by Chrissy Iley
Some hotels are more than a beautifully fluffed bed, even if the linens have a diva high thread count. Occasionally you find a hotel that is beyond luxury, that is an oasis of tranquillity and has an ability to transport your soul and psyche somewhere that’s truly uplifting.
Hotel Bel-Air is that place. Built in Hollywood’s golden era and recently refurbished it is tucked away in the canyons. Traditionally it’s been a place for powerhouses, royalty and legends alike. Nancy Regan used to practically live in the dining room.
In the 1950s Grace Kelly used it as her Hollywood hideaway. She stayed in the Bel-Air the night before she won her Academy Award for The Country Girl in 1955. Kelly was never brash, never glitzy. Her understatement iconic. That’s why she and hotel meshed together so perfectly.
When she was a princess married to Prince Rainier of Monaco she would come back to the hotel, introduce her husband to the staff she had known so well. Now she has a suite known after her so that anyone can be Grace for the day.
The Grace Kelly Suite is creams and topes, restful. Flat screen TVs are in the living room, the bedroom and even the bathroom. It is a world where hi-tech meets old style glamour. There is a roaring fireplace for added cosy.
The Grace Kelly bed is probably the most comfortable you could ever lie in. Firm and fluffy in all the right places.
The suite has its own garden, a beautiful tree casts a dappled shade and you have your own personal Jacuzzi. It is a giant one though – six people could fit easily. But it’s rather special to enjoy it on your own.
You wonder what Grace would have worn for the Jacuzzi. I feel it would have definitely been a one-piece. Everything is so discreet. A little piece of heaven.
The Bel-Air’s service is attentive – ask for a nail file and you get a complete manicure set – but not over fussy. The manners of the staff all exquisite. They have been highly trained into make people feel good, making people feel they deserve the Grace Kelly Suite.
It is quite possibly the most beautiful suite in Los Angeles: elegant, cosy, with attention to detail.
We ordered scrambled eggs and pancakes to eat on our private patio under our table umbrella. The eggs were delicious, just enough creamy, just enough loose.
I wonder what Grace would have had for her breakfast? Probably half a grapefruit, but I told myself she probably would have wanted to eat the pancakes with blueberries and maple butter.
As you come into the hotel there is a lake with swans in it. The bath soap is crafted in the shape of swans. We imagine Grace would have liked the swan soap and the lemony lotion that came with the suite.
When you are in the Grace Kelly Suite you can’t help but channel her just a little bit. A hotel suite that makes you a better person must be a good thing.
Hotel Bel-Air, 701 Stone Canyon Road Los Angeles, CA 90077. www.dorchestercollection.com. Rooms from $525.00 a night.