The strikingly beautiful Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief. The vulnerable Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. The perky and curvaceous Barbara Stanwick in Meet John Doe. The versatility and skill of Kate Hepburn in any of her films. Alas, none of those grand dames of Hollywood are around anymore. In fact, in the land of motion pictures just one grand dame remains. And while beautiful and skilled, this is not a woman at all but a destination: The Polo Lounge at The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows.
Entering the Pink Palace, built in 1912 and renovated in 1995, the place just oozes of old school Hollywood fame and fortune. Howard Hughes used to live there. So did Greta Garbo. The married Clark Gable and the single Carole Lombard used to swing there, if you know what I mean. Will Rogers supposedly named the Polo Lounge because it became a meeting place for friends after polo matches. And he never met a bar he didn’t like.
Long being a place frequented by starlets, even without a film deal one can feel like a movie star, mingle with movie stars, and spend like a movie star.
After entering the circular drive that is surrounded by huge palm trees and colorful flowers, you stop under a canopy where you are welcomed immediately by the attentive valet staff. Walk up the steps to the art deco lobby brushed in pink and green hues and you are greeted again. The Polo Lounge is on the right where another greeting awaits.
Once inside the Polo Lounge, you feel a chill. Not from a gentle breeze from the garden patio, but you realize that you have just entered the coolest place on the planet. The seats at the tiny bar are few but tables and booths are almost always available except at peak times. Once inside, you’ll find that the martinis are poured to perfection by veteran bartenders. At cocktail hour, drinks are served with warm tri-colored tortilla chips, guacamole and salsa for munching.
During lunch and dinner, the piano is skillfully played. Breakfast is also available, with the prime area for seating being the patio that takes full advantage of the usually wonderful LA climate. A seasoned staff serves a classic menu of exceptional fresh salads and entrees impeccably.
This is a grown up place and you have to pay for a rookie mistake. One day at the Polo Lounge, while lunching with my water-drinking mother, I ordered a glass of Cristal Champagne without looking at the wines by the glass menu on the table. With apologies to MasterCard, Fruit Plate: $11.95. Caesar Salad: $14.00. Glass of Cristal Champagne: $85.00. Lesson learned at the Polo Lounge: Priceless.
More expensive to stay than to play, I find the Beverly Hills Hotel to be far less pretentious than the beautiful, but a bit stuffy Hotel Bel-Air despite the contrary opinion of my brother (see Bar at Hotel Bel-Air review). The Bel-Air is black tie; the Polo Lounge in the Pink Palace is Armani and open collars. The Polo is where special occasions are often celebrated. For me, a Tuesday is good enough. And with enough cash, all endings are happy.
The Polo Lounge at The Beverly Hills Hotel remains a starlet full of charm and grace. And the lady is pretty in pink. – D.M.