Garden of Allah Hotel facts for kids

The Garden of Allah was a very famous hotel in West Hollywood, California. It was located at 8152 Sunset Boulevard, a well-known street in Hollywood.

It started as a large home called Hayvenhurst in 1913. The famous actress Alla Nazimova bought it in 1919. In 1926, she turned it into a hotel by adding 25 small houses, called villas. It opened in January 1927 as the "Garden of Alla Hotel." Later, new owners changed the name to "Garden of Allah Hotel." The hotel was open for about 30 years. In 1959, the last owner, Bart Lytton, tore it down to build a bank.

A Look at the Garden of Allah Hotel's Past

The Hayvenhurst Estate

Hayvenhurst, a large home built in 1913. It later became the Garden of Allah Hotel.

The land where the Garden of Allah Hotel stood was first a large estate. It was built in 1913 by a real estate developer named William H. Hay. This area was part of a bigger neighborhood that Hay had started developing in 1905.

The estate's first address was 8080 Sunset Boulevard. It was later changed to 8152. The property was about 2.5 acres in size. It was located right on Sunset Boulevard.

William Hay and his wife, Katherine, watched over the building of their home. The house had twelve rooms and four bathrooms. The inside walls were covered in special wood and hand-painted. The garage was big enough for two cars, which was unusual back then. It also had rooms for servants. The whole project cost about $30,000.

The Hays did not live at Hayvenhurst for very long. After a few years, they moved to a new house nearby. Hayvenhurst was empty for some time after they left.

How the Garden of Alla Hotel Began

The famous stage and movie actress Alla Nazimova rented Hayvenhurst in 1918. She bought it in 1919. Nazimova jokingly called her new home "The Garden of Alla." This name was a play on her own name and a popular book from 1905 called The Garden of Allah.

In the mid-1920s, Nazimova needed money. Her movie career was not going well. So, she decided to make her property earn money. She built 25 small rental houses, called villas, around the main house. The "Garden of Alla Hotel" officially opened on January 9, 1927.

Nazimova found that managing a hotel was not for her. She also realized that her business partners had caused her financial problems. In 1928, she sold her share of the hotel. She also sold most of her furniture. Then, she went back to acting on Broadway. By 1930, the hotel's owners changed the spelling of the name to "Allah."

Nazimova later returned to Hollywood in 1938. She rented Villa 24 at the hotel. She lived there until she passed away in 1945.

Life at the Garden of Allah Hotel

The hotel welcomed both short-term and long-term guests. It quickly became known as a special place for famous people. They could live in a charming, village-like setting. It was easy to get to, but also private. Security guards kept away curious tourists and autograph seekers. The hotel management did not bother guests about their private lives.

Many celebrities and writers stayed at the Garden of Allah. F. Scott Fitzgerald, a famous writer, lived there for several months in 1937–38. His biographer, Sheilah Graham, who was also his girlfriend, later wrote a book about the hotel. It was simply called The Garden of Allah.

The comedian and actor Robert Benchley often stayed there. Many Hollywood stars from the "Golden Age" also visited. These included Greta Garbo and Ronald Reagan. Famous musicians like Sergei Rachmaninoff, Igor Stravinsky, and Jascha Heifetz also stayed there. Humphrey Bogart lived in Villa 8. Errol Flynn would stay there when Bogart was away.

Other famous guests included Gloria Stuart and Arthur Sheekman. Popular band leaders Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw stayed at the hotel. The singer Frank Sinatra was also a guest. Kay Thompson, who created musical acts, lived there too. She later wrote the popular children's book Eloise, about a little girl who lives in a hotel.

You can find a longer list of famous people who stayed at the hotel below.

The Hotel's Final Years

By 1957, the hotel's style was no longer popular. The area around it had also changed. The value of the land was increasing. Protecting old buildings was not a common idea yet. Many people thought "redevelopment" was a good thing.

On April 11, 1959, Bart Lytton bought the Garden of Allah Hotel. He paid $755,000 for it. Lytton planned to tear down the hotel. He wanted to build a new main branch for his bank there.

On August 22, 1959, Lytton held a farewell party at the hotel. The silent film star Francis X. Bushman was there. He had also been at the hotel's opening party in 1927. Some guests dressed up as old-time movie stars. A silent film by Nazimova, Salomé, was shown by the pool.

On August 30, everything inside the hotel was sold at an auction. This included furniture and other items. On November 2, the hotel was approved for demolition. Within days, the hotel was gone. Construction of the new bank building began soon after.

A Miniature Model of the Hotel

In 1960, a detailed miniature model of the Garden of Allah appeared. It was displayed outside Lytton's bank building for many years. It was in a small plaza at the corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights. The model was protected by a special roof. Later, it was moved inside and then disappeared. In the early 2010s, it was found again by a private owner. The model was still in good shape. Its tiny electric lights had also been fixed.

What's in a Name?

The hotel's name was not about the religion of Islam. Instead, it came from Alla Nazimova's first name. It also came from a 1905 novel called The Garden of Allah. This book was written by the British author Robert S. Hichens.

The novel was made into a play in London in 1909. It was also made into three movies. The last movie, in 1936, starred Marlene Dietrich. She was once a guest at the Garden of Allah Hotel.

Famous Residents and Guests

Here is a list of some of the famous people who stayed at the Garden of Allah Hotel:

Images for kids

• 

  Garden of Allah villas at Universal Studios Florida inspired by the hotel.