At last the Thompson Beverly Hills has gotten an official review. Not that the reviews from our HotelMavens are any less official but we always like to see what the old standbys think. Thus, here's the LA Times review of the hotel from veteran reviewer Valli Herman.
Overall Herman liked the place...we think. Every positive was backed up by a negative. It's almost as if she was trying hard to like it but simple fundamental hotel stay necessities were not fulfilled.
Her biggest problem was with the noise:
Despite the two-year renovation, the expensively designed room still featured the original, flimsy sliding-glass door. Unless the soundproofing is improved, the hotel isn't a great buy....
I was given various explanations for the noise problem, including "we're still under renovation" and "we're hoping to double the glass next year" -- even though I was told the rooms were complete when I made my reservation.
For the record, Herman paid a special rate of $199 as part of the hotel's opening offers.
Got enough friends to fill 43 rooms and feel like celebrating the holiday season in real style in LA? Then you might want to check the deal being offered by the Maison 140 near Rodeo Drive.
Until December 31, Maison 140 is offering you the possibility of booking out the entire hotel just for you and your family, friends, colleagues or whoever else you want to invite. The before-tax cost for the 43 rooms and private access to Bar Noir is $15,000 for a night.
We've checked out the Vin et Fromage evening at the Maison 140 before and love the idea of having the whole place to ourselves. It's a refurbished boarding house (actresses used to stay here in the 1940s) and it's been renovated in grand style, with each room having its own special flavor. That'd be the real bonus of booking out the entire hotel--there wouldn't be any strangers in the rooms nearby and you could take a peek in all of them.
Outside of this special, regular room rates for the Maison 140 start at $239 including breakfast, a pretty reasonable rate considering the location. But we recommend splashing out the $15,000 instead--it is the holiday season, after all.
Ali Kasikci shocked a lot of people in the hotel industry when he announced his retirement from the Peninsula Beverly Hills a few months ago. The man made famous for doing push-ups on the guestroom armoires cited a desire to move onto something new.
We have actually heard whispers that the hotel was upset with him over his lavish treatment of guests on the company dime. Although we respect a hotel's bottom line, isn't it his job to spoil the guests?
Anyways, it's been announced that Kasikci will join the new Montage Beverly Hills Resort, just a few blocks away from his old haunt, as the managing director when the hotel opens in Fall 2008. We're not sure if he's still at the Peninsula--he was expected to stay on through December--but it's clear that the Montage resort is right up his alley. The seven-story hotel will have 201 rooms including 55 suites, three restaurants, a rooftop pool and a full-service spa.
Last week, we were hanging out at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire (Ok, we confess. We hit up the spa) and on our way out we spied this silver Rolls Royce Phantom just idling in front.
Of course, this car could have belonged to any one of the hotel's celebrity clientele but not with license plates that say "BevWil1."
A hotel rep confirms the car's existence telling us:
Yes, we do have a Phantom Rolls Royce as one of our house cars (we have two on most days but the second varies from a Mercedes to an Escalade)...The cars are available on a first come, first serve basis for our guests - they can be dropped off (or picked up) from any location within a three mile radius....
Sadly, the beach is more than three miles away (try 12.5) but the car can chauffeur you up and down Rodeo Drive or take you to the Century City mall or the Beverly Center for some more shopping.
The other night we were invited to attend the celebration party of celebrity skin guru Kate Somerville who has lended her name, treatments and products to the spa at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire.
The party was hosted by Grey's Anatomy alum Kate Walsh who is starring in her own spin-off Private Practice in the fall. Also on hand was Molly Sims and Marla Sokoloff. The event was a pretty tame poolside affair. There were lots of beautiful people standing about and delicious mojitos with bits of fresh fruit placed in the bottom of the glasses.
Of course, there was an open bar but surprisingly we were able to steer clear of it after our first drink. This was a spa party afterall, not the place to get falling down drunk. And we all know what alcohol does to your complexion!
Last week, HotelChatter got our French on by hitting up the Vin et Fromage event at Maison 140 in Beverly Hills. Maision 140 is a very small hotel (only 43 rooms) located on a side street across from the Peninsula Hotel and a few blocks away from Rodeo. The location in superb if you want to be in Beverly Hills, but don't want to pay Beverly Hills prices and don't mind not having a swimming pool.
Some hotel history: The place was built in 1929 and served as a boarding house for actresses throughout the 1940s and 50s.
But back to the wine and cheese. The small event was held in the equally small Bar Noir just off the hotel's lobby. This is pretty much the only public space in the hotel and it's hip to the max with black walls and black, white and red accent pieces. This is a Kor Hotel afterall.
And the Vin et Fromage session (held monthly) wasn't just a a basic wine tasting with a side of cheese. Chef Gabriel Gabreski who works at the Maison's sister hotel, The Avalon, handpicked each wine and each cheese selection, starting off with a Testarossa Pinot Noir (paired with bosino robiola) and working down to a Sparkling Moscata from Italy (paired with castemagno, grilled apricots, truffle honey.) Also, the Vin et Fromage events are themed. For instance in July the wines sampled will be American Classics. In August, it will be the Wines of the Northwest. The event is $45 to attend and is open to both guests and residents.
As for staying at the hotel, rooms at the Maison start at about $239 a night for one of the Parisian rooms. The hotel's slightly more spacious Mandarin rooms start at $269.
Two weeks ago, Vince, Eric and Ari met with a movie producer for lunch while last night, Vince and Eric met with a movie financier's wife at Sidebar, the adjacent bar to Wolfgang Puck's Cut steakhouse. However, it's interesting to note that neither deal was sealed at the hotel.
With the Thompson Beverly Hills Hotel set to open this summer, we wonder if the Beverly Wilshire will have some competition next season.
When: Fridays and Saturdays night throughout the month of May.
Where: Poolside at the blue on blue restaurant.
What:
Executive Chef Gabriel Gabreski is hosting customized, seven-course "Chef's Table" meal every Friday and Saturday night in the month of May. The seven-course menu is created with farm-fresh ingredients and served in the poolside cabanas with wine pairings.
If you want more of Chef Gabriel, for an extra fee he will take to you the Farmer's Market on Wednesday (before the meal) where he will pick out fresh produce to use in your personal meal. The cost is $175 per person, including drinks. There must be a minimum of 4 attending and a max of 8. The Farmer's Market additional fee is $250.
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by juliana
Ali Kasikci shocked a lot of people in the hotel industry when he announced his retirement from the 
