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Address: 8221 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA
Web: www.chateaumarmont.com Nestled in a thicket of gardens and hanging above Sunset Boulevard like a gray Gothic cloud, this hotel continues to provide a silver lining on the western flanks of The Strip. Some guests love it; others fail to grasp its charms. Above all, it is known as a discreet hangout for actors, writers and artists, whose transgressions are the stuff of legend. The word in town is, "If you're going to get into trouble, do it at the Marmont," words that didn't help John Belushi, who died here from a drug overdose and sealed the hotel's reputation for good. On a more recent tabloid cover, Lindsay Lohan was booked in here just prior to her revolving-door journey through rehab. Under the same ownership as the trendsetting Mercer in New York and both The Standards in Los Angeles, this vintage Hollywood landmark has been given subtle makeovers during Mr. Balazs' rein, but the Chateau Marmont retains much of the same flavor it had in the 1940s and 1950s. The classic oval pool stays on as a reminder of Hollywood past, and the fitness center provides modest opportunities for getting in shape for the screen test. Valets park cars in the garage dug into the hill under the hotel. Elevators whisk guests directly (and discreetly) to their rooms. The top suite, Room 64, has a three-sided balcony where Howard Hughes used to spy on starlets at the pool below. (It's also Bono's favorite.) Especially popular are the Garden Cottages grouped around the pool, all done in California Arts-and-Crafts style. They provide sitting rooms, kitchens and bedrooms. The four Bauhaus-style bungalows are legendary for celebrity escapades. (Bungalow 3 is where Belushi overdosed and James Dean did the first reading of Rebel Without a Cause). Two by the pool, two on the hill, these feature private entrances, wood-burning fireplaces, and furniture signed Eames and Noguchi. The aura is discreet, and the bungalows are well-soundproofed. The well-trained staff is zipper-mouthed about who is in residence but not at all shy about telling who was recently there. Sting may be in the lobby playing the piano, as screenwriters work out scenes in a mountainside suite, but the proper Chateau Marmont guest just pretends that it's no big deal. |
