Bel Air

A visionary significant in the development of the area, Alphonso E. Bell created Bel-Air Estates in 1922. Bell acquired over 600 acres west of the city of Los Angeles, naming his new purchase “Bel-Air.” Determined that the estates would become an exclusive and upscale neighborhood, he enhanced the surrounding area with new roads, utilities, a country club and lush, exotic vegetation. What is now Hotel Bel-Air’s main mission-style building was originally built as Bell’s estate planning and sales office. These offices were located next to the Bel-Air Stables where residents could board their horses and enjoy the miles of equestrian trails winding throughout the canyons. For the next few decades Bell’s dream flourished. In 1946 Joseph Drown, a hotel entrepreneur from Texas, purchased 18 acres, and the land offices, and began plans to create an elegant pastoral hotel hideaway encompassing most of the land. Drown immediately hired architect Burton Schutt to convert the buildings and construct the 62 rooms of what was to become Hotel Bel-Air. Drown transformed the grounds into lush, beautiful gardens, adding Swan Lake to the picturesque front lawn. He had a vision of creating a natural California oasis, planting palms, ficus trees and perennial blooms. Drown also closed the Stone Canyon stables and built the sparkling oval-shaped pool at the site of the original riding ring. Hollywood celebrities and world dignitaries were frequent guests at the young and glamorous retreat. Hotel Bel-Air attracted privacy seeking celebrities including Grace Kelly, Jackie Gleason, Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. Over the years, the hotel has developed into one of the most luxuriant and respected properties in the world. As the hotel and city have matured, Hotel Bel-Air’s original ambiance has remained intact. The last extensive modern additions were made in 1982 when Rosewood Hotels & Resorts purchased the hotel for $23 million dollars. Ten years later, Rosewood sold the hotel for more than $110 million. Ongoing renovations have continued over the years to bring the latest fabrics and fresh interiors to the hotel, with the most recent refurbishment program completed in 2006 at a cost of $20 million. None of the 91 rooms and suites are alike, each decorated with a distinct individual personality. In 2007, Hotel Bel-Air received the coveted Mobil Five Star Award and was deemed the “#1 Hotel in the US” by Global Traveler Magazine and “#1 Restaurant, Service” by Zagat Guide. Today, the hotel is still considered a legend, drawing the latest Hollywood style-makers and stars. The exclusivity and tranquility of the hotel appeal to the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Robin Williams, Hillary Swank, Nicole Kidman and many other Hollywood notables.

Grace Kelly Jackie Gleason Cary Grant Elizabeth Taylor Marilyn Monroe Oprah Winfrey Robin Williams Hillary Swank, Nicole Kidman

An early brochure for Bel-Air Estates once read “Mother Nature was in her kindliest mood of creation when she fashioned the domain that is now Bel-Air.” Hotel Bel-Air, with 12 beautifully landscaped acres of gardens, is nestled in the very heart of this exclusive and private neighborhood, yet only minutes from Beverly Hills, Century City, and Brentwood. Hotel Bel-Air was originally the real estate office for the Bel-Air Estates development. Mr. Alphonso Bell had purchased the land in the early 1920s and decreed that this would be “a haven of rest for the businessman who toils in big, noisy, congested Los Angeles.” His wife named all the streets after her favorite places in the Mediterranean and it was not long before the entrepreneurs and business leaders were building multi-million dollar homes in a time when a $20,000 home was considered expensive. Ironically, he would not sell to anyone in the film business until the Depression when the rules were relaxed and Hollywood discovered Bel-Air. Cary Grant, Marlon Brando, Alfred Hitchcock, and Zsa Zsa Gabor are only a few of the many celebrities that came to call Bel-Air Estates their home. In the 1940s, Mr. Bell turned the management and maintenance over to the Bel-Air Association, and in 1946 Joseph Drown purchased 18 acres on Stone Canyon Road. He quietly began remodeling and adding buildings to create the rambling complex of guest rooms and suites. The real estate office and tea room became the lobby and the pool took its shape from the oval horse paddock. While numerous updates have been completed since the 1940s, the hotel has preserved its rustic tranquility and has maintained an international reputation as one of the finest hotels in the world.