Beverly Wilshire Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Beverly Wilshire Hotel
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The Beverly Wilshire Hotel in 2007
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in the United States
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| Location | Beverly Hills, California, USA |
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| Built | 1928 |
| Architect | Walker & Eisen |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000908 |
| Added to NRHP | June 12, 1987 |
The Beverly Wilshire Hotel is a famous and fancy hotel in Beverly Hills, California. It opened in 1928 and is located where Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive meet. Many movies and TV shows have been filmed here, and famous people, including US presidents, have stayed there.
Contents
A Look at the Hotel's History
A man named Walter G. McCarty built the hotel in 1928. It stands where the Beverly Hills Speedway used to be. When it first opened, it was called the "Beverly Wilshire Apartment Hotel". The building looks like the letter 'E' and is made of beautiful stone and marble. This style is called Italian Renaissance architecture.
Changes Over the Years
Later, new owners renamed it the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. In the 1940s, architect Paul R. Williams added a ballroom. This was for the popular big bands that played music for dancing. An Olympic-sized swimming pool and tennis courts were also built. Famous tennis player Pancho Gonzales even became the hotel's tennis director.
The hotel was sold a few times in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1961, a group of investors led by Hernando Courtright bought it. They called it "Hernando Courtright's Beverly Wilshire Hotel". In 1971, Courtright added a new tower. This made the hotel twice as big.
In 1985, a company from Hong Kong called Regent International Hotels bought the hotel. They spent a lot of money to make it new again. They renamed it "The Regent Beverly Wilshire". In 1992, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts bought Regent International Hotels. So, the hotel became "The Regent Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel".
The hotel was sold again in 1995. Then, in 2006, after more updates, it got its current name: "Beverly Wilshire Beverly Hills (A Four Seasons Hotel)". Since 2006, a famous chef named Wolfgang Puck has run a restaurant called Cut inside the hotel.
Famous Guests and Filming Location
Many well-known people have stayed at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. In 1940, the singer Paul Robeson stayed there. At that time, many hotels in Los Angeles would not allow Black guests. The Beverly Wilshire was one of the few that would, but it charged a very high price. Robeson made sure to be seen in the lobby every day. This helped other Black people find a place to stay in Los Angeles hotels later on.
Some other famous people who have lived or stayed at the hotel include:
- Singer Elvis Presley
- Actor Warren Beatty
- Musician John Lennon
- Heiress Barbara Hutton
Important leaders like U.S. President Barack Obama, Emperor Hirohito of Japan, and the Dalai Lama have also been guests. Many musicians and actors have stayed there too. These include Eric Clapton, Elton John, Lil Wayne, Drake, Michael Caine, Michael Douglas, Dustin Hoffman, and Al Pacino.
On the Big Screen
The Beverly Wilshire Hotel is famous for being in the movie Pretty Woman (1990). While many scenes were set there, some inside parts were filmed at a different hotel. The hotel was also a common place for filming the TV show Entourage from 2004 to 2011.
See also
In Spanish: Hotel Beverly Wilshire para niños
