Before I walked through its grand lobby doors on Wilshire
Boulevard, this was all I knew of the Beverly
Wilshire. Although I had admired it from afar en route to Rodeo Drive in
the past, I never mustered up the courage to walk inside without good reason.
The building’s Italian Renaissance architecture, striped awnings, and luxury
boutique window displays always piqued my curiosity as I wondered what lay
beyond the hotel’s marvelous façade.
It was an early December morning when I swung open the
entrance door, and found myself inside the hotel’s opulent lobby, a Christmas
tree under the massive chandelier at its center, and balcony along its
periphery. I announced my arrival at
guest reception, and was whisked away on a tour of the grounds shortly
thereafter.
We passed a string of luxury boutiques, The Blvd, a low key meeting spot with views clear up Rodeo
Drive, and Wolfgang Puck’s Michelin starred Cut. The lobby’s back door led to a discreet
driveway where guests pull up unseen before checking into one of the hotel’s fabled
suites, once inhabited by the likes of Elvis Presley, Warren Beatty and John
Lennon. It soon became clear that there was much more to this hotel than it’s
albeit impressive façade. There was a lot of history here.
In the hotel’s Beverly Wing, the Mediterranean pool, modeled
after Sophia Loren’s private villa in Italy, exudes old Hollywood glamour, and
the nearby Nail Bar is a pampering
paradise that offers manis and pedis in a fabulous setting where Pretty Woman is screened on loop.
The quaint, tranquil spa includes a wet area with steam
room, ice fountain and experience shower, and is the only spa in the United
States to offer the Diamond Life Infusion Facial by Natura Bisse, which I would
soon experience.
Wrapped in a terry towel, I sauntered to the steam room - a
circular, tiled chamber with calming mood lighting - where I let my mind wander
as toxins began their release. I stopped
at the ice fountain, grabbed handfuls of ice and vigorously rubbed it against
my skin before entering the shower, where lights, sounds and rhythmical waters
transported me from rainforest to thunderstorm to a misty seaside. Prepared
for the Diamond Life experience, I lay on a comfy lounger, sipping on
antioxidant tea and nibbling on dried fruit and dark chocolate until my
therapist arrived.
Normally administered before a major event since its effects
last up to 72 hours, the exclusive treatment is known for its anti-aging,
rejuvenating, and lifting effects. The
experience began with a thorough skin consultation, and continued with
cleansing, toning, a mask where fine crystals were applied to my complexion and
then activated using botanical ingredients, and a glycolic peel. Using masterful
massage techniques to contour and lift, my therapist stopped and allowed me a peek in the mirror every couple
of minutes - the difference was instantly visible. Fine lines around my eyes were no longer
there, nor was there any redness. My cheek bones and facial contours perfectly
defined. By the end of the treatment, my
complexion felt soft, completely renewed and exuded a luminous glow.
I left the spa and walked through the hotel once more. I did not know when I would return, but I did
know that I was leaving a prettier woman than when I walked in.
