DESTINATION – LOS ANGELES SERIES 7/8 - L’ERMITAGE BEVERLY HILLS: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS AS HOLLYWOOD’S HIDEAWAY (United States)
Frédéric Zemmour, General Manager: “We’re not part of a brand. We’re independent—it’s very special.”. |
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DESTINATION – LOS ANGELES SERIES 7/8 - L’ERMITAGE BEVERLY HILLS: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS AS HOLLYWOOD’S HIDEAWAY (United States)
Frédéric Zemmour, General Manager: “We’re not part of a brand. We’re independent—it’s very special.”. |
Category: North America & West Indies / Carribean islands - United States - Industry economy
- Tourism
Article written by Asia Abadie on 2025-04-28
 L'Ermitage Pool
Photo credit © L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
“We are iconic,” says General Manager Frédéric Zemmour during our exchange at ILTM Cannes. “We celebrate 50 years in 2025.” But this isn’t just another anniversary—this is a celebration of heritage, of legacy, and of the hotel’s deep roots in the fabric of Beverly Hills.
A clever beginning and a historic first
When the hotel was originally built in 1975, it wasn’t intended to be a hotel at all. The owner, lacking the necessary permits to construct a hotel, built what he claimed were residential apartments. A year later, the building was quietly converted into a hotel—an origin story that feels fittingly Hollywood.
And L’Ermitage didn’t just become another place to stay—it became the first all-suite hotel in the United States. “The smallest room in the hotel is 65 square meters,” Zemmour notes. Spacious by any standard, the hotel’s residential feel has always set it apart.
The Beverly Hills hideaway
In the 1980s, L’Ermitage earned its nickname: The Beverly Hills Hideaway. As plastic surgery rose in popularity among Hollywood’s elite, the hotel became a refuge for recovery. “People would do plastic surgery, then come hide in the hotel for a month,” says Zemmour. Hidden in a quiet residential neighbourhood, the hotel’s location offered perfect privacy. “We’re not in the centre, about five minutes on foot from Rodeo Drive. You can pass by the hotel three, four, five, six times without seeing it.”
A secret entrance under the hotel added to its mystique, and the serene setting made it a preferred spot not just for recovering stars but for screenwriters and producers too. The hotel bar was famously known as the Writer’s Bar, where scripts for classic films like The Godfather and Legally Blonde were penned. “There’s a scene in Legally Blonde—the ‘bend and snap’—it was written here,” Zemmour shares. For a while, a signature pink cocktail named “The Bend and Snap” paid tribute to the moment.
A modern renaissance
In recent years, L’Ermitage underwent a renovation. While the suites—last refreshed in 2017—remained untouched, the rest of the hotel saw a full transformation. The lobby level now includes Costa Covo Osteria, an elegant Italian restaurant with southern French details, and Alcova, a stylish lounge with specialty drinks and elegant small plates.
Above it all, the ninth-floor rooftop has been completely reimagined. The pool was redone, and a new rooftop lounge, Poza, opens to the public in May. Offering a blend of California and Asian flavours, it also serves up the best views in Beverly Hills. “You can see everything: City Hall, Downtown Beverly Hills, the Hollywood Sign, and Downtown Los Angeles. 360 degrees.”
And the building itself? At nine stories, it’s now taller than anything new being constructed in Beverly Hills. As Zemmour explains, building buildings this tall in the city is not allowed anymore.
Wellness and exclusivity
Wellness is an integral part of the L’Ermitage experience. The hotel is home to Ricari Studio, a private spa specializing in lymphatic drainage. Guests wear a pressurized suit while a technician operates a machine—an experience exclusive to Beverly Hills.
Celebrity facialist Joanna Czech also practices at the hotel, offering facials that begin at $1,200. Her clients include some of the most recognisable names in pop culture, and she operates her own studio on-site.
You will also find, tucked within the L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, the Alan Shalom Salon. Led by renowned stylist Alan Shalom, the salon offers bespoke hair and grooming services.
Independent and unmatched
L’Ermitage stands alone in more ways than one. It’s the only independent hotel in Beverly Hills to have earned a Five-Star Forbes rating, Five Diamonds, and Two Michelin Keys—a trifecta few properties can claim, branded or not. As Zemmour puts it, the hotel’s strength lies in its freedom. “We’re not part of a brand. We’re independent—it’s very special.”
Not just Los Angeles—it’s Beverly Hills
A point Zemmour emphasizes often is that Beverly Hills and Los Angeles are not the same. “Beverly is a separate city,” he says. “We have our own police, our own firefighters. It’s a city within a city.” This independence gives Beverly Hills a character all its own—one of safety, cleanliness, and quiet sophistication.
The legacy continues
As L’Ermitage enters its sixth decade, it does so with the same understated confidence that has defined it since 1975. It remains a place where privacy is prized, creativity is cultivated, and luxury feels like coming home. For those in the know, it’s not just a hotel—it’s a legacy.
We delayed the publication of our Los Angeles series to Spring due to the fires, we hope none of the team members were severely impacted by them.
 Costa Covo Osteria
Photo credit © L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
 Joanna Czech at L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
Photo credit © L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
 Alcova, a stylish lounge with specialty drinks and elegant small plates
Photo credit © L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
 L'Ermitage was the first all-suite hotel in the United States
Photo credit © L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
 L'Ermitage Suite
Photo credit © L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
 The L'Ermitage Beverly Hills bathroom
Photo credit © L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
 L'Ermitage Beverly Hills Vanity
Photo credit © L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
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