TomTravel2

I had the pleasure of staying at this stunning luxury hotel for two nights recently. I also had the opportunity to do a site inspection and see the amazing two bedroom suite. L’Ermitage is subtle. It is nestled on a leafy residential street in Beverly Hills. The facade is also subtle. It blends so well into the luxury condos it shares the street with, that I drove right past it the first time.

I noticed the addresses I was passing were west of the hotel’s address and looked in my mirror. I only then saw the valet and knew I had missed my mark. The sign in the first picture is to the left of the awning in this shot, so you can see that they aren’t loudly announcing their presence at Raffles L’Ermitage. They also don’t have to. This hotel is a favorite of the rich and famous and prides itself on shielding them within. We were told at check-in that no photography is allowed on the first floor (the lobby, lounge, bar and restaurant). This policy is to protect the privacy of the many celebrities who stay there or just come by for a meal or a cocktail.

So how did I get photos of the interdicted first floor? Partly by sweet talk and charm, and partly by luck. When I met the sales manager I mentioned how lovely my photos would make the hotel look when placed on my blog. When we arrived in the lobby I asked again and mentioned that the entire first floor was now empty except for employees and myself. A quick call to the general manager and I secured permission.

Clean light wood furnishings, Asian accents, and bold modern art make quite a statement at this elegant retreat. Raffles started in Singapore and China nearly a century ago as a sanctuary for the British nobility traveling there. Although this hotel is far from those fabled shores it salutes it’s heritage in ways both direct and subtle.

Bamboo and dry flowers ornament a pot in this niche. Among the many design elements that remind us of the roots in China.

The other statement made loud and clear by the design team at L’Ermitage is welcome to the heart of Los Angeles. Bright modern artworks jump out from the soft blond wood paneling. Much of the art continues this bold statement of place. Here we are in Beverly Hills. The Beverly Hills of the Hollywood Elite.

Ah, the glamour and glitz of old Hollywood! “Dahling, you really should put me in your next picture!” She cooed. “After your last star turn, dear, perhaps I should.” This 3-D piece really jumped out and caught my attention. There is a lot of attention to the details at this hotel.

This is what gives the posh comfy bar at L’Ermitage it’s name and it’s renown. Original screen plays are prominently framed on display. It was cool to see notes hand written on some of them. The Writer’s Bar is a favored watering hole for screen writers, producers, and of course actors as well. We spent a very fun evening sharing drinks and talk with a dear friend who lives in Malibu. While we caught up on all of our various doings a number of well known faces showed up as well. I am not the star—struck type in the slightest. To me people are people even if they are household names. As for who we saw during our stay, I do not kiss and tell. Discretion is important in my line of work.

Jaan is the signature restaurant at L’Ermitage and has earned the AAA Four Diamond award. We had one dinner here and the service was understated but attentive. Entrees were creatively presented and very flavorful. It is a lovely place to take a meal. My only complaint was that the menu was very limited. This was not at all an issue for me, but the fussy diner may see it as one. We enjoyed room service breakfasts that were brought promptly and were nicely prepared. I really loved the sign for Jaan.

As I have learned to travel with camera in hand and finished photographs in mind I have found taking good pictures of a room to be the biggest challenge. Bathrooms in particular are hard to do justice. Most are hard to shoot because one is in a small space. What was hard here was getting a picture that showed how large the space was. The bathrooms at Raffles L’Ermitage are very large. Very, very large. The dressing room area that you enter going into the bath was the size of many hotel bathrooms. Then it opens up to a large double vanity offsetting the oversized tub on one side and the toilet room and shower to the other. We did love the bathroom at L’Ermitage!

This was our king bed with a clever sliding screen headboard and blond wood night stands. The screens closed for privacy or opened up to connect the room to the dressing room area. It is another Asian touch that gives the property an exotic and elegant feeling.

Two overstuffed chairs with ottomans made for a very comfortable seating area in the room. There was a desk with chairs and high speed internet access. This is a must for hotels these days. The next must have is rapidly becoming flat screen HD Televisions. That bridge is yet to be crossed here. The move to HD is going to be a costly one for most nice hotels due to the existing investments in armoires that hold analog TVs and keep them out of site. The consumer will eventually demand it as they are accustomed to the big clear picture at home.

This is the living room in the huge two bedroom suite. There is a bedroom with private bath on either side of this central living area. This suite is large and very will appointed. One of the bedrooms has a king bed and the other two queens. A perfect family abode for your Beverly Hills getaway.

Each room has a balcony which we truly enjoyed. The hotel is on a tree lined street with a very residential feeling to it. I spent hours sitting on the balcony with my baby granddaughter. She loved watching the traffic go by and the bird chirping in the many trees. With such a benign climate, access to the outdoors is a must for a stay in Los Angeles.

To really savor the outdoors go up to the rooftop pool. Sit under an umbrella or in the sun on a padded chaise lounge. You can call room service at tables opposite the pool in a private feeling niche on the roof. All with a sweeping view of the city beyond and the lovely green Hollywood Hills.

The location is ideal for those who want to be close to the main shopping areas of Beverly Hills (including famous Rodeo Drive) but prefer to have a more residential feeling retreat. We were able to easily walk to Beverly Drive and Robertson Boulevard and then return to our more quiet tree lined street.

While close to all of the main Beverly Hills attractions, you find yourself in a sedate niche with a residential nature.

This simple yet stylish water feature greets you on exiting the exercise room and spa area leading to the rooftop pool. They make the most of the space allowed by the small footprint of the hotel. This is not a large property. Because of that they are able to personalize service. On check-in I was greeted at the desk by name. All of the staff do the same throughout your stay. That is one thing I love about a smaller boutique hotel. They do a great job from the valet to room service at recognizing and serving their guests.

This was a wonderful stay, and I highly recommend this hotel. It may not appeal to those whose tastes are more European or traditional in terms of decor and design. If you like modern design with Asian sensibility and attentive service you will love Raffles L’Ermitage.

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This was the most interesting site inspection I have done including the one I did in Spanish at Maroma. It was also the most fun I have ever had getting to know a new property. When I went to the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills it was at the invitation of Jorge Collazo their director of marketing who I have enjoyed interacting with on Twitter. He also invited Stacy Small who I have also met on Twitter and really like tweeting with. She was joined by Gen Hershey who is new to Twitter but trying to get herself up to speed at Stacy’s prompting. Rounding out our group was Peter Falke the charming sales manager for the Four Season Los Angeles. Peter is not on Twitter despite his colleagues’ attempts to lure him there.

Peter was extremely gracious and patient as he tried to give a site inspection in the middle of a tweetup. From the moment we all started trickling into the lobby Twitter was the dominant force poor Peter had to contend with. Whenever you gather any enthusiastic tweeters together the elephant in the room is a little blue bird. Usually I am attentive and snapping oodles of photos when I have the opportunity to visit a property, but this time I was very distracted. As we toured the hotel side twonversations kept popping up about Twitter. Jorge and I  chatting about what this vendor or that is doing or not doing on Twitter. Stacy and Jorge discussing a mutual tweeter. Stacy and I comparing notes on how Twitter is changing our business. The three of us explaining to Gen what this Twitter term or that one means, or how to do this or that on Twitter. Throughout it all Mr. Falke kept his composure and showed us the changes being made to modernize and upgrade this lovely hotel.

Whenever a group of travel professionals gather for lunch there is much talk of mutual acquaintances and former colleagues. It is a business of relationships. During our gathering there was a lot of this tracking of where one person is and how we know them perhaps from their last position in the industry. The difference on this day was adding the all important “He’s not on Twitter” or “She is @so-and-so on Twitter.”  During it all @elitetravelgal was tweeting on her blackberry and snapping photos of us all to post on Twitpics! She also talked @jorgecollazo into downloading “UberTwitter” for his blackberry. It was a most interesting time!

So let this rambling serve as my apology for failing to get enough good pictures to do this lovely property justice here on my blog. I guess this means I will have to return! The next time I visit Los Angeles to see friends and family or for a business function I hope to stay at the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. The location is fabulous. The hotel sits on a leafy intersection a bit off the main hubbub of Beverly Hills. It still is very close to Rodeo Drive and the other temptations that the area is famous for. For those wanting easy access to all that Los Angeles has to offer, but preferring a room that offers a respite from the bustle, this location is ideal. A short drive or a long walk puts you right in the thick of things in Beverly Hills. The Robertson Boulevard shopping area which is up and coming is only one block away.

The circle drive at the lobby is subtly screened by trees and other greenery making a very private experience in a very public area. Word is that this is what makes the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills very popular with Hollywood types. Along with the nearby Raffles L’Ermitage this is one of the favored stays for celebrities both local and visiting. The bar also serves as a favored watering hole for the rich and famous. When asked what distinguishes this Four Seasons from the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire one of our hosts replied that the latter is where tourists go hoping to see celebrities and the former is where celebs go to avoid the tourists. True to this description several notables strolled by during our visit.

Another view of the front facade.

What three words say you have arrived better than Four Seasons Hotel? This is a view of the lobby overhang from the circle drive area. Though small (this is an urban hotel) the grounds are lush and green. One of the things I like about Los Angeles is how well every square inch of land is taken advantage of with plantings of the myriad variety of foliage that can grow in this benign climate. This property is true to that trend giving it a lush tropical feeling with bougainvillea, palms, annual flowers and all manner of green things.

Yes, we are in Los Angeles. Reminders of that inescapable fact start with this oft photographed statue of Marilyn Monroe in her most famous movie scene. This fun sculpture is there to greet you opposite the lobby in the circle drive.

This geometric tiled water feature is also front and center offering the sound of splashing water to mute the sounds of the traffic beyond. The hotel is oriented so that it faces the less busy street. Neither is a major thoroughfare so by L.A. standards it is a very quiet and sedate location.

One of us asked our hosts if they had a resident florist and the answer was “Of course!” Upon entering the lobby it is the stunning floral arrangements that immediately catch the eye. Could they please send the florist by my house once in a while?

This detail of the large white rose arrangement on the wall opposite the front desk was one of my favorite pictures from this trip. I do so love flowers, and these white roses were exquisite!

The main emphasis Jorge and Peter wanted to impress upon us is that they have started a rolling make-over that will touch every room in the hotel over the next year. I have to say the redone rooms were really nice. From the simple yet smart art touches on the contrast was striking. The best new feature is replacing vertical armoires with low desks and adding flat screen HD TVs. It creates a much more open feeling in the rooms. It also gives the guest the great HD picture they are used to on their home TVs.

They are incorporating marble and high end fixtures in all the baths. This is one of the few times I took a decent photo of a bathroom. Rooms in general are a big challenge to the budding photographer. I really would like to take another photo lesson from @equusluminous, but this time in a resort during a site inspection.

When I book this hotel for you I will request a high floor if you like a nice view of Los Angeles. Each room includes a balcony most with nifty views of the exciting city that is it’s setting.

I liked the subtle hues on the print headboards. They were framed by mirror walls further opening up the rooms. Of course high quality linens are the rule. This is a Four Seasons after all.

This is the family room of one of the remodeled one bedroom suites. Spacious and comfortable, no? All the rooms are very nicely appointed.

By the time we got to the pool area I was thoroughly distracted. We had lunch under an umbrella overlooking the pool. Somehow in all the buzz and twittering over Twitter I forgot that I had a camera with me and was there to take pictures. The two I took do not really capture how nice the pool area looks here. As you can see in the left corner of this picture (barely) they have very smart two shade green pads on the chaise lounges. There were some very cool cabanas that had the same color scheme that were lovely. You will have to take my word for it because I neglected to snap a single shot of them!

Here is the other reason that I MUST return to the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. It was strongly suggested that we try the ice cream sandwich. This is a dessert not to be missed! In fact, I have been pining for it ever since. I rarely look for sweets at lunch time, but I was so glad they insisted on splitting this fabulous creation. Starting with two freshly baked homemade chocolate chip cookies (which would be a delight on their own) they add a center of soft whipped homemade vanilla ice cream. One end is then dipped into dark hot fudge sauce and the whole is chilled. Offset with a colorful assortment of berries it becomes a work of art that is every bit as tasty as it looks!

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