’s weather forecast — surprise, another sunny California day! — and included the times of sunrise and sunset. It also quoted the Beatles ditty “Golden Slumbers”: “Golden slumbers fill your eyes; Smiles awake you when you rise.” In addition, the gray throw on the bed was stowed away, our messy piles were neatened up and our ice bucket was filled. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the chocolates that are supposed to come with turndown. Then again, housekeeping had to do a rush job; at check-in, we were asked if we would like turndown service, and of course we said yes, but it wasn’t noted on our account. So we had to call down to request it again before bedtime, but the staff quickly came and turned down our bed so we could get those golden slumbers.

The Beverly Hilton has great bars. When you need a good, stiff drink, bring your thirsty self over to The Beverly Hilton’s Trader Vic’s Lounge, which is the longest-standing location of the Polynesian-themed bar chain. There, you’ll get to pound mai tais and other fruity, exotic cocktails like the signature Chai’s Beverly Starburst, a lime-green concoction made with fresh juices, rum, orange liqueur and mint. Plunk down in a big brown semicircular booth inside the tiki bar, which doesn’t go overboard with the kitschy décor, or, for a more chic Polynesian vibe, head outside near the palm trees on either the dark wicker furniture or the couches with avocado-green pillows next to the pool. If you just want a beer, head over to the more quiet and traditional Lobby Lounge. The bartender there will pour you a cold Bass Ale or Anchor Steam, and you can sit in a low-sunk maroon and dark wood chair or lounge on the light blue sofas. Catch the game on the bar’s flat-screen or watch people go by in the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel.

The rooms inside the Wilshire Tower at The Beverly Hilton have terraces. Snag one of these rooms and you’ll not only have a view, but you can enjoy the warm California air. Or you can get a junior, executive or penthouse suite, which all come with terraces along with more space. All terraces are outfitted with a rattan mat, two white mesh chairs and a small, round glass-topped table. From the terrace, you’ll get to peer out over Wilshire Drive and Beverly Hills. When we stayed at the hotel recently, we got an eyeful of the circular driveway and the unsightly roof of a building, but we looked past that for a view of Beverly Gardens Park and the city.

If you’re traveling to The Beverly Hilton on business, you’ll find several amenities that will help you out. Your room will have Internet access and Wi-Fi — it costs $14.95 a day or $70 a week to use it, though it’s free in public spaces like the lobby — and a safe with two outlets in it, so you can stow and charge your laptop at the same time. It’s also furnished with an ergonomic workstation that has plug-in panels right on top of the oval-shaped dark wood desk. For those who like to work while snuggling in bed and watching TV, there are also outlets on the bedside table lamps that will keep your laptop juiced up.

Outside of your room, the Four-Star hotel offers an automated 24-hour business center with four large-screen Macs. It costs $3.75 to get online for 15 minutes. In addition, the center has a color and black-and-white printer, fax machines and a copier. For more hands-on business help, try the hotel’s AVT Event Technology and Business Center, which is also on the lobby level. The full-service, staffed business center offers printing, copying, collating, data entry or file transfer needs. However, it can assist with more complicated audiovisual needs, say for a meeting or conference at the hotel. AVT also offers onsite computers; it’ll cost you $.50 cents a minute or $15 an hour to surf there. AVT is open Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

To make the most of the Beverly Hills hotel’s business amenities, opt for the business package, which includes a breakfast catered in-room or poolside from Circa 55 restaurant, high-speed Internet access, a one-time garment pressing, and either printing, faxing, scanning or copying up to 50 pages in the business center. The package starts at $295 a night.

If you are at The Beverly Hilton to work rather than stake out celebrities, you’ll find a good space to get down to business. Regular rooms at the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel have wooden oval-shaped desks that slightly swivel and a tan ergonomic chair. On top of the desk you’ll find a silver lamp with a moveable arm, and to its side sits a phone, a silver ice bucket and two glasses, as well as a handy control panel for easy plug-ins and Internet hookup. It’s nice not to have to crawl around on the floor to plug in a laptop. You’ll be able to access the hotel’s wired Internet and Wi-Fi from your room, but you’ll have to pay $14.95 for 24 hours and $70 for the week. Though if you head down to public spaces like the lobby, Lobby Bar (our pick) or pool, you can score free Wi-Fi there.

The Beverly Hilton offers L’Occitane bath products. A favorite among cosmetic junkies, L’Occitane uses local producers and natural ingredients, many of which are derived from plants and essential oils. Our favorite among the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel’s offerings was the fragrant, zesty Verbena soap that made the bathroom smell lemony. Bathrooms in regular rooms also have the brand’s shea butter soaps and its Aromachologie shower gels, lotion, shampoo and conditioner, which are made with essential oils. When you stay in the penthouse suites, you get this toiletry upgrade: more aromatic L’Occitane goodies in Prange Ribbon and Citrus Verbena scents. The refreshing scents will feel like a mini aromatherapy session and put a spring in your step.

When you rest your head at The Beverly Hilton, you’ll get a good night’s sleep in the comfy beds. They are Sealy Monogram Plush 600 beds, which are custom made for the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel. The crisp linens come from Venus — as in the company, not the planet — and include Egyptian cotton white-on-white large grid-patterned pillowcases and sheets, a light-as-air white down comforter and a tan bed skirt that mimics the grid design of the sheets. There’s also a velvety throw with one side in olive and the other in sky blue. The fluffy white down pillows come from Pacific Coast’s Touch of Down brand. Tip: If you like to sleep on a mountain of pillows, lift up the seat on the chaise lounge at the foot of the bed; extra pillows are stashed there.

Step into a bathroom in a standard room at The Beverly Hilton and you’ll find it to be pretty spacious. A large mirrored sliding door leads into the space, which is covered in tan marble tile. The black marble-top sink with Kohler fixtures rests against a mirrored wall with a porthole-shape outline etched in the middle. On the sink you’ll find all the essentials to get you ready to hang with the celebrities in the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel: a light-up makeup mirror, L’Occitane lotion, nice-smelling L’Occitane Verbena soap, a tray with washcloths and a metal container with Q-tips and cotton balls. There’s also a 13-inch silver Sony flat-screen TV for those in Wilshire Tower and Cabana rooms. Below the sink is a rattan basket with extra towels. Elsewhere in the bathroom, there are two frosted glass doors: One leads to the toilet and the other to a tan-tiled Kohler rainhead shower with L’Occitane shampoo, conditioner and soap. There’s a frosted glass panel on the wall that separates the bathroom and bedroom. While the opaque glass offers some privacy, it’s not 100 percent.

Not only does The Beverly Hilton have a pool, but it also boasts the largest heated outdoor hotel pool in Beverly Hills. Unlike many hotel pools that only go up to four feet, Aqua Star pool — a pool this famous deserves its own name — lets you plunge into water up to 10 feet deep. Open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, the odd-shaped, Olympic-sized pool is perfect for a swim and it’s conveniently near Aqua Star Spa. You can also relax on one of the white chaise lounges that line the pool or in one of the two bright cabanas, which have dark brown wicker furniture with avocado and blue pillows, an orange wall, white drapes and a chandelier. In the summer, you can watch free “dive-in movies” poolside at dusk twice a week. The pool had a splashy grand opening in 1955 when starlet Esther Williams took an inaugural jump. These days, it’s better known as the spot where Angelina Jolie decided to take a swim in her Randolph Duke gown after she won a Golden Globe.

The gym at The Beverly Hilton doesn’t have a locker room, so you’ll have to shower and change in your room. The gym does have a wall of wooden cubbies for you to store your stuff in while you hit the weights or cardio equipment. You don’t need to worry about bringing water or a towel; the gym has bottled water in a fridge as well as a water station, and it’s well-stocked with clean towels. The gym is on the smaller side but it has all the equipment you’ll need for your workout, including a variety of Precor machines, strength training equipment and free weights. Each piece of cardio equipment has its own television and there are two big screen TVs to help you pass the time while weight training. If you want a personal trainer to work with, just ask the concierge to coordinate it for you.

When you bring children along for a vacation at The Beverly Hilton, you’ll find a couple of amenities to keep them happy. Here’s our list of the three best amenities for children in the Four-Star hotel:

1) The pool. The Olympic-sized pool is the largest heated outdoor hotel pool in Beverly Hills. Your little swimmers can splash around all day and they can use goggles offered from the hotel.

2) Free “dive-in movies.” Twice a week in the summer, the pool area transforms into a movie theater when the hotel screens family-friendly flicks like Tangled, Despicable Me and Grease on a 60-foot wall.

3) Complimentary cribs. Don’t worry about lugging your baby gear from home. The hotel provides Foundations folding cribs and Pack ‘n Plays for free.

There are a couple of restaurants inside The Beverly Hilton: the legendary Trader Vic’s and Circa 55, named for the year the hotel opened. At Trader Vic’s Lounge, you can sit in a big brown semicircular booth inside the tiki bar, which doesn’t overdo it with the kitschy décor; or, for a more chic Polynesian vibe, take your meal and mai tais outside near the palm trees on either the dark wicker furniture or the sofas with avocado-green pillows next to the pool. Trader Vic’s serves Asian-tinged dinner and late-night bites. Our favorite things to order there include the lobster dumplings and Thai red curry. For tasty California cuisine in a sleek and modern setting, opt for Circa 55 restaurant, which serves breakfast — including a huge morning buffet that takes up two rooms — lunch and dinner. The restaurant has cool 1950’s furniture and a sprawling layout that wraps around the pool. Other dining options inside the Four-Star hotel include the Lobby Bar, which offers light nibbles all day long, and Aqua Star pool, where you can get sandwiches and snacks in the afternoon and early evening.

The rooms inside the Wilshire Tower have the best views at The Beverly Hilton. Request one that looks out over Wilshire Boulevard — you can see Beverly Gardens Park across the street and watch locals in their Mercedes heading toward nearby Rodeo Drive — and Beverly Hills or one of the east-facing rooms that overlook the tony homes on the Hollywood Hills. However, if you go for the latter, you won’t have a balcony. The terraces are a nice addition; you can sit on one of the white mesh chairs and take in the city. Even better than sitting out on the balcony is sitting in the presidential suite’s black marble tub, where you can soak and gaze out of the big-picture windows right next to you.

Before you book your stay at The Beverly Hilton, here are five things you should know about the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel:

1) The hotel’s midcentury modern exterior gives it a Mad Men-esque vibe. The white Y-shaped building is a classic steel structure that sticks out from the rest of its more contemporary neighbors. Inside, you’ll find Old Hollywood décor (black-and-white vintage photos of starlets like Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland hang on the walls) mixed in with modern details, like the floor-to-ceiling lobby mural called “Studies of Water” by Nancy Lorenz that’s filled with undulating gold waves.

2) It’s a little worn around the edges. In the rooms, you’ll find some scratched-up furniture and minor things like that, which might come as a surprise for a Four-Star hotel in Beverly Hills. However, you don’t stay here for the room — you stay for people you might bump into outside your room. Which brings us to our next point …

3) The Beverly Hilton is celeb central. The hotel hosts the Oscars luncheon and the Golden Globes each year. Celebrities regularly visit the hotel for other reasons, too, whether it is to attend a charity event or to get dolled up in the salon. You could run into anyone from Brad Pitt to Joan Collins during a stay at the star-studded hotel.

4) The hotel has the largest outdoor heated hotel pool in Beverly Hills. It runs from three to 10 feet deep. Even if you don’t want to swim, the pool scene is hopping — especially in the summer, when it hosts free “dive-in movies” twice a week.

5) Valet and self-parking cost the same. You’ll have to fork over $36 either way, so leave your car to the valet when you pull up to the hotel. Plus, if you choose valet service, you’ll get a complimentary bottle of water in your vehicle when you take it out for some sightseeing.

The design style of The Beverly Hilton is one of its most striking features. When you pull up to The Beverly Hilton, the first thing you’ll notice is the building’s large, stark white facade with its name written in bright red on the top. The Y-shaped Beverly Hills hotel looks like it’s straight out of an episode of Mad Men with its midcentury modern design. Built in 1955, the steel structure was designed by architect Welton Becket, who’s also known for creating the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Capitol Records Building, Los Angeles International Airport Theme Building and Music Center. There’s definitely a feeling of nostalgia, but the hotel isn’t stuck in the past. In fact, it’s still hopping, hosting the Golden Globes and more than 175 other red carpet events every year.

Inside the hotel, you’ll find a blend of classic Hollywood and contemporary details. Vintage black-and-white photos of such stars as Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe are found throughout the hotel. Yet the lobby, decorated by Michael Smith, has a ginormous floor-to-ceiling, modern-looking wall mural called “Studies of Water” by Nancy Lorenz that’s filled with undulating gold waves. The guest rooms, designed by Kathleen Dauber of HBA/Hirsch-Bedner Associates, take the middle ground, decorated in neutral hues and rich wood. They have a more timeless quality that would win Don Draper’s approval.

The five best amenities at the Four-Star Beverly Hilton include:

1. The pool. It’s the largest heated outdoor hotel pool in Beverly Hills. Plunge into waters up to 10 feet deep, or just lay out and watch the summertime “dive-in movies” on one of the chaise lounges.

2. Trader Vic’s Lounge. The Beverly Hilton has the longest-standing location of the tiki bar. See why by ordering tropical drinks like mai tais (which Trader Vic’s invented), and take them to an outside table for a night of drinking amid a Polynesian-chic poolside setting under the palms.

3. The business centers. While most top hotels have a business center, The Beverly Hilton trumps them by having two. There’s an automated 24-hour center with four Mac stations, as well as an AVT Event Technology and Business Center, which is a full-service, staffed business center. AVT is a great option for those who have complicated computer or audiovisual needs.

4. The bath products. We are fans of L’Occitane products and couldn’t wait to shower with the goodies. Our favorite among the hotel’s offerings was the fragrant, zesty Verbena soap that left the bathroom with a lemony scent.

5. The celebrities. Okay, so celeb-watching isn’t technically an amenity, but it’s the biggest draw of this Beverly Hills hotel. Stars like Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, Kate Winslet and Isabella Rossellini have all spent the night here.

Here’s what we think are the five best things about a stay at the Four-Star Beverly Hilton:

1. The celebrity spotting. The Beverly Hilton is celebrity central. It hosts the Oscar luncheon and the Golden Globes, so you’ve likely seen it in the tabloids and on TV. Stars come by regularly for charity events, and to get gorgeous at the Bellezza Salon and Aqua Star Spa before hitting the red carpet.

2. The hotel’s pool. Not only can you score free Wi-Fi while you sun, but you can also take a dip in Beverly Hills’ largest heated outdoor hotel pool all year round. In the summer, the hotel hosts free “dive-in movies” twice a week at dusk, featuring flicks like Grease and Rebel Without a Cause that you can watch poolside. The pool also has its own claim to fame: Angelina Jolie jumped in for a celebratory swim — gown and all — after winning a Golden Globe.

3. The outdoor lounge. Trader Vic’s outdoor lounge is a light-hearted throwback to ’50s Polynesian style. Cozy up to one of the indoor semicircular booths and marvel at the retro tiki décor, or throw back one of the potent mai tais alfresco while lounging on the tan sofas with avocado-green and brown pillows that are situated around the pool. This outpost of the legendary lounge brand (which claims to have invented those signature mai tais) is the longest-standing Trader Vic’s.

4. The pure nostalgia. The hotel’s collection of Hollywood memorabilia cements its status as a historic hotel. Opened in 1955 by Conrad Hilton himself, The Beverly Hilton remains the most important hotel in the brand’s collection, blending an updated contemporary style with reminders of its status as a power center in Hollywood. Throughout the hotel you’ll see black-and-white vintage photos of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland. Near the entrance to the Circa 55 restaurant, you’ll find an L-shaped glass case of goods that includes Fleetwood Mac’s Grammy Award, Frank Sinatra’s signed Anthology LP and a rare original Beatles poster that’s signed by all four of the mop-topped singers.

5. The value. The Beverly Hilton offers one of the best values out of all the luxury hotels in the famously upscale neighborhood. For an average room rate of $295 per night, you can claim a bit of this storied real estate for yourself and revel in the Four-Star service delivered by the professional, affable staff.

The Beverly Hilton does not offer DVD players or video game systems in its rooms. However, the Four-Star hotel offers plenty of other entertainment. The hotel has 42-inch, HDTV plasma-screen LG TVs in all the bedrooms, as well as 13-inch LG TVs with LCD screens in the bathrooms inside Wilshire Tower and Cabana rooms. There isn’t pay-per-view in the rooms, but the hotel offers something better: Head down to the pool on summer nights where movies are shown twice a week at dusk. This is one of our favorite things about the hotel — seating usually begins around 7 p.m. and there are kid-friendly movies, too. Rooms also come with a Bose Wave Music System CD/radio player, and you can request an iPod docking station. Each room has wired Internet and Wi-Fi access, though you’ll have to pay $14.95 to get online for 24 hours (it’s free in the lobby and other public spaces).

Keep in mind that is one hotel where you won’t want to spend much time in your room. The star-studded hotel always has something going on — you won’t want to miss anything because you were holed up in your room.

Suites at The Beverly Hilton are similar to regular rooms at the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel. Obviously, the suites are bigger, ranging from 500 to 1,100 square feet. The other big difference is that white sliding shutter doors separate the bedroom from the living room and work area (though, in junior suites, there isn’t a divider). The bedroom has the same leaf-patterned carpeting and upholstered beige headboard that’s flanked by two dark wood side tables. Each has a beaded lamp and a mirror behind it. On one table is a Bose Wave Music System radio/CD player that comes with a remote control; on the other is a cordless phone. At the foot of the bed is a chocolate-brown chaise lounge. There’s also a dark brown credenza that holds a tray of for-pay goodies such as Pringles chips and chocolates from Le Chateau (the in-hotel chocolate and wine shop). Above the credenza is a 42-inch HDTV flat-screen silver LG TV.

Go through that shuttered door and you’ll see the neutral-hued living room that features a black loveseat with white piping, a round glass-topped table and a comfy tan armchair with a glass side table. In a corner, there’s an oval-shaped desk and a beige ergonomic chair. A lamp with a moveable arm and a phone sit on top of the desk.

Unlike regular rooms, standard suites have a larger bathroom with a separate white bathtub in addition to a shower. You’ll need the extra space to properly primp for one of the red-carpet events at the celebrity-packed hotel.

The Beverly Hilton offers comfortable, spacious rooms with all the amenities you’ll need. When you enter the warm standard room at The Beverly Hilton, you step on tan leaf-patterned carpeting and see texturized tan-yellow wallpaper and white crown molding lining the bedroom. The bed has an upholstered beige headboard that’s flanked by two dark wood side tables. Each has a beaded lamp on top and a mirror behind it. On one table is a Bose Wave Music System radio/CD player that comes with a remote control; on the other is a cordless phone. At the foot of the bed is a chocolate-brown chaise lounge, whose seat comes up to reveal some extra pillows. Across from the chaise lounge is a dark brown credenza — we noticed some scuff marks on it and on some of the other slightly worn wood furniture — that holds a tray of for-pay extras like Pringles chips and some chocolates from Le Chateau (the chocolate and wine shop near the lobby); and in case you forgot yours at home, the tray also holds a bottle of skincare-guru-to-the-stars Sonya Dakar’s facial cleanser and sunscreen. Above the credenza is a 42-inch HDTV flat-screen silver LG TV. In the corner of the room is an oval-shaped work desk that swivels and a tan ergonomic chair. There’s a desk lamp with a moveable arm, a phone and a silver ice bucket on top of the desk, as well as a handy control panel for easy plug-ins and Internet hookup. Behind the desk, cream, orange and olive striped drapes, as well as a layer of sheer curtains, frame a set of sliding doors that lead out to the terrace. There, a rattan mat, two white mesh chairs and a small round glass-topped table are available so you can look out over the hotel’s circular drive (look past the unsightly roof of a nearby building for those in the Wilshire Tower) and out at the city.

A frosted glass panel on the wall separates the bathroom and bedroom. (You can’t see everything, but you can spy silhouettes.) A large mirrored sliding door leads into the spacious bathroom, which is covered in tan marble tile with a black marble-top sink. Bathrooms in the in Wilshire Tower and Cabana rooms have 13-inch silver Sony flat-screen TV built into the mirror. A frosted glass door hides the toilet, while another opens up to a tan-tiled Kohler rainhead shower with L’Occitane shampoo, conditioner and soap.

Hidden behind a wall of 80-year-old palm trees and banana plants, The Beverly Hills Hotel flaunts its Spanish mission design style. Known as the “Pink Palace” for its unique rosy-hued interior and exterior, the Five-Star hotel opened in 1912 and has a history for hosting famous faces through the golden ages of Hollywood. Located at the epicenter of Beverly Hills — near Rodeo Drive, Sunset Boulevard and Beverly Drive — The Beverly Hills Hotel blends in with the landscape, giving it a private, secluded feel. Even the sign in the front is overgrown with lush banana plants.

There’s a red carpet at the entrance to the hotel, so you’ll feel like a star as you make your way into the retro, well-lit lobby, where you’ll find plush mauve chairs and a green and mauve carpet with the famous banana leaf pattern, which is found throughout the hotel.

You’ll get the boutique property feel at The Beverly Hills Hotel, too, as there are fewer than 200 guestrooms and private bungalows, which have attracted stars such as Marilyn Monroe and billionaire producer Howard Hughes. Your experience will feel personalized; the concierge is willing to help you do everything from find theater tickets to snag a restaurant reservation to plan a boat trip to Malibu. The hotel isn’t overrun with people — it feels like a home away from home.

When you stay at The Beverly Hills Hotel, you’re sure to get a good night’s sleep on the soft beds outfitted in 100 percent unbleached cotton linens. The sheets are embroidered with the Beverly Hills Hotel logo and topped with a cushy duvet, two head pillows and two decorative pillows. The headboard is lined with neutral-colored, striped fabric that blends well with the warm beige drapery and the olive-green love seat topped with pillows in the hotel’s signature banana-leaf pattern.

Choose the perfect place to rest your head with the Five-Star hotel’s pillow menu, which features options such as a serenity pillow to improve breathing and reduce snoring, the beauty pillow to give you a morning glow, a body pillow to align your spine and a hypoallergenic pillow that feels just like natural down, without the itching and sneezing.

The rooms at The Beverly Hills Hotel are spacious and airy, with comfy beds, large bathrooms and décor that makes you feel right at home. There’s a nice-sized foyer that leads to a large area with a separate nook under a cut-out archway for your king-sized bed, which is topped with fluffy pillows and monogrammed Beverly Hills Hotel sheets. At the end of the bed is a glass coffee table and love seat crowned with banana-leaf-patterned throw pillows. You’ll find mostly neutral tones, including tan, white and olive green, which add to the open feel.

We highly recommend snagging a guestroom on the first floor, with French doors that lead out to a private courtyard with a table, chairs and a sun lounger. You’ll feel at peace surrounded by lush palm trees, banana plants and creeping vines with bright budding flowers. A window next to your bed looks out on the patio area and is draped in dramatic taupe curtains.

Inside your room, you’ll find a large armoire, a DVD player and a 42-inch Phillips flat-screen TV, plus a mini-bar stocked with goodies such as chocolate-covered blueberries, gummy bears and pistachios.

There’s a walk-in closet near the entrance equipped with hangers, a shelf and dresser for storing clothes, as well as an umbrella, a safe and robes and slippers, so you can get cozy and curl up in bed. For the busy bee, the room also comes equipped with a wooden oval desk and cushioned chair, perfect for getting some work done.

Montage Beverly Hills boasts a rooftop pool with panoramic views of Beverly Hills and beyond. The elevated saline pool is made of blue mosaic tiles with petite spitting fountains and large potted plants lining the border. If you’re going for an underwater swim, don?t think you’re crazy when you hear music ? soothing classical music plays beneath the surface. Surrounding the pool are private cabanas, some equipped with an LCD TV, a DVD player and, of course, complimentary wireless Internet access, or you may opt for one of the many terrycloth-covered lounge chairs of which there are plenty to choose from. You can also request a fax machine in your cabana. A Montage Beverly Hills staff member may come around and offer you free lime-flavored slushie shots ? the answer is yes, please ? or order off the full menu at the adjacent Conservatory Grill, Montage?s signature rooftop restaurant serving breakfast and lunch (we recommend the super-fresh 90210 Cobb salad). You’ll find plenty of towels to lie out on or dry off with, along with an ample supply of bottled water to stay hydrated. The pool is open 24 hours, so you can get in a swim whenever you like. The rooftop pool is a wonderful way to take full advantage of Southern California’s perfect weather and enjoy the stunning view of the Hollywood Hills.

What you should know first and foremost about Montage Beverly Hills is that the hotel offers one of the most luxurious overnight experiences you?ll find anywhere. To make the most of your stay at the Five-Star hotel, here are a few specific things you'll want to be in the know about:

1. If you like pasta, you?ll surely be dining at the hotel?s signature restaurant, Scarpetta. The best seat in the house is the Chef's Counter, a handful of seats at the far end of the open-air kitchen. Take a seat here and you?ll receive attentive service and a chef?s tasting menu you won?t soon forget.

2. Across from Scarpetta is the Lobby Lounge, where you can hear live music nightly in this spacious, high-ceiling den. (Tuesday through Saturday, you're also privy to an exclusive sushi menu.) A lovely afternoon tea is also served here, where you can try the amazing delicacies from pastry chef Richard Ruskell, who won the Food Network?s Last Cake Standing to win the title of ?Best Cake Artist in America.? What most people don’t know is that you can also order his cakes for private celebrations or if you simply want a delicious cake ? just let the staff know that you’d like to purchase one.

3. Besides visiting Spa Montage, a 20,000-square-foot escape that draws inspiration from Spain’s bathing rituals, treat yourself to a haircut next door at the Kim Vo Salon. Most likely, you?ll see Kim Vo himself. E! News watchers will recognize him from his many appearances on the show. The celebrity hairstylist is often in his flagship salon.

4. Remember to bring your gym shoes. One look at the top-notch Montage’s gym facilities and you’ll want to keep up with your physical regimen (and gym-goers have full access to the Spa Montage facilities). A bunch of great fitness classes are offered for only $25 a pop.

5. For families with kids, Montage Beverly Hills offers a children?s program called Paintbox. The hotel arranges fun events for the little ones while you enjoy a spa day or some shopping. You can choose whether your child attends a full day or half day of events.

The design of Montage Beverly Hills draws inspiration from the Spanish-colonial-revival architecture and Mediterranean style that was popular back ’s a modern redux of "old Beverly Hills." The entire Montage property is awash in brown, gold and cream hues, which complements the prevalent bright blue sky in Beverly Hills. From the rooftop, you have a wonderful view of the replicated Beverly Hills City Hall dome atop the adjacent Bouchon Bistro. The architects of Montage Beverly Hills wanted to create a mini Beverly Hills, which is why they also put in a public park, Beverly Canon Gardens, next to the hotel. These gardens, complete with three fountains, were inspired by the simplicity of European gardens. Throughout the hotel, you’ll discover more European influences in the paintings and objects d'arts, as well as set drawings and original costume designs from old Hollywood film classics. But while the hotel has an old Hollywood feel, it’s still equipped with the most modern technology and amenities, from a bedside control system that lets you direct everything in the room (temperature, lights, drapes, etc.) to the lavish rooftop pool with swanky private cabanas. The regal Montage Beverly Hills will really make you feel like you’ve returned to an era of elegance and class.

There’s much to love about Montage Beverly Hills. From the Spanish-colonial-revival architecture to the fantastic location right near Rodeo Drive, the Five-Star hotel is the sort of the place you'll want to return to again and again. Here are the five things we love most about this Beverly Hills hotel:

1. The restaurant. We must first mention the hotel's restaurant, Scarpetta. Chef Scott Conant brings his acclaimed restaurant (from New York and Miami) to Beverly Hills. For dinner, request to sit at the Chef’s Counter, which is located inside the immaculate kitchen, where you're able to watch Scarpetta’s cooks whip up modern Italian fare just inches away. On Sundays, the kitchen is transformed into a prix fixe brunch buffet that's easily one of L.A.’s best. For $68, dine on all-you-can-eat seafood, pasta, farmer’s market salads, carved meats, omelets and waffles, and much more. You'll even find unusual treats like foie gras ice cream sandwiches. Upstairs, you'll need a reservation to enjoy a Macallan scotch at the speakeasy-like Ten Pound.

2. The spa. The two-story, 20,000-square-foot Spa Montage Beverly Hills is a different kind of sanctuary. Here, you’re pampered to the point of surrendering to your own personal providence. You will especially love the coed mineral pool, as well as the Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna in the large locker room.

3. The rooftop pool. The best thing about the rooftop pool is that it's open 24 hours. It's an extra-large saline pool that?s usually void of children doing repeated cannonballs. You might opt for a private poolside cabana equipped with an LCD TV and DVD player. And always say yes to the complimentary lime slushie shots being passed around. The view of the Hollywood Hills is amazing and the adjacent Conservatory Grill is a great spot for lunch.

4. The Garden Suites. We love the Garden Suites. Open up the double doors, step onto your fully furnished patio and take in the view of the lovely Beverly Canon Gardens. It doesn’t get any better than this in Beverly Hills.

5. The green effort. The final thing we love about Montage Beverly Hills is its conscious sustainability efforts. The hotel earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification, thanks in large part to its eco-friendly construction practices. But even the little things count: All in-house computers are defaulted to print double-sided, the hotel boasts an 83 percent recycling rate of site waste ? these are just two examples of the countless ways Montage Beverly Hills is doing its part to be green.

If you're heading to The Peninsula Beverly Hills for a vacation or business trip, you're in for a treat. Here are the five things we think you need to know before you go:

1. The location is great. The Peninsula Beverly Hills' prime spot means you'll have everything you need at your fingertips. You really don't need to leave the hotel, but if you would like to shop, check out great restaurants or just grab a cup of coffee, you can find it all nearby. A Starbucks is conveniently located a block away, Century City mall is about six blocks away and so is Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York and other luxury shops. You're just a quick walk to the famous Rodeo Drive, and a cab ride away from downtown L.A. and Hollywood.

2. The hotel is classic. The Peninsula Beverly Hills emanates a regal and sophisticated style. This Five-Star hotel isn't looking to be trendy, but if you want a refined experience and welcoming staff, this is the place for you. You'll get comfort, luxury, personalized service and a friendly staff all rolled into one.

3. If you're looking for privacy, you can find it here. The villas, located in separate detached buildings in the hotel's garden, make you feel worlds away from busy Wilshire Boulevard. They sit on beautiful grounds with winding pathways that lead to and from the hotel and waterfalls and flowers sprinkled throughout. The villas are perfect for honeymooners, celebrities who want to get out of the public eye, families who want privacy or even for a group of girlfriends looking for some time to catch up.

4. The personalized service at The Peninsula Beverly Hills is top-notch. You'll find that certain features in your room have been customized just for you. From the pillowcases with your initial to the welcome amenities, the staff will go out of its way to make you feel special. If you're a regular guest, it'll keep track of what you like and don't like so on your next visit it can be even more thoughtful.

5. The hotel is family-friendly. The Peninsula Beverly Hills is a great place for parents and kids. The rooftop pool is always a hit with children, and they'll like the special attention they receive in restaurants and from the staff. We've heard that if you happen to leave your teddy bear or other stuffed animal at the hotel, the staff here will send it back to you with a letter and photos about what your friend has been up to in Los Angeles. Now that's personalized service.

If you're looking for a room with a great view, book one of The Peninsula Beverly Hills' patio rooms. These luxurious rooms have a little outdoor space that overlooks the villas and garden behind the main building. These have the most quiet and peaceful views. If you're hoping for a little more scenery, the rooms on the fifth floor are the highest. In those rooms, you will see the garden, fountain and the residential area behind the hotel. If city views are what you're after, ask for a Beverly suite, which looks out at the front drive and has a nice glimpse of Beverly Hills. Of course, the best view in the Five-Star hotel comes from the rooftop, either near the pool or at The Roof Garden, where you can take in vistas of downtown Beverly Hills, the Hollywood Hills, Century City and downtown L.A.

The rooms at The Peninsula Beverly Hills are classic, refined and sophisticated. With colorful touches of pinks, creams, blues and greens, the traditional rooms feel fresh — and they should, since they were renovated in August 2011. Cream walls with white molding provide a neutral background to the floral fabrics in the drapes and canopy. The Peninsula Beverly Hills' beds have a light wood headboard and the sheets, pillowcases and comforters are white with light cream and gray stripes. Nightstands on both sides of the bed offer the most up-to-date technology. Use the bedside control panel to crank up the air-conditioning or turn off the lights with a touch of a button. There's also a Bose stereo to try out.

The work area has a desk and two graceful chairs. A fax machine, copier and printer combination is an extra perk that makes work tasks easy. The pale green loveseat with bright pink pillows is a good spot to relax, and you'll find a basket of magazines next to it. The closets are spacious, with enough room to leave your suitcase and plenty of hangers so you can fully unpack. There is a small dresser within the closet to give you more space for your things.

All the rooms here are spacious and easy to relax in, but we recommend the patio deluxe rooms, which give you a small private terrace that faces out to the hotel's gorgeous garden. Overall, the rooms are comfortable and chic, exactly what you would expect from a Five-Star hotel.

If you're heading to The Peninsula Beverly Hills for a vacation or business trip, you're in for a treat. Here are the five things we think you need to know before you go:

1. The location is great. The Peninsula Beverly Hills' prime spot means you'll have everything you need at your fingertips. You really don't need to leave the hotel, but if you would like to shop, check out great restaurants or just grab a cup of coffee, you can find it all nearby. A Starbucks is conveniently located a block away, Century City mall is about six blocks away and so is Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York and other luxury shops. You're just a quick walk to the famous Rodeo Drive, and a cab ride away from downtown L.A. and Hollywood.

2. The hotel is classic. The Peninsula Beverly Hills emanates a regal and sophisticated style. This Five-Star hotel isn't looking to be trendy, but if you want a refined experience and welcoming staff, this is the place for you. You'll get comfort, luxury, personalized service and a friendly staff all rolled into one.

3. If you're looking for privacy, you can find it here. The villas, located in separate detached buildings in the hotel's garden, make you feel worlds away from busy Wilshire Boulevard. They sit on beautiful grounds with winding pathways that lead to and from the hotel and waterfalls and flowers sprinkled throughout. The villas are perfect for honeymooners, celebrities who want to get out of the public eye, families who want privacy or even for a group of girlfriends looking for some time to catch up.

4. The personalized service at The Peninsula Beverly Hills is top-notch. You'll find that certain features in your room have been customized just for you. From the pillowcases with your initial to the welcome amenities, the staff will go out of its way to make you feel special. If you're a regular guest, it'll keep track of what you like and don't like so on your next visit it can be even more thoughtful.

5. The hotel is family-friendly. The Peninsula Beverly Hills is a great place for parents and kids. The rooftop pool is always a hit with children, and they'll like the special attention they receive in restaurants and from the staff. We've heard that if you happen to leave your teddy bear or other stuffed animal at the hotel, the staff here will send it back to you with a letter and photos about what your friend has been up to in Los Angeles. Now that's personalized service.

From a printer to paperclips, the workspace in the rooms and suites at The Peninsula Beverly Hills is outfitted with all you need to get some work done. Rooms have a carved wood desk and two graceful chairs with cream leather seats. Under the desk, you’ll find the answer to boarding pass woes, a combination printer, copier and fax machine. There’s also a Bose stereo so you can listen to music as you work. The desk drawers are filled with office supplies, from postcards to a stapler. With everything set up for you, it’s easy to turn a room here into an office, not that you would want to. But if you are traveling on business and have a lot to do, open the large French doors and enjoy the California sunshine and The Peninsula Beverly Hills room service while you work. Just don’t forget to relax at some point; with the rooftop pool and spa, it’s easy to play hard if you work hard.

The Peninsula Beverly Hills’ outdoor heated pool sits on the fifth floor, along with The Roof Garden restaurant and bar, The Peninsula Beverly Hills Spa and the gym. The rooftop offers a beautiful view of Beverly Hills, Century City and even as far as downtown L.A. Cabanas run the length of the 60-by-20-foot pool. At the end of the rectangular pool, there is a circular whirlpool up a few steps, allowing you to take in even better views while you soak. If you’re looking for a bit more privacy, rent one of The Peninsula Beverly Hills’ 12 cabanas for either the day or the night. The posh cabanas include a chaise lounge and other seating, along with a stocked refrigerator, flat-screen TV and DVD player and cordless telephone. The cabanas are always comfortable, no matter the weather outside; they have air conditioning and heat.

The pool is open daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Keep in mind that there is no lifeguard on duty, so if you’re bringing your kids to the pool, it’s up to you to look after them. You’ll find sunscreen, towels, bottles of water and other amenities, so if you forget something, the hotel has you covered.

Beverly Hills is the neighborhood and it is in the hotel's name, so you would expect the design style at The Peninsula Beverly Hills to be nothing but luxurious. And it is. But in addition to the glamour you'd expect from the 90210 address, the Five-Star hotel is also an incredibly comfortable place that's welcoming. The traditional decor is regal and sophisticated, but not intimidating. Hidden away from the street, with a secluded front drive and a garden in the back, The Peninsula Beverly Hills is the perfect hideaway for celebrities or VIPs who want to escape the limelight and just relax in a beautiful environment. But it doesn't mean the style is laid-back. You'll find grand mirrors, Oriental rugs and Asian artwork in the public areas of the hotel.

The guestrooms are classic, with floral drapes on the windows, white moldings on the walls and linen canopies on the beds. Here, you'll see more marble and graceful furniture, seemingly out of another era of grand luxury. The Belvedere restaurant, The Club Bar and the lobby Living Room all have grand floral arrangements and lavish features, including marble floors and crystal chandeliers. The grand piano and tufted curved arm sofa in the Living Room transport you to a time where women are ladies and men are gentlemen. The hotel has that glamorous old Hollywood feel from an era long ago but is filled with technology and features of today.

L’Ermitage Beverly Hills’ minimalist design style incorporates contemporary Asian elements with clean lines and neutral colors. The look is sleek and sophisticated, but feels welcoming, not intimidating. The Five-Star boutique hotel is located in a residential neighborhood on Beverly Hills’ busy Burton Way, so when you pull up to the beige marble exterior surrounded by lush flowers and plants, you’ll notice that it fits right in. L’Ermitage Beverly Hills’ neighborhood location is reflected throughout the Five-Star property, where details like real metal keys and huge walk-in closets make you feel like a guest in a private home. Asian-inspired elements like wall-paneling, sliding doors and platform beds shape the guest rooms. You’ll find neutral earth tones (brown, cream and beige) throughout the property - from the rooms to the Lobby Lounge & Bar. The hotel isn’t ho-hum, though. Flowers, plants and minimal artwork add splashes of color and complete the refreshing and uncluttered style of the chic hotel.

L’Ermitage Beverly Hills treats guests to luxury Italian bath products from Acqua Di Parma. The lavish goodies feature the Colonia fragrance, a refreshing light lemon scent with hints of jasmine, white musk and other florals. You’ll find body lotion, soap, shampoo, conditioner and body wash stocked in the bathroom. (And the Jojoba oil in the toiletries will leave your skin feeling moisturized.) Although bottles are still miniature, you’ll get a generous amount of each product so there’s no need to lug along your own. In fact, if you do decide to pack your own toiletries, we’re betting they’ll stay in your luggage while you’re here.

Far from just a place to sleep, it’s the luxurious extras that make L’Ermitage Beverly Hills a Five-Star hotel and Beverly Hills fixture. You’ll find plenty of great amenities during your stay, but here are the best five:

1. The house car. It’s a given that a Mercedes beats a taxi any day. Rides within Beverly Hills from the chauffeured car are complimentary, so if you’ve got plans in the 90210, just arrange with the concierge to be dropped off in style. The house car runs Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.

2. The rooftop yoga classes. Yoga’s great health benefits can only be improved by the views of Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Hills that you can soak up in between poses during these classes. The complimentary classes are offered Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings and are completely worry-free - yoga mats, blocks and other equipment are supplied for you, as is an after-workout smoothie.

5. The bathroom amenities. L’Ermitage Beverly Hills stocks its bathrooms with Italian-made Acqua Di Parma toiletries: you’ll find body lotion and perfumed soap on the counter and shampoo, conditioner and body wash in the shower. These luxurious products feature the Colonia fragrance - a lemon scent that is mixed with jasmine, white musk and other florals. The products are miniature but they seem bigger than what you’ll usually find in hotels.

4. The gorgeous pool. L’Ermitage Beverly Hills’ sparkling rooftop pool is the perfect place to soak up the California sunshine. We love whiling away an afternoon on the poolside lounge chairs, or if you want a little more privacy and some shade, reserve one of two cabanas. They’re stocked with complimentary water, fruit and soda and all the amenities - and more than - you’ll need for a day outside: a flat-screen TV, DVD player, CD player, radio, fax machine and phone. You can even arrange to get a spa treatment inside.

5. The pet perks. You won’t be the only one to receive Five-Star service at L’Emitage Beverly Hills. Bring your dog along (for $35 a day) and they’ll receive a welcome cookie, a cozy bed and bowls with water bottles and food to fill them. They can even receive spa services. That’s right - your dog can get pampered as well, thanks to Healthy Spot, a pet retailer in West Hollywood. The hotel will arrange for your dog to be picked up and have a spa day while you do the same at The Spa at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills.

The beds at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills aren’t what you’d find at other Five-Star hotels. Forgoing the staid headboard and bed skirt formula, the L’Ermitage Beverly Hills has California king-sized beds are custom-made for the hotel and are set on platforms close to the ground. The low-profile beds are incredibly comfortable, with sleek white Egyptian cotton sheets and a silk sham. Four large white and beige pillows and a long neck roll come standard on the bed, but you can also choose from a menu of five options, including water and Tempur-Pedic pillows. The beds’ wooden bases match the room’s contemporary Asian design as well as the English sycamore paneling installed behind them. The L’Ermitage’s beds may look a little different, but you’ll still have everything you need close by — bedside tables are equipped with reading lamps, a telephone and an alarm clock.

L’Ermitage Beverly Hills has spacious rooms that feel both chicly spare but super-comfortable. The Asian-inspired rooms are minimalist, featuring maple wood furniture and English sycamore paneling. The paneling — carved into a screen of sorts — sits behind the custom-made platform beds, which are decked out in sleek white Egyptian cotton linens and silk shams. A built-in entertainment cabinet sits across from the low-profile bed, and a sliding door makes it easy to hide the TV, DVD player and CD player when they’re not in use. Two velvet armchairs sit to the side of the bed with an ottoman and a side table and lamp, good for reading or for guests. Natural light floods in from the French doors, which open to a small balcony. (Most rooms have balconies, some larger than others.)

And if your trip is one that includes work, a mahogany desk with two chairs is situated along the wall with an Internet hook-up, lamp and phone. When your work is done, get ready for a night out in the vanity area, which has lights on each side of a large mirror. Across from the vanity is the open closet, where you can hang your clothes and lock up your valuables.

Head into the sleek bathroom and you’ll find the same bright design — cream marble countertops sit on mahogany cabinets, which are stocked with towels. You’ll also find a makeup mirror on the counter and a scale on the floor. The beige marble soaking tub sits below a large mirror, while the glass-door shower is separate. Your bathroom experience will be complete compliments of the two cozy, white L’Ermitage robes awaiting your arrival.

The spacious bathrooms in the suites at The Beverly Hilton are similar to those in the standard rooms. The main difference is that the suites have a separate white bathtub in addition to a shower, whereas regular rooms have either only a shower or a shower-tub combo. When you open the mirrored sliding door to the tan marble-tiled bathroom, you’ll see a black marble sink with Kohler fixtures against a mirrored wall with a porthole-shape outline etched in the middle. To get you ready for your own close-up with all the celebrities who come in and out of the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel, there’s a light-up makeup mirror, great L’Occitane toiletries and soaps, washcloths and a metal container with Q-tips and cotton balls. Check below the sink in the rattan basket for extra towels. While you prepare for your night out, you can watch the 13-inch silver Sony flat-screen TV, which comes with a remote control.

If you crave a good hearty weekend brunch during your stay at The Beverly Hilton, you’ll be able to chow down on Sundays. The Four-Star hotel’s Circa 55 restaurant offers Sunday brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and it’s an elaborate affair. The menu often changes, but you’ll find a made-to-order omelet station and a seafood station, as well as staples like pancakes and French toast. You won’t want to miss the mouth-watering dessert table full of cakes, pies and other goodies. In case you don’t make the Sunday brunch, you can catch a breakfast buffet any day of the week. Sure, technically it isn’t brunch, but you can nosh on a buffet of cold continental foods like yogurt and cheeses in one room, or a buffet of hot dishes, including omelets and French toast with skewered apricots, in an adjacent room. Order the American breakfast and you’ll be able to devour both buffets.

There are several locations for weddings at The Beverly Hilton. If you want to do your wedding up big at The Beverly Hilton, tie the knot in the same room that holds the Golden Globes and the Oscar nominee luncheon — the International ballroom. It’ll give you some serious bragging rights. It’s also the best option if you’re having a massive wedding, since the International ballroom is the largest of the ballrooms and seats up to 1,100. However, if your nuptials aren’t going to be as big of an affair as the Golden Globes, the hotel offers a number of options, including the Beverly Hills ballroom, which seats 588, and the Wilshire ballroom, which holds 336. A popular spot is the Stardust, which accommodates 150. Couples like its terrace and hold alfresco cocktail hours there.

When you want to get romantic at The Beverly Hilton, bring your sweetheart to dinner at Trader Vic’s Lounge and request a poolside table. At night, the alfresco spot offers a cozy vibe. The space has chic Polynesian décor, with chocolate-brown wicker chairs and sofas outfitted with sky-blue and avocado-green pillows surrounding silver-bordered glass tables. Palm trees add to the tropical flavor. Triangular portable fireplaces are sprinkled throughout, providing dim, romantic lighting to the couples sipping mai tais and sharing lobster dumplings. If you dine there on Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays, you’ll also have a DJ providing some music to the festivities. When we were there recently, the DJ was spinning hip-hop mixes, which may not put some in the mood for romance, but it gave the atmosphere a nice boost of energy. The rest of the romantic scene should be enough to enjoy some couple time.

While The Beverly Hilton allows cats and dogs to stay with you in your room for $25 a day, the Four-Star hotel doesn’t offer any special pet amenities. So be sure to bring your own pet food, bowls, toys and other items to keep your animal happy. If you do need some supplies, there are a couple of nearby pet shops, including the Beverly Hills Mutt Club at 9873 S. Santa Monica Blvd. and Doggie Styles at 9467 Charleville Blvd. Shop both stores to pamper your pooch with over-the-top Beverly Hills pet souvenirs like Swarovski crystal-studded collars, fancy bowls and even a wooden Italian-made sofa bed.

If you want to have your wedding at The Beverly Hilton, expect to pay an average of $200 to $250 per plate. It’s not cheap, but the Four-Star hotel is famous for its shindigs. In fact, it hosts the Golden Globes, the Oscar nominee luncheon and the pre-Grammy party in its International ballroom each year. Plus, celebrities regularly party in the hotel’s ballrooms for galas and other red carpet events.

For the per-plate price, you’ll receive a six-hour open bar with hors d’oeuvres, a three-course sit-down dinner, a champagne toast, two bottles of house wine per table and discounted parking. You and your soon-to-be spouse get to choose among dishes such as lobster bisque; The Beverly Hilton salad with goat cheese medallions, toasted walnuts and citrus chunks on top of Bibb and radicchio with papaya-mango relish; petite filet mignon and sea bass with soy-ginger sauce; and the dulce de leche ice cream truffle, gelato with a caramel center dipped in dark chocolate. You will also get a custom wedding cake. Pick flavors such as white or chocolate sponge, lemon, marble pound, carrot or spice cake. Then fill it with lemon, raspberry, strawberry, mocha buttercream, chocolate buttercream or cream cheese, and frost it with French buttercream or fondant. If the food choices aren’t what you’re looking for, the hotel can do customized menus upon request and employ outside caterers. Also, the Beverly Hills hotel has a full kosher kitchen supervised by the Rabbinical Council of California.

You can bring Rover or Garfield to the pet-friendly Beverly Hilton. The Four-Star hotel permits dogs and cats to stay in your room, though you’ll have to pay $25 daily, with a maximum $100 fee. Of course, you’ll have to shell out additional cash if your dog chews up the place. The hotel limits you to two pets per room, and dogs must weigh less than 25 pounds. Be sure to bring your own pet food and supplies, since the hotel doesn’t provide any. However, if you’re in a pinch, there are several pet stores nearby, including the Beverly Hills Mutt Club at 9873 S. Santa Monica Blvd. and Doggie Styles at 9467 Charleville Blvd. Both stores will give your pampered pooch a Beverly Hills makeover, complete with designer duds and Swarovski crystal-studded collars.

The Beverly Hilton has a couple of restaurants, one of which is perfect for families. The best spot for a family meal at The Beverly Hilton is Circa 55 restaurant. The restaurant, which serves California cuisine, offers different kid menus throughout the day. For breakfast, children can get a Humpty Dumpty special, which is a cracked egg prepped the way your little gourmand likes it with toast and bacon or sausage. Or you can trick them with the Yogurt Sundae — it sounds like ice cream with hot fudge and a cherry on top, but it’s really low-fat yogurt sprinkled with granola and fruit. For lunch and dinner, kids can order popular dishes like grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, a kosher hot dog and Chicken Good Ship Lollypops, which are strips of chicken breast on skewers served with ranch or barbecue dipping sauce. To make up for hustling your child into eating yogurt for breakfast, treat him to a real dessert. When you order The Beverly Hilton sundae, your little one can get scoops of his favorite ice cream with toppings like chocolate or strawberry sauce, chopped nuts, M&Ms, whipped cream, cookie chunks and chocolate chips.

The staff at The Beverly Hilton can arrange for babysitting services if you want a night on the town or just a few hours of shopping on Rodeo Drive followed by lunch without the kids. Just call the concierge and she can arrange for a babysitter to watch them.

The Four-Star hotel offers a couple of other amenities that will come in handy for parents. You can get complimentary Foundations folding cribs and Pack ‘n Plays from the hotel. Children will go nuts for the Olympic-sized pool, which is the largest heated outdoor hotel pool in Beverly Hills. In fact, you may want to jump in yourself and go for a quiet swim while the kids are with that sitter. If you’re visiting during the summer, kids will also love the twice-weekly movies around the pool, which are shown on a 60-foot wall. Last summer’s movie roster included Ferris Bueller’s Day off, Shrek Forever After and Alice in Wonderland. It’s something the whole family will enjoy.

When you don’t want to chase your squirmy, noisy kids around a restaurant at The Beverly Hilton, opt to order from the Four-Star hotel’s children’s room service menu. For breakfast, feed your child an egg with potatoes with either bacon or sausage or order French toast, pancakes or cereal like Frosted Flakes, Special K and Rice Krispies. Lunch and dinner are all about finger foods and pasta, with offerings like chicken fingers, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, PB&J, spaghetti with vine-ripened tomato sauce, mac and cheese, and grilled cheese. Of course, you can’t forget dessert. The best pick is probably the cookie plate, which you can order up with some milk.

If you want to say “I do” at The Beverly Hilton, the Four-Star hotel offers a comprehensive wedding package. Your guests will be treated to a boozy six-hour open bar with hors d’oeuvres, a three-course sit-down dinner, a champagne toast, two bottles of house wine per table, a custom-made wedding cake and discounted parking. You and your betrothed get to choose among dishes such as lobster bisque; The Beverly Hilton salad with goat cheese, walnuts and citrus on top of Bibb and radicchio with papaya-mango relish and champagne dressing; petite filet mignon and sea bass with soy-ginger sauce; and the dulce de leche ice cream truffle — gelato with a caramel center dipped in dark chocolate. For the wedding cake, you can pick flavors such as white or chocolate sponge, lemon, marble pound, or spice cake. Then you can fill it with lemon, raspberry, strawberry or mocha buttercream and frost it with French buttercream or fondant. If the food choices don’t mesh with your vision of your big day, the hotel can do customized menus upon request and employ outside caterers. Plus, the Beverly Hills hotel has a full kosher kitchen overseen by the Rabbinical Council of California.

Most nuptials take place in one of the ballrooms. For the most glitz, go for the International ballroom, which hosts the Golden Globes. The International Ballroom is the biggest of the bunch, seating up to 1,100. However, the hotel offers a number of event room options, including the Beverly Hills ballroom, which seats 588, and the Wilshire ballroom, which holds 336.

If you want to hit the links when you arrive at The Beverly Hilton, the closest golf course is Rancho Park Golf Course at 10460 W. Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles. About two miles south of the Four-Star hotel, the 18-hole, par 71 Rancho Park is regularly hailed as one of the best municipal courses in the area. The undulating course has elevation changes, long holes and many blind spots. It’s hosted the Los Angeles Open, the PGA Senior Open and a number of LPGA tour events. Don’t worry if you leave your clubs at home; the golf course offers rentals. You’ll also find a clubhouse, a lighted driving range, practice putting greens, a coffee shop, a snack bar and locker rooms at the course. It’s open daily from dawn to dusk. For help securing tee times, see the concierge.

If you’re traveling to The Beverly Hilton on business, you’ll find several amenities that will help you out. Your room will have Internet access and Wi-Fi — it costs $14.95 a day or $70 a week to use it, though it’s free in public spaces like the lobby — and a safe with two outlets in it, so you can stow and charge your laptop at the same time. It’s also furnished with an ergonomic workstation that has plug-in panels right on top of the oval-shaped dark wood desk. For those who like to work while snuggling in bed and watching TV, there are also outlets on the bedside table lamps that will keep your laptop juiced up.

Outside of your room, the Four-Star hotel offers an automated 24-hour business center with four large-screen Macs. It costs $3.75 to get online for 15 minutes. In addition, the center has a color and black-and-white printer, fax machines and a copier. For more hands-on business help, try the hotel’s AVT Event Technology and Business Center, which is also on the lobby level. The full-service, staffed business center offers printing, copying, collating, data entry or file transfer needs. However, it can assist with more complicated audiovisual needs, say for a meeting or conference at the hotel. AVT also offers onsite computers; it’ll cost you $.50 cents a minute or $15 an hour to surf there. AVT is open Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

To make the most of the Beverly Hills hotel’s business amenities, opt for the business package, which includes a breakfast catered in-room or poolside from Circa 55 restaurant, high-speed Internet access, a one-time garment pressing, and either printing, faxing, scanning or copying up to 50 pages in the business center. The package starts at $295 a night.

If you are traveling with your family in tow, you can reserve The Beverly Hilton’s connecting rooms. The Four-Star hotel has 43 sets of connecting rooms with a maximum of two rooms connected to one another. Connecting rooms are useful if you have a large party and don’t want to be separated from one another, especially if you have children. For parents with babies, you should also ask the concierge about the complimentary Foundations folding cribs and Pack ‘n Plays at the Beverly Hills hotel. That way you won’t have to lug your own baby equipment from home.

Families traveling to The Beverly Hilton can enjoy a bunch of fun amenities. The Olympic-sized pool is something all ages will enjoy. It’s the largest heated outdoor hotel pool in Beverly Hills and has waters up to 10 feet. Plus, the hotel offers goggles to prevent your little swimmers from getting itchy, chlorinated eyes. Stick around the pool till dusk in the summertime and you and the family can catch one of the twice weekly “dive-in movies.” The hotel screens free family-friendly flicks like Grease, Monsters, Inc., and Alice in Wonderland on a 60-foot wall next to the pool. For parents with babies, you can get complimentary Foundations folding cribs and Pack ‘n Plays at the hotel as well.

When you bring children along for a vacation at The Beverly Hilton, you’ll find a couple of amenities to keep them happy. Here’s our list of the three best amenities for children in the Four-Star hotel:

1) The pool. The Olympic-sized pool is the largest heated outdoor hotel pool in Beverly Hills. Your little swimmers can splash around all day and they can use goggles offered from the hotel.

2) Free “dive-in movies.” Twice a week in the summer, the pool area transforms into a movie theater when the hotel screens family-friendly flicks like Tangled, Despicable Me and Grease on a 60-foot wall.

3) Complimentary cribs. Don’t worry about lugging your baby gear from home. The hotel provides Foundations folding cribs and Pack ‘n Plays for free.

Your best bet for bars and clubs near The Beverly Hilton would be along the Sunset Strip. About two-and-a-half miles from the Four-Star hotel, the West Hollywood drag is home to hot spots like Whisky A Go Go, the Viper Room and the Roxy. For those who prefer to just chill at a bar, there are a bunch of drinking spots near The Beverly Hilton. Nic’s Martini Lounge, about a mile away from the Four-Star hotel, is a swinging Rat Pack-era bar that was a favorite of Dean Martin (check out the shrine above his regular table). You can sip on cheekily named martinis like the What A Nice Pear You Have (with Grey Goose Poire vodka, pear juice and shaved Parmesan) and listen to some live music. There are also a number of hotel bars you can visit, including Sidebar and the BLVD in the Beverly Wilshire, Bar Nineteen 12 in The Beverly Hills Hotel, The Club Bar at The Peninsula Beverly Hills or The Beverly Hilton’s own Trader Vic’s Lounge.

There aren’t a lot of public transportation options near The Beverly Hilton. While you can find some Metro buses that pass near The Beverly Hilton (like the Rapid 720 line that you can catch at Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards), Beverly Hills and Los Angeles are driving cities. Yes, they are also infamous for traffic, but your rental car will get you places that the buses can’t. Plus, you can always use The Beverly Hilton’s complimentary house car service. A driver will shuttle you around in an R-Class Mercedes within the Golden Triangle, which includes Beverly Hills and Century City. It covers about a three-mile radius around the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel. The house car operates from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. To reserve the first-come, first-served service, ask the doorman. The hotel is also within walking distance of great restaurants, shopping on Rodeo Drive and a number of parks.

If you need to arrange a conference at The Beverly Hilton, you’ll have 11 rooms from which to choose. All housed in a private corridor dubbed the executive meeting center, each room has a drop-down screen, built-in white board, built-in registration desk at the entrance, ceiling-mounted LCD projector, an eight-foot ceiling mounted projection screen, dual sounds systems and access to a loading dock. They can accommodate from 18 to 160 attendees. In case you need something bigger or a different kind of meeting space, the Four-Star hotel also offers 11 other kinds of rooms, though they are typically used for galas and red-carpet events. The largest of the bunch is the International ballroom, which seats about 1,100, and is the spot where the Golden Globes and Oscar nominee luncheon are held.

If you need to get some work done at The Beverly Hilton, head down to its 24-hour business center adjacent to the reception desk. There you’ll find a large wood-topped desk divided into four triangle-shaped stations, each with a large-screen Mac. It will cost you $3.75 to get online for 15 minutes. The automated center is also equipped with a color ($2 per page) and black-and-white ($1 per page) printer, fax machines (domestic $3 for the first page and $1 for additional pages; international $7 for first page, $3 for additional pages), scanner ($3 per page) and a copier (black-and-white copies $.25 cents per page; color copies $2 per page). For those who are less tech-savvy and need some help, the Four-Star hotel also has the AVT Event Technology and Business Center on its lobby level. The full-service, staffed business center offers printing, copying, collating, data entry or file transfer needs. The staff there also can assist with any audiovisual needs if you are having a meeting or conference at the hotel. They also provide lighting, projection, audio and technical support. To get online using one of AVT’s onsite computers, it will cost $.50 a minute or $15 for an hour. AVT is open Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Beverly Hilton doesn’t loan out laptops, but it will rent them out for the day. The hotel’s AVT Event Technology and Business Center rents them out for $250 a day. On top of that, you’ll have to pay $14.95 per day to log into the hotel’s Internet, unless you hang out in the public spaces, like the lobby or Lobby Bar, where Wi-Fi is free. Of course, you could always use the hotel’s own automated business center, which is open 24 hours a day, as opposed to AVT’s weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. schedule. The hotel’s business center has four large-screen Macs you can use, though it will cost you $3.75 to get online for 15 minutes; you can hop on a computer at AVT and surf online for $.50 a minute or $15 for the hour.

The Beverly Hilton is a good home base if you plan to hit up the numerous popular local attractions. Tourists head across the street to Beverly Gardens Park to take a picture of its 40-foot-long lit-up “Beverly Hills” sign. Fashionistas load their Louis Vuitton purses with credit cards and head to nearby Rodeo Drive to do some shopping. People with stars in their eyes follow the big white iconic “Hollywood” letters to take a tour of Tinseltown and maybe spy some celebrity homes, or try to fit their hands inside the stars’ prints on the Walk of Fame in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Art aficionados peruse the Getty Museum, with its European paintings, drawings, sculpture, decorative arts, and European and American photographs, or the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which is the largest art museum in the western United States. Families have options, too, many of them making the 20-mile trip to Universal Studios to ride the roller coasters.

If you want to check out some parks located near The Beverly Hilton, you won’t have to go far. Beverly Gardens Park is right across the street from the Four-Star hotel. Joggers will want to try out its decomposed granite trail that runs along Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards through Beverly Hills. Tourists go there to take photos of its 40-foot-long illuminated “Beverly Hills” sign. It’s also nice to walk around the park, which has cactus and rose gardens and fountains. In May and October, Beverly Gardens hosts a big art show called Affaire in the Gardens. Less than a mile away from the Beverly Hills hotel is Roxbury Park, which has courts for tennis, lawn bowling/croquet, basketball and sand volleyball. About two miles away is Coldwater Canyon Park, which has play areas for the kids and a small creek. Yet another option is Greystone Mansion, located three miles from the hotel. While the manse hosts weddings and a number of other events, it also has 18.5 acres of city parkland. You can check out its formal gardens and fountain, as well as its pool and inner courtyard area.

Several great restaurants are located right near The Beverly Hilton. When you want to treat yourself to a nice meal, and you want something outside of The Beverly Hilton’s Circa 55 restaurant and Trader Vic’s Lounge, there are a bunch of fine-dining restaurants near the Four-Star hotel. Only about three blocks away is the Four-Star Belvedere in The Peninsula Beverly Hills, which serves modern American fare like poached jidori chicken breast and Maine lobster. For sake and some of the best sushi in the area, hit up Urasawa, which is about seven blocks east of the hotel.

Canon Drive, about a mile away, also has a number of eateries. Thomas Keller’s Bouchon serves up French bistro cuisine like steak frites and croque madame. Also on Canon Drive is Wolfgang Puck’s Spago Beverly Hills. It’s the celebrity chef’s flagship restaurant, which serves seasonal American dishes like handmade sweet corn agnolotti with mascarpone and grilled prime cote de boeuf for two. For a good steak, there’s also Mastro’s Steakhouse, which is equal parts food and scene. Mastro’s two floors are dimly lit and on the noisy side; the first floor is decidedly old school, but the upstairs is livelier, with a central bar packed with Hollywood ingenues and the hangers-on who dote on them. Before ordering one of the juicy steaks, start with the seafood tower; it’s always fresh and loaded with succulent oysters, shrimp, crab legs and the like.

There are a few good museums located near The Beverly Hilton. The best one is the Getty Museum, which is about 5.5 miles from the hotel and features European paintings, drawings, sculpture, decorative arts, and European and American photographs. However, don’t forget to stop and admire the museum building itself. Built by Richard Meier, the striking white structure is made of cleft-cut Italian travertine. It sits on the Santa Monica Mountains, offering a view of the Pacific Ocean, the San Gabriel Mountains and the city. You can also check out the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or as the locals call it, LACMA. It’s the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection that spans the history of art and is about four miles from the hotel. Gearheads will want to race over to the Petersen Automotive Museum, which is three-and-half miles from The Beverly Hilton, to see the more than 150 rare and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles. The Meier-designed Paley Center for the Media, the closest museum to the hotel sitting only about eight blocks away, examines the cultural, creative and social significance of TV, radio and other emerging media platforms. Couch potatoes will want to check out its library of more than 150,000 radio and television shows, including oldies like The Honeymooners, I Love Lucy, The Mod Squad and, fittingly, The Beverly Hillbillies.

For the best shops located near The Beverly Hilton, there’s only one place to go: Rodeo Drive. The famous shopping strip is a walkable nine blocks east of the Four-Star hotel. Those who want to snap up designer duds will be in heaven shopping on Rodeo. You’ll find some of the best selections inside the high-end stores, which includes Armani, Prada, Valentino, Versace, Bulgari, Louis Vuitton Harry Winston, Chanel, Jimmy Choo, and the list goes on. These high-end boutiques are concentrated in a three-block stretch from Wilshire Boulevard to Santa Monica Boulevard. Nearby department stores in include Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Barney’s New York.

The best time to visit The Beverly Hilton is the summer, when the Four-Star hotel is hopping. It’s also a great time because you can make use of its Olympic-sized pool, which is the largest heated hotel pool in Beverly Hills. We love the summer “dive-in movies” that take place around the pool. Popular films such as Pretty and Pink and Tangled are screened on a 60-foot wall next to the pool. Seating starts at 7 p.m. and movies begin at dusk. Get there right at 7 to make sure you have a drink in hand before the movie starts; you can also order popcorn, Milk Duds and other movie concessions.

The pool’s other claim to fame is that Angelina Jolie jumped in for a celebratory swim after winning a Golden Globe in her Randolph Duke gown. Speaking of which, awards season is another must-visit time because the hotel hosts the Golden Globes and the Oscar nominee luncheon. That means you’ll get to spy a whole bunch of stars glammed up and walking the red carpet.

The Beverly Hilton is decorated during various holidays to make the Four-Star hotel more festive. For Thanksgiving, the Beverly Hills hotel’s executive pastry chef and team create a winter wonderland scene of gingerbread houses with white frosting roofs and put it on display in the Lobby Bar. Even though that white icing is the closest Beverly Hills will ever get a to a white Christmas, the hotel tries to make it festive for the holidays in the main lobby. Head there during the holidays and you’ll find a grand floor-to-ceiling Christmas tree, garland and tinsel adorning the large marble pillars, roses dangling from the ceiling and a menorah on the credenza. ’Tis the season.

The Beverly Hilton hosts hundreds of events a year, including holiday events for its guests. When those holidays pop up and you don’t feel like slaving away in your kitchen at home, bring your family to The Beverly Hilton. The Four-Star hotel offers a number of holiday shindigs. Try Circa 55 restaurant for one of its specialty brunches. Its Easter brunch buffet had a breakfast station with chocolate chip pancakes and eggs Benedict with tarragon-hollandaise sauce; a dim sum and sushi station; a seafood station with ceviche and Fanny Bay oysters with dikon-ponzu sauce; and a selection of hot dishes like honey-miso baked salmon and slow-roasted young chicken with corn relish. For New Year’s Eve, Circa 55 and Trader Vic’s Lounge create special menus and cocktails to help you ring in the New Year right. The hotel is also decorated for Christmas with a grand tree in the lobby, lots of garland and tinsel, and gingerbread houses made by the hotel’s executive pastry chef. A menorah on the credenza celebrates Hanukah. It may not be a white Christmas, but it’ll be a festive one, especially if trading in hot chocolates for mai tais at the Polynesian-themed Trader Vic’s Lounge sounds like a nice change of pace. You’re also just blocks from Rodeo Drive when staying at The Beverly Hilton, so you’ll find the best shopping for presents. That always puts us in a festive holiday spirit.

There is so much to see and do near The Beverly Hilton that its hard to pick just five best things. When you stay at the Four-Star Beverly Hilton, you’re in one of the toniest towns in the United States: Beverly Hills. But here’s what we think are the five must-do-while-in-town things:

1. Rodeo Drive, baby. Live out your Pretty Woman fantasies by hitting up nearby Rodeo Drive for a shopping spree. The world’s greatest concentration of luxury stores
(Louis Vuitton, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, etc.) are all in a three-block stretch between Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards. The shopping mecca is a walkable nine blocks east of The Beverly Hilton.

2. Head to Hollywood. Follow the big white iconic “Hollywood” sign to take a tour of Tinseltown. It may be cliched and touristy, but experiencing the magic of movie making is the reason people come to these parts. Hollywood is only about six miles from the hotel. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is the heart and soul of Hollywood. Since it opened in 1927, the theater on Hollywood Boulevard has become one of the city’s most iconic landmarks and a favorite venue for celebrity-studded film premieres. Thanks to the celebrity hand and footprints embedded in cement outside the theater’s entrance, it’s also a favorite spot for tourists. If you think the theater’s elaborate design and architecture is just another testament to movie magic, think again. When it was constructed, authentic temple bells, pagodas and stone figures were imported all the way from China to decorate the theater — many of those pieces can still be seen today. While Grauman’s is a crowded tourist trap, you can’t help but be a little moved by all the prints outside this legendary theater, so go ahead and put your hands in your favorite movie stars’ cement imprints.

3. Go to the Getty. Home to the J. Paul Getty Museum and a beacon for Los Angeles’ art and cultural sensibility, the Getty Center contains some of the U.S.’s finest and most valuable European art. Designed by architect Richard Meier, the Center is a real beauty that sits high atop the Santa Monica Mountains; its slabs of pale stone perfectly reflect the rosy light of the rising and setting. In addition to browsing the art inside, take a walk along the charming Central Garden, part of which is designed like a maze with flower-fringed. Bonus: Admission is free. (You just have to pay for parking.)

4. Shop Robertson Boulevard. This shopping strip may not have the name recognition of Rodeo Drive, but fashionistas like Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton frequent Robertson Boulevard to drop a load of cash at boutiques like Kitson. Of course, they then follow up their hard day of shopping with lunch at The Ivy.

5. Hit the Sunset Strip. When you want to be in the middle of the action, go to this drag in West Hollywood. You can visit celebrity hangouts like Chateau Marmont, hear some live music at Whisky A Go Go or have some laughs at comedy clubs like the Comedy Store and the Laugh Factory.

If you want to take your workout outdoors and do some jogging near The Beverly Hilton, there’s a conveniently located route across the street from the Four-Star hotel in Beverly Gardens Park. Just follow the trail, made of decomposed granite, which runs along Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards through Beverly Hills. A round-trip jog on the path is about four miles. The park is a popular place for tourists, who like to snap a picture of its 40-foot-long illuminated “Beverly Hills” sign. Though you may also want to mosey on over to see its cactus and rose gardens or its two fountains. Here’s another reason to visit Beverly Gardens (even if you’re not a jogger): It hosts the big Affaire in the Gardens art show in May and October.

The Beverly Hilton gym doesn’t offer any fitness classes — it’s not really big enough to accommodate them, nor does it have a separate studio or anything like that. But you can request to have a personal trainer or yoga expert come in if you need some help with your workout at The Beverly Hilton. There is a small area where you can work with a yoga guru to perfect your scorpion pose and put you through a bunch of sequences. There’s also a variety of cardio and weight training equipment, as well as stability, Bosu and medicine balls, for you to use with a personal trainer. To get a trainer or yoga pro to guide your workout, just ask the concierge for assistance. This being the land of fitness, there’s no shortage of people to call, many of whom have probably worked with celebrity clients at the Four-Star Beverly Hilton.

When you head into the gym at The Beverly Hilton, you’ll find several amenities to make your workout more pleasant. There’s a spot set up with towels, a bowl of fresh fruit and headsets to use with the TV sets on the cardio machines. You can stay hydrated with the water cooler or the bottled water in the fridge — though the refrigerator was empty during two recent visits to the gym. If that happens, just call down to the front desk and it’ll be filled promptly. There’s also a wall with cubbies where you can store your gear, and next to that is a bunch of horizontal metal rods where magazines like Angeleno, Where and Los Angeles Confidential are available for you to thumb through while you work the elliptical.

The Beverly Hilton’s gym offers a variety of weight-training equipment to help you stay strong and fit during your trip to Los Angeles. Among the Precor machine offerings are three Super Benches, a seated leg slide, a back extension, a stretch trainer, a vertical knee dip, a decline Roman chair and a Functional Training System that has various settings to work your upper and lower body. Basically, you’ll find everything you need to stay toned and trim so you can confidently hit the pool area. To build up your muscles even more, the gym at the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel also offers dumbbells up to 15 pounds and barbells from 20 to 60 pounds. If you want to get a trainer in to help with your strength workout, just ask the concierge for assistance. They can arrange for a trainer to meet you in the gym and put you through the paces. The gym also includes a variety of cardio equipment, a small space for stability work, and TVs to distract you from the pain, though your trainer probably won’t let you get away with that. There’s also chilled water and snacks like fresh apples to keep your energy up.

The gym at The Beverly Hilton doesn’t have a locker room, so you’ll have to shower and change in your room. The gym does have a wall of wooden cubbies for you to store your stuff in while you hit the weights or cardio equipment. You don’t need to worry about bringing water or a towel; the gym has bottled water in a fridge as well as a water station, and it’s well-stocked with clean towels. The gym is on the smaller side but it has all the equipment you’ll need for your workout, including a variety of Precor machines, strength training equipment and free weights. Each piece of cardio equipment has its own television and there are two big screen TVs to help you pass the time while weight training. If you want a personal trainer to work with, just ask the concierge to coordinate it for you.

The Beverly Hilton’s gym is open between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily, which should give you plenty of time to squeeze in a workout while you’re staying at the Four-Star hotel. (We’re sure that VIPs get special access after-hours, too, so if you’re one of those…) Inside the 1,650-square-foot space, you can get a heart-pumping workout on such cardio machines as ellipticals, stationary bikes, treadmills and a stair-climber, each of which comes with its own individual TV to pass the time. You’ll also find a variety of weight-training equipment and free weights, which you can use while you watch one of the two nearby big-screen HDTVs. The gym also has a small area where you can use its Bosu, stability and medicine balls.

The Beverly Hilton’s gym has plenty of cardio equipment to give you a heart-pumping workout while you’re in town. The Four-Star hotel’s gym has Precor equipment. Get your heart rate up on the five ellipticals, a stair-climber, three recumbent bikes and eight treadmills. Thankfully, the machines come with individual televisions to help make your workout less painful. Free headsets are also provided at a station near the gym entrance. The gym is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., so you can plan your cardio session accordingly. In case you need to step up your workout, you can request a personal trainer to come out and fine-tune your routine. You’ll also find a variety of weight training equipment, as well as a small black-soft-tiled area where you can use stability, Bosu and medicine balls. Don’t worry about bringing water with you; the gym has a fridge with cold water bottles and there are snacks like fresh apples. You’ll also find clean towels and magazines to peruse, though you’ll probably be working too hard to read.

The room service menu at The Beverly Hilton has plenty of good options. The Four-Star hotel offers 24-hour room service so you can find something to eat no matter when hunger strikes. For breakfast, the room service menu has dishes such as the sweet and satisfying brioche French toast and the three-egg SoCal omelet stuffed with avocado, Jack cheese, tomato and cilantro. Lunchtime offerings include sandwiches such as the tasty grilled chicken focaccia with organic tomato, arugula, artichoke and garlic tapenade, and heavier fare like an 8-ounce New York steak. For dinner, you can supersize that steak to a 10-ouncer or have an Asian-herb-crusted halibut filet with young mustard greens and yuzu-pepper sauce. Among the desserts, try the orange-infused panna cotta with blood orange jelly or the strawberry shortcake with Tahitian vanilla sauce. There’s also a late-night menu with a juicy Wagyu burger on a brioche bun or that 10-ounce steak. Kids get their own room service menu, filled with favorites such as mac and cheese and PB&J.

When staying at The Beverly Hilton, you can have 24-hour room service. This means that should you get the munchies after drinking mai tais at Trader Vic’s Lounge at The Beverly Hilton, you’re in luck. The Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel offers 24-hour room service in case of such an emergency, though, you’ll want to order from the late-night menu to get rid of that snack attack. Available from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., the late-night menu has perfect-for-alcohol nibbles like a quesadilla with guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo, as well as a Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza. You could also get a meal, like the Wagyu burger on a brioche bun or the healthier grilled chicken breast with veggies.

The Four-Star Beverly Hilton’s medium-sized gym packs a lot into its mirror-lined space. When you walk into the Beverly Hills hotel’s 1,650-square-foot gym, look left against a pumpkin-colored wall to see a station with headsets (so you can watch some TV while you’re on the cardio equipment), a basket with red apples, towels and a fridge with bottled water. There’s also a wall with light wooden cubbies and rods where magazines like Los Angeles Confidential and Angeleno hang. The rest of the gym is filled with Precor fitness equipment. You can do some cardio on the ellipticals, stationary bikes, treadmills or stair-climbers. Or flex your muscles with the weight-training equipment and free weights while you watch one of the two nearby big-screen HDTVs. The gym also has a small black-soft-tiled area where you can use stability, Bosu and medicine balls. Don’t be surprised if you see someone famous on the elliptical next to you; President Obama has worked out here.

The best bar entertainment offered at The Beverly Hilton is found at the Four-Star hotel’s loveable Trader Vic’s Lounge. A DJ spins in the alfresco dining area of the tiki bar on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. When we visited last, the DJ was pumping out some hip-hop mixes for the diners sitting in wicker seats amid the palm trees and other greenery. Right next to the pool, the outdoor lounge is a nice spot to kick back. Even if it gets a little cold at night, there are plenty of heat lamps to ward off any chill. The loungey areas with tan sofas and avocado-green pillows are particularly inviting; we wanted to kick back on the L-shaped seating with a mai tai and listen to the music.

Hit the bar at The Beverly Hilton for one of the signature drinks and you might end up staying for a while. When you saddle up to the bar in one of the dark-bamboo-like seats at The Beverly Hilton’s Trader Vic’s Lounge, you’ll see that the menu lists the Chai’s Beverly Starburst as its signature drink. The lime-green concoction — mixed with fresh juices, rum, orange liqueur and mint — was made in honor of founder Vic Bergeron and the bar’s loyal guests for helping it become the longest-standing location of the tiki bar chain. However, Trader Vic’s also invented the rum-tastic mai tai, so you’d be remiss not to order one. After all, “mai tai” got is name from a customer who tried it and said, “Mai tai roa ae!,” which is Tahitian for “out of this world.”

The Beverly Hilton has a couple of signature dinner dishes at the hotel’s famous Trader Vic’s Lounge. We love the vegetarian-friendly Thai red curry. This dish serves up eggplant, zucchini, carrots and peppers in a pool of slightly sweet coconut-milk broth mixed with red curry paste, Thai chilies and Kaffir lime leaves. You can opt to add in prawns, chicken or steak for an extra cost. Another tasty signature is the Indonesian rack of lamb, which is marinated with Javanese spice and served with peanut butter.

We also recommend adding on the delicious lobster dumplings —and a drink. Everything at the lively lounge tastes better when you wash it down with the signature drink — the mai tai, which was invented by Trader Vic’s.

The wines served at the bar at The Beverly Hilton include a selection from California, as well as wines from Spain, Australia and other regions. You have two places to hit up for some wine inside the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel: Trader Vic’s Lounge and the Lobby Bar. Of course, tiki-themed Trader Vic’s Lounge specializes in fruity tropical concoctions, like its famous mai tais. However, the bar does have a decent-sized wine list with reds, whites and bubblies served by the stem and bottle. It mostly concentrates on California selections, such as the 2005 Austin Hope Syrah from Paso Robles or the 2002 Viader from Napa Valley; but it also has a number of international wines, like the 2008 Albarino Fillaboa from Rias Baixas, Spain, and the 2005 Peter Lehman cabernet sauvignon from the Barossa Valley in Australia. The Lobby Lounge serves wine as well, but it’s a much smaller selection compared to the list of its tiki-themed cousin. Again, most of the pours hail from California, though there are a couple of international wines thrown into the mix. You could order anything, from a bottle of 2002 Louis Roederer Cristal from Reims, France, to a 2009 Fess Parker riesling from Santa Barbara.

While The Beverly Hilton doesn’t have any singular signature breakfast dish, the hotel’s Circa 55 restaurant has a huge buffet full of all kinds of delicious morning treats. The Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel is known for its elaborate daily breakfast spread, which includes a room with a cold continental buffet that features items such as yogurt, house-baked pastries and fresh fruit, as well as another room with hot dishes, including made-to-order omelets, bacon, sausage and French toast with apricot skewers. The Continental breakfast will only get you access to the cold foods, so go for the American breakfast to stuff yourself silly with both buffets. The chic restaurant with 1950s furniture is the perfect place for breakfast: The sprawling space with large windows flows out to the pool.

There are a couple of restaurants inside The Beverly Hilton: the legendary Trader Vic’s and Circa 55, named for the year the hotel opened. At Trader Vic’s Lounge, you can sit in a big brown semicircular booth inside the tiki bar, which doesn’t overdo it with the kitschy décor; or, for a more chic Polynesian vibe, take your meal and mai tais outside near the palm trees on either the dark wicker furniture or the sofas with avocado-green pillows next to the pool. Trader Vic’s serves Asian-tinged dinner and late-night bites. Our favorite things to order there include the lobster dumplings and Thai red curry. For tasty California cuisine in a sleek and modern setting, opt for Circa 55 restaurant, which serves breakfast — including a huge morning buffet that takes up two rooms — lunch and dinner. The restaurant has cool 1950’s furniture and a sprawling layout that wraps around the pool. Other dining options inside the Four-Star hotel include the Lobby Bar, which offers light nibbles all day long, and Aqua Star pool, where you can get sandwiches and snacks in the afternoon and early evening.

The best things to eat and drink at The Beverly Hilton include a couple of specialty drinks, some yummy Asian dishes that we can’t wait to eat when we check in and a great breakfast buffet. The Four-Star hotel’s dining options include Circa 55’s California cuisine, the legendary Polynesian-themed Trader Vic’s, the Lobby Bar and Aqua Star pool’s sandwiches and other light fare. Here are five best things you shouldn’t miss while eating and drinking at the hotel:

1. A mai tai from Trader Vic’s. The delicious drink was invented here by Trader Vic himself. Apparently the drink got its moniker from a customer who tried it and exclaimed, “Mai tai roa ae!” which is Tahitian for “out of this world.” Order the potent, fruity rum drink and see if it lives up to its name. (We think it does.)

2. The daily breakfast buffet. We just can’t resist a good breakfast buffet and the one at the hotel’s Circa 55 does not disappoint. Every morning, the restaurant puts out a buffet of cold continental goodies (e.g. yogurt and cheeses) in one room, and a buffet of hot dishes (e.g. made-to-order omelets and French toast with skewered apricots) in an adjacent room. Order the American breakfast and you’ll be able to gorge on both buffets.

3. Trader Vic’s Thai red curry. This dish is so good that Trader Vic’s offers it on its dinner and lounge menus. Prawns (our chosen protein), eggplant, zucchini, carrots and peppers swim in a slightly sweet coconut-milk broth mixed with red curry paste, Thai chilies and Kaffir lime leaves. You’ll eat up every bit of that sauce with the side of rice.

4. Chai’s Beverly Starburst. The Beverly Hilton’s Polynesian-themed tiki bar is the longest-standing location of Trader Vic’s. This signature cocktail was made in honor of founder Vic Bergeron and the bar’s loyal guests. The lime-green concoction is mixed with fresh juices, rum, orange liqueur and mint.

5. Lobster dumplings. Trader Vic’s steamed lobster dumplings with seven-spice chili sauce is listed on the dinner menu as a starter, but you’ll probably want to make it your main course.

The Beverly Hilton has great bars. When you need a good, stiff drink, bring your thirsty self over to The Beverly Hilton’s Trader Vic’s Lounge, which is the longest-standing location of the Polynesian-themed bar chain. There, you’ll get to pound mai tais and other fruity, exotic cocktails like the signature Chai’s Beverly Starburst, a lime-green concoction made with fresh juices, rum, orange liqueur and mint. Plunk down in a big brown semicircular booth inside the tiki bar, which doesn’t go overboard with the kitschy décor, or, for a more chic Polynesian vibe, head outside near the palm trees on either the dark wicker furniture or the couches with avocado-green pillows next to the pool. If you just want a beer, head over to the more quiet and traditional Lobby Lounge. The bartender there will pour you a cold Bass Ale or Anchor Steam, and you can sit in a low-sunk maroon and dark wood chair or lounge on the light blue sofas. Catch the game on the bar’s flat-screen or watch people go by in the Four-Star Beverly Hills hotel.