Remember the other week when Concierge.com put out a list of Best Hotels for an Affair? Good thing they didn't put down the Beverly Hilton.
Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards was ambushed by National Enquirer reporters as he attempted to visit his alleged mistress, Rielle Hunter, and their love child at the hotel on Monday night. From the NE:
At 9:45 p.m. (PST) Monday, Edwards appeared at the hotel, and was dropped off at a side entrance. NATIONAL ENQUIRER reporter Alan Butterfield witnessed the ex-senator get out of a BMW driven by a male companion and stroll into the hotel.
Said Butterfield: "Edwards was not carrying anything. He walked in alone. He was wearing a blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He was looking around nervously before he entered the hotel.
Driving through Beverly Hills last week, we were at a stoplight and noticed that the upcoming Montage Beverly Hills has unveiled a bit of its exterior. Looking pretty good!
The hotel is on schedule for a late Fall 2008 opening. The website is up but there are no guestroom shots yet. However, we did learn there will be a two signature restaurants, a flower shop, a barber shop and a 20,000-sq.ft. bi-level spa included in some of the hotel's amenities and services.
The Beverly Hills Hotel has a little coffee shop on its basement level just past the gift shop and the salon and it is truly one of our favorite places in Los Angeles.
There are only counter seats and only about 20 seats at that. The shop serves up all your favorite diner fare, although the hotel prefers to call it "informal" menus.
We rolled up there Saturday afternoon and were enjoying our tuna melt and classic coke when Lindsay Lohan and an assistant walked in. The duo took two seats at the end of the counter and the coffee shop quieted as peeps tried hard to look like they were not staring at her.
We're not sure what the hotel staff thought when Lindsay stepped into the Pink Palace, after all they are still recovering from Britney's breakdowns there.
The Montage Beverly Hills slowly continues to rise over the ritzy city's Golden Triangle. We were driving by the other week and snapped this shot of the construction process from the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Beverly Drive.
But we're really curious as to what this place is going to look like when it's done. Thanks to Curbed LA we have a peek at a rendering (inset). Curbed reports:
Yes, the final rendering will likely change slightly again, a rep for the development tells Curbed, but you get the idea--there's a Spanish Colonial Revival thing going on. Set to open by November, the 201-room hotel will also sell condominiums and will offer two 2,000 square-foot fancy Presidential Suites. Just in time for the election.
All in all, it's not as bad as we were expecting the Montage to turn out. And this urban resort will offer a rooftop pool, bar and grill. Hear that Thompson BH? Better get yours open first!
Got this picture at L'Ermitage in Beverly Hills around midnight on Oscar night.
Girl at the front desk told me they had tons of Oscar winners staying there and some simply dropped off their awards and went out to party.
I begged her to tell me who and just then Tilda Swinton showed up with her gold man in tow.
Hmm...we thought most Oscar nominees shacked up at the Four Seasons on Doheny. So we have to ask: if anyone working at the Four Seasons knows how many Oscar winners stayed there, give us a tally.
Now onto a much more important question. Was Tilda Swinton paryting with her old husband or her boytoy lover or both? Hmmm...looks like it was the boytoy.
One unlucky hotel had to host Britney Spears after she escaped from the mental ward yesterday and it looks like The Beverly Hills Hotel drew the short stick.
Spears was released yesterday around noon and by 2pm she was causing havoc on the streets of Los Angeles by driving around (with windows down) enticing the paparazzi to take some pics of her.
The scene at the hotel was even worse than what was on the streets. Yes, we know this is Britney Spears and most all of her hotel "stays" are dramatic but this one especially so.
OK! Magazine reports in their timeline of Britney's first day of freedom:
4:40 p.m.: The singer's boyfriend, Adnan Ghalib, arrives at the Beverly Hills Hotel in his Mercedes convertible and is rushed up to Britney's room by security guards.
4:47 p.m.: Six LAPD officers arrived at the hotel. Rumors begin to circulate that Britney's parents are on their way to have her sent back to the hospital.
Later that night at 9pm Britney's dad arrives at the hotel to take her back home. Meanwhile the place is full of cops and security guards hanging around the valet parking area, the lobby and the second floor.
So much for a luxurious peaceful stay in Beverly Hills for anyone who was staying there on an actual vacation.
The Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive really seems to love their packages, if you remember the Who's Your Daddy? package last Father's Day. Coming up from February Luxe has got a Love Me, Lavish Me package just ready for Valentine's Day.
If you love your other half and are prepared to lavish them too, it'll set you back $329 per person, and include a deluxe double room, a welcome bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne (plus strawberries), continental breakfast either in the restaurant or in your room, one free in-room movie (they don't say if they include all channels ...) and a bathtub turndown which includes, in the spirit of V-Day, scattered rose petals.
The tricky thing about this Valentine's Day special is it's valid right through until December 29, 2008. So guys, there is absolutely no excuse at all not to do some lavishing some time this year.
Uh-oh, the Raffles L'ermitage Hotel better watch out. Britney Spears, who has been known to hit up Los Angeles area hotels and inadvertently give them the kiss of death just by showing up with her newest assistant, newest puppy, newest hair color, newest jean skirt and the ever constant throng of paparazzi, has shacked up at the swank hotel on Burton Ave.
The Raffles is best known as being the hotel where Angelina Jolie stashed her kinky sex toys but Britney Spears might change all that. Apparently, her arrival was somewhat tame with the hotel able to successfully push back paparazzi but c'mon this is Britney. We can't wait to see what sort of dramz goes down here.
