History
An early brochure for Bel-Air Estates once read “Mother Nature was in her kindliest mood of creation when she fashioned the domain that is now Bel-Air.” Hotel Bel-Air, with 12 beautifully landscaped acres of gardens, is nestled in the very heart of this exclusive and private neighborhood, yet only minutes from Beverly Hills, Century City, and Brentwood.
Hotel Bel-Air was originally the real estate office for the Bel-Air Estates development. Mr. Alphonso Bell had purchased the land in the early 1920s and decreed that this would be “a haven of rest for the businessman who toils in big, noisy, congested Los Angeles.” His wife named all the streets after her favorite places in the Mediterranean and it was not long before the entrepreneurs and business leaders were building multi-million dollar homes in a time when a $20,000 home was considered expensive. Ironically, he would not sell to anyone in the film business until the Depression when the rules were relaxed and Hollywood discovered Bel-Air.
In the 1940s, Mr. Bell turned the management and maintenance of the neighborhood over to the Bel-Air Association, and in 1946 Joseph Drown purchased 18 acres on Stone Canyon Road. He quietly began remodeling and adding buildings to create the rambling complex of guest rooms and suites. Drown transformed the grounds into lush, beautiful gardens, adding Swan Lake to the picturesque front lawn. He had a vision of creating a natural California oasis, planting palms, ficus trees and perennial blooms. Drown also closed the Stone Canyon stables and built the sparkling oval-shaped pool at the site of the original riding ring.
Hotel Bel-Air quickly became a favorite of the rich and famous. Hollywood celebrities and world dignitaries were frequent guests at the young and glamorous retreat. Hotel Bel-Air attracted privacy seeking celebrities including Grace Kelly, Jackie Gleason, Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. While numerous updates have been completed since the 1940s, the hotel has preserved its rustic tranquility and has maintained an international reputation as one of the finest hotels in the world.