Hotel Bel-Air - Dorchester Collection

Stayed here while visiting our daughter over Thanksgiving. We had a fantastic experience and I hope to return. The hotel is beautiful and historic but the rooms were updated to modern luxury. The bed was super comfy and the location was very quiet. We also had a patio off our room and enjoyed sitting outside in the nice weather. The overall vibe of the hotel was serene and peaceful. We loved the old school feel of the layout - the rooms are spread out versus being a multi-storied building. The grounds are absolutely beautiful. This was our first Thanksgiving away from home and I felt a little weird about that, but this was the perfect hotel choice for it. It just felt cozy and warm and not corporate, and the actual Thanksgiving meal they hosted was incredible. The food was delicious and dining on the restaurant patio with our daughter felt easy and happy. 10/10 would do this again if we travel over Thanksgiving. The following day we spent some time relaxing and having lunch by the pool and really enjoyed that. Our daughter visited the spa and said it was a great experience. There were some little baked snack bars that she still talks about today. The service was great and very professional everywhere (restaurant, bar, check in, spa). In sum, this hotel is a treat to stay at. If you can get a good rate, it is worth it, most especially if staying over a holiday when you want things to feel more personal and cared for.

When she decamped to the Hotel Bel-Air to write without distraction, Ann Patchett wrote, "I think the best vacation is the one that relieves me of my own life for a while and then makes me long for it again." With thoughts of leaving behind dull care and indulging my creative instincts, I checked into the Hotel Bel-Air on a sunny Friday to kick off the long holiday weekend. Alyssa and Emma did an exemplary job of welcoming me and ensuring that I had plentiful diversions as I had arrived before the rest of my group and they were still preparing my suite. They ensured that a practitioner was called up to give me a 90 minute deep tissue massage, and Ashley at the restaurant got me sorted for breakfast as well. After my massage, I strolled on up to my residence for the holiday, a favorite two bedroom suite with a secluded outdoor terrace that was perfect for rallying the troops and getting some much needed quiet time as well. The rest of our party had arrived and checked into their suites nearby, so the location of my suite (177) was just about perfect. The welcome setup was charming and much appreciated. Dining in room, at the restaurant and at the pool were all terrific. In addition to Ashley, Lucas was also an excellent server. One must remember how rare it is to have a hotel pool with a true deep end. It’s one of the great things about this hotel, and our little party enjoyed it tremendously. The splendid isolation of this place is one of the things that makes it so great. That, and the winding paths through the trees and tropical foliage, along with the koi pond, the swan lake, the burbling streams, our favorite turtle and the plentiful bird life. The Hotel Bel-Air is one of the places you go to leave the world behind, to fall into the embrace of quiet calm and engage in writing, socializing or even just a little dolce far niente. Here, one is both visible and yet transcendently invisible. Staff continue to excel at that rare hat trick of attentive service while giving us plenty of space to just vibe. If you want to get away and still be close to the city, this is the place to do it.

The title says it all. The staff was truly the best. One restaurant server who wasn’t that busy took time out to show us the famous fish pond and turtle living in it. Front desk staff was also outstanding. The grounds are so lush that you feel like you’re light years away from the city.

Outstanding experience

The most wonderful service in Los Angeles by a mile.