It's pure Hollywood glamour in its most unadulterated form...the famed Hotel Bel Air, now part of the Dorchester Collection, is where celebrities go to hide away in Bel Air's most beautifully manicured gardens. As soon as I pulled up the driveway I knew I was in for something special...this is no ordinary 5 Star Hotel, that would be an insult. Its hallowed gardens and now renovated bungalows once housed Hollywood icons like Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly...oh no, this isn't a hotel...it's a legend come to life!What amazed me the most was the intense peacefulness that pervades every corner of the property...I felt like I was the only guest but later found out the hotel was fully booked. I strolled past the renowned "Swan Lake" nestled quietly within the property's 12 acres, observed the tropical flowers in the gardens, and sat under cupola's and secret alcoves feeling as if I had just stepped onto a Hollywood movie set...the old MGM execs could not have planned it so perfectly.The Bel-Air estates were purchased by Alphonso Bell in 1922 and transformed into a hotel in 1946. Almost immediately it became a spot favored by the rich and famous and well...in that respect it hasn't changed. Even the air one breathes feels a little more rarefied at the Hotel Bel Air...it's just pure glamour...she's like a rare Madeira wine in a sleek new bottle...I can't wait to visit this vibrant but nonetheless legendary hotel once again.

Hotel Bel-Air Swan Lake
Grace Kelly Living Room
Lobby at Night