The West has always been a romantic draw for celebrities. When you travel the West, look for these iconic hotels filled with history.
The West has always held a romantic draw for celebrities looking to get away from their busy lives and cities. I always seek out these iconic hotels for a getaway or a simple lunch out with friends. When you travel the West, look for these historic celebrity escapes in Arizona, Colorado, and California.
The Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix’s Jewel of the Desert
The Arizona Biltmore, recently transformed, offers luxurious accommodations, fresh dining experiences, and amenities such as their adults-only Saguaro Pool and the luxurious Tierra Luna Spa. While their focus is on luxury, I was pleased to find that the historical touches remain.
Relax in the garden with a view of Piestewa Peak in the distance. Photo courtesy of The Arizona Biltmore Hotel
Biltmore History
The Arizona Biltmore, designed by architect Albert Chase McArthur with Frank Lloyd Wright’s collaboration, opened in 1929. “The Jewel of the Desert” is constructed with precast blocks made from desert sand that was found at the construction site. Celebrities spent Hollywood’s golden years at the Arizona Biltmore, a resort once owned by chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr. Marilyn Monroe loved The Catalina Pool, Irving Berlin ironically penned White Christmas here, and a bartender created the famed tequila sunrise cocktail for a guest at the resort. Ronald and Nancy Reagan honeymooned at the Biltmore, and presidents from Herbert Hoover to George W. Bush have been its guests.
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In “the day,” a luxurious amenity, the “smoking room,” might be frequented by gentlemen after dinner. Photo courtesy of The Arizona Biltmore
What you might not know: The Mystery Room is a Prohibition-era speakeasy that once had a light to warn partiers of approaching federal agents.
Staying at the Arizona Biltmore
The Arizona Biltmore, now a Waldorf Astoria resort and AAA Four Diamond property, is modern and stylish yet still retains its original Gatsby-era feel. There is a sense of history around every corner.
The iconic architecture of the Arizona Biltmore. Photo by Susan Lanier-Graham
Guests can enjoy a spa treatment and sample classic dishes at Wright’s at the Biltmore. Nights are perfect for relaxing by the fire pits. Eight swimming pools offer options from thrilling water slides to a secluded adults-only pool.
There are some interesting things to do right at the resort. Learn about the history and architecture on a 90-minute guided history tour of this iconic hotel, offered on Fridays and Sundays through the concierge.
The Beverly Hills Hotel
When you visit Beverly Hills, California, home of the stars, why not stay at a glamorous historic Hollywood hotel where you just might spot a current-day celeb?
Get ready for glam and glitz! Photo courtesy of the Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel History
In 1912 developer Burton Green built the Mission Revival-style Beverly Hills Hotel on 12 acres “halfway between Los Angeles and the sea.” The city of Beverly Hills came a few years later, followed by movie stars. The hotel added bungalows in 1915 to offer more privacy. Gloria Swanson, Lauren Bacall, and Marlene Dietrich called the bungalows of this iconic hotel home for extended periods.
Bungalows with lovely gardens at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Photo by Susan Lanier-Graham
By the 1950s the hotel was popular with celebrities and dignitaries. British royalty visited. Movies were filmed onsite. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and the Rat Pack partied in the Polo Lounge. Elizabeth Taylor spent six of her eight honeymoons in Bungalow 5, Frank Sinatra frequented Bungalow 22, and Marilyn Monroe loved the seclusion of Bungalow 1.
Secluded bungalow patios at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Photo courtesy of the Beverly Hills Hotel
What you might not know: Robert Kennedy’s children were in Bungalow 3 when they found out about their father’s assassination.
Going to the Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel, a member of the Dorchester Collection and a AAA Five Diamond property, is still favored by the rich and famous. Lunch in the Polo Lounge is sure to offer up celeb sightings. The decor today blends Art Deco with ’40s-style Hollywood glamour, and the 23 bungalows are undergoing major remodeling to ensure they respect the past while offering modern amenities. The iconic pool is perfect for those who desire privacy, as cameras aren’t allowed in the pool area
The Polo Lounge patio at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Photo courtesy of the Beverly Hills Hotel
The hotel is pet-friendly and offers bone-shaped doggie cookies engraved with the dog’s name, a doggie bed, and doggie bowls.
Hotel Del Coronado
“The Del,” as locals call it, sits on Coronado Island just across the bay from San Diego and is a coastal Victorian-era wonder.
The Hotel Del Coronado sits right on Coronado Beach. Photo courtesy of the Hotel Del Coronado
The Iconic Hotel Del Coronado History
Elisha Babcock and H.L. Story dreamed of a seaside resort in California that would be “the talk of the Western world.” Their vision became reality in 1888 with the opening of Hotel del Coronado. The all-wooden structure was built from a half dozen different woods and was a technological marvel. It had its own artificial ice machine, electrical generator, and steam-powered hydraulic elevator. Building this iconic hotel cost $1 million, and room rates started at $2.50 per night. The Crown Room was an architectural wonder, with a wooden ceiling spanning 160 by 60 feet without any supporting pillars. The hotel had 400 rooms and an astounding (for the time) 71 bathtubs and toilets.
This 1915 view shows the front carriage entrance. Photo courtesy of the Hotel Del Coronado
It has been the backdrop for dozens of movies. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz developed their “Ricky and Lucy” personas here, and Marilyn Monroe’s “Some Like It Hot” was filmed here.
What you might not know: The Crown Room’s expansive ceiling is paneled in Oregon sugar pine, and some reports say Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum designed the massive chandeliers. The author spent his winters at the hotel from 1904 to 1910, during which time he wrote four books.
Staying at the Hotel del Coronado
Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton, still majestic, sits proudly on Coronado Island across the bridge from San Diego. The Del is only a 15-minute drive from the San Diego International Airport.
Rooms in the historic Victorian building have been beautifully updated with modern amenities and contemporary design. The newest and most luxurious accommodations are in the adjacent Beach Village. You can stay in the Victorian-era hotel or enjoy a beach-front villa or cottage.
The contemporary ocean-view rooms in the Victorian building. Photo courtesy of the Hotel Del Coronado
The Crown Room retains its wood ceiling and chandeliers and remains an amazing setting for weekly Sunday brunch. Each holiday season, guests can ice skate on a rink on the beach. For an intimate beachy retreat, reserve a private beach firepit during your stay.
The Hotel Del Coronado ice skating rink is right on the beach! Photo courtesy of the Hotel Del Coronado
Denver’s Historic Brown Palace Hotel
The elegant Victorian-era Brown Palace Hotel, located in the heart of downtown Denver, has been the place to stay for the rich and famous since the late 1800s.
History of The Brown Palace Hotel
The Brown Palace Hotel opened in 1892 in downtown Denver. The triangular Italian Renaissance building, made with Colorado red granite and Arizona sandstone, is known for its Grand Atrium. More than 700 cast iron panels frame the levels as you gaze upward, capped off with a massive stained glass skylight. After a $1.6 million initial cost – an astronomical sum in 1892—the iconic hotel opened with 400 rooms that were rented for $3 to $5 per night.
The Brown Palace Grand Atrium. Photo by Susan Lanier-Graham
Over the years celebrities and politicians have frequented the hotel. Dwight Eisenhower used it as his presidential campaign headquarters in 1952, and The Beatles stayed here on their U.S. tour.
The Eisenhower Suite at the Brown Palace. Photo courtesy of The Brown Palace
What you might not know: Tunnels under the hotel reportedly once led to a brothel across the street.
Staying at The Brown Palace Hotel
The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa is a AAA Four Diamond property and part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. The hotel now blends contemporary style with its Victorian heritage. It serves afternoon tea daily and a decadent champagne brunch on Sundays. The spa offers custom treatments and soaks using water from the natural artesian well located 750 feet beneath the hotel.
A contemporary, spacious Brown Palace room. Photo courtesy of The Brown Palace
The hotel offers guided tours every Wednesday and Saturday at 3 p.m. It’s $15 per person or complimentary for guests.
Camelback Inn, Phoenix
Stay in a desert setting on the edge of one of the largest cities in the United States. The Camelback is a place to relax with a craft cocktail in hand and watch the sunset as the shadows grow on iconic Camelback mountain.
Camelback Inn, History of an Iconic Hotel
The Camelback Inn was the dream of a young hotel manager who convinced investors to help him build a resort in the desert outside Phoenix. The hotel opened in 1936 and visitors endured a 12-mile bumpy dirt road from the train station to reach the secluded property. Room rates were $10-$25 per night.
The front entrance to the historic Camelback Inn. Photo courtesy of the Camelback Inn
Early guests included Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, and Bette Davis. When the owner needed to sell the inn in 1967, frequent guest J. Willard Marriott, Sr. purchased it and made it the company’s first resort. As the roads and access improved and Phoenix grew up around it, the resort expanded and attracted even more celebrities. Guests have included Dwight D. Eisenhower, Cary Grant, and J.C. Penney.
The front entrance of the Camelback Inn in the early days. Photo courtesy of the Camelback Inn
What you might not know: Camelback Inn is the only Arizona resort with its own chapel. The small adobe structure was built in 1959 to honor John C. Lincoln, one of the property’s original financiers.
Staying at the Camelback Inn
JW Marriott Camelback Inn Scottsdale Resort & Spa is a AAA Five-Diamond property on 125 acres at the base of Mummy Mountain with a view of Camelback Mountain. The tranquil resort features wide lawns and private casita rooms. The Spa at Camelback Inn, added in 1989, provides calm indoor spaces and magnificent mountain views. Bronze sculptures by renowned artist Dave McGary dot the resort grounds.
The art and relaxing gardens at Camelback Inn. Photo by Susan Lanier-Graham
The resort continues to welcome celebrities, but it also entices locals who enjoy dining in the restaurants, relaxing at the spa, or sipping cocktails on the patio of this iconic hotel as the sun dips below the horizon.
Indoor-Outdoor Bar at Camelback Inn. Photo courtesy of the Camelback Inn
Want some exercise? Head to the back of the resort, through the fun Mummy Mountain Western Town, and hike Tyner’s Trail up Mummy Mountain.
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What to Know About 5 Iconic Hotels of the West
Although you may not be a celebrity yourself, staying at any one of these iconic hotels will make you feel famous. Each hotel offers fabulous dining, incredible drinks, gorgeous rooms, and the ambiance of Hollywood opulence from the past. When planning your next luxury trip, let Wander with Wonder be your guide to finding the best hotels and resorts.
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5 Iconic Hotels of the West
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