The Best Hotels in Los Angeles, From Beverly Hills to Santa Monica | Vogue

"The most famous hotel in Los Angeles, it even existed before Beverly Hills did: built by wealthy widow Margaret Anderson and her son in 1912—two years before the neighborhood was officially incorporated and just as the Golden Age of Hollywood began. Fred Astaire read the Hollywood Reporter by the pool, Gloria Swanson rented a bungalow during her divorce, and Elizabeth Taylor spent six of her honeymoons here. Today it retains much of its old-school magic: iconic banana leaf wallpaper still lines the walls and pink-striped cabanas still sit at the pool, while well-dressed patrons sit outside at the Polo Lounge and order the famous McCarthy chopped salad. Yet the guest rooms are very much up-to-date with the latest technology, featuring modern art and sleek interiors." - Elise Taylor