"The Beverly Hills Hotel is the most famous hotel in Los Angeles. In fact, it even existed before Beverly Hills did: it was built by a wealthy widow Margaret Anderson and her son in 1912—two years before the neighborhood was officially incorporated, and just as the Golden Age of Hollywood began. Fred Astaire read the Hollywood Reporter by the pool, and Gloria Swanson rented a bungalow during her divorce. Elizabeth Taylor, meanwhile, spent six of her honeymoons there. Today, the Beverly Hills hotel retains much of its old-school magic: their iconic banana leaf wallpaper still lines the wall and pink-striped cabanas still sit at the pool. Well-dressed patrons still sit outside at the Polo Lounge and order their famous McCarthy chopped salad. Yet their guest rooms are all very much up-to-date with the latest technology, featuring modern art and sleek interiors." - Elise Taylor
