Hotel Bel-Air, Dorchester Collection

Hotel Bel-Air opened in 1946 in Stone Canyon, just off Sunset Boulevard: a romantic Mediterranean arrangement of rose-pink, mission-style bungalows reached across an arched stone bridge and screened by bougainvillea, ficus and orange blossom. Hollywood made its name. Elizabeth Taylor honeymooned here with her first husband, Marilyn Monroe stayed often, and the staff became known for discretion and for arranging almost anything, from private weddings to the most unlikely errand. The hotel now belongs to the Dorchester Collection, and its 12 acres of gardens hold 483 specimen trees and more than 4,000 plants, with resident swans on the lake. Some 20 categories of room and suite run from superior rooms to canyon suites with plunge pools and fireplaces, and on to the Swan Lake, Grace Kelly and Presidential suites. The Restaurant serves modern Californian food with a Mediterranean accent, in the dining room or on a terrace warmed by pipes beneath its terracotta floor. The Bar and Lounge has live music every night, The Living Room serves afternoon tea from Friday to Sunday, and there is a spa, a palm-lined pool and a pâtisserie led by Christophe Rull. There are 103 rooms and suites.