The bottom line: The Beverly Hills Hotel ('Pink Palace') opened in May 1912 in the Mediterranean Revival style designed by Elmer Grey. The property operates 210 guest rooms and suites plus 23 bungalows (21 one-of-a-kind specialty bungalows). The signature pink paint dates to a 1948 renovation; the Crescent Wing was added in 1949 by Paul Williams. Operating under Dorchester Collection management since 1996. Designated Beverly Hills's first historic landmark in 2012.

The Beverly Hills Hotel is one of the most-recognised ultra-luxury hotels in the United States — opened in May 1912 by Margaret J. Anderson, designated Beverly Hills’s first historic landmark in 2012, and operating 210 rooms and suites plus 23 bungalows under Dorchester Collection management since 1996. The signature pink exterior dates to a 1948 renovation and has become one of the most-recognised hotel exterior identifiers in the broader US hospitality market.

This piece is a 2026 configuration analysis of the property — the 1912 founding history, the Pink Palace identity, the 21 one-of-a-kind specialty bungalows, the Dorchester Collection management, and the position in the broader Los Angeles ultra-luxury hotel set.

The 1912 Founding

The Beverly Hills Hotel was established in May 1912 by Margaret J. Anderson, a wealthy widow, and her son Stanley S. Anderson. The original property was designed by Pasadena architect Elmer Grey in the Mediterranean Revival style — the architectural register that has defined the property across its 100-plus-year operating history.

The 1912 founding predated Beverly Hills’s 1914 incorporation as a city. The hotel was, in significant respects, the commercial anchor that supported the broader Beverly Hills residential and commercial development across the early 20th century. The Astor-style early-20th-century luxury hotel framework that the original Anderson family applied at the property established the commercial foundation that has supported the property’s continuous operation across more than a century.

The Pink Palace Identity

The Beverly Hills Hotel was first painted its signature pink color during a 1948 renovation to match the country club aesthetic standard of that period. The pink color has become one of the most-recognised hotel exterior identifiers in the United States and the property is widely known as the ‘Pink Palace’.

In 1949 — the year after the first pink paint application — architect Paul Williams added the Crescent Wing. Williams was one of the most prominent African American architects of the mid-20th century and a recurring contributor to the broader Beverly Hills hospitality and residential architecture. The Crescent Wing extended the property’s footprint and supported the broader expansion of the hotel programme.

The combined Mediterranean Revival original plus the Crescent Wing extension defines the architectural footprint of the property. The continuous pink exterior application has been maintained across multiple subsequent renovations and remains the principal visual identifier of the property in 2026.

The 1992-1995 Restoration

The property closed for a complete restoration on December 30, 1992 and reopened on June 3, 1995 — a two-and-a-half-year closure during which the property underwent significant upgrades to furniture, fittings, and the broader operational infrastructure. The 1995 reopening marked the property’s transition into its contemporary operating era.

The renovation programme preserved the architectural identity (the Mediterranean Revival framework, the Pink Palace exterior) while updating the room product, the dining and beverage programme, and the operational infrastructure to contemporary ultra-luxury hotel standards.

The 210-Room + 23-Bungalow Configuration

The Beverly Hills Hotel operates:

  • 210 guest rooms and suites in the principal hotel building
  • 23 bungalows distributed across the broader property grounds — 21 of which are one-of-a-kind specialty accommodations

The 21 one-of-a-kind specialty bungalows operate as individual homes — many configured with:

  • Separate living areas
  • Baby grand pianos
  • Fireplaces
  • Balconies extending to 2,000 square feet
  • Individual character and design programming

The bungalow inventory is one of the structural commercial differentiators of the Beverly Hills Hotel from peer Beverly Hills ultra-luxury hotels. Most peer properties operate with room and suite inventory only; the bungalow configuration provides a distinct accommodation tier oriented toward principal-level extended stays, family-anchored bookings, and the entertainment-industry use case where the standalone-bungalow format is operationally useful.

In 2012, two new Presidential Bungalows were added — extending the property’s signature accommodation cabinet at the top tier.

The Dorchester Collection Management

The Beverly Hills Hotel has been managed by the Dorchester Collection since 1996. The Dorchester Collection is the London-based ultra-luxury hotel group that operates several of the most prominent global ultra-luxury hotels:

  • The Dorchester (London) — the brand’s namesake property
  • The Beverly Hills Hotel (Los Angeles) — the principal US property
  • Hotel Bel-Air (Los Angeles) — the second Dorchester Collection LA property
  • Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice (Paris) — the principal Paris Dorchester properties
  • Hotel Eden (Rome) — the Roman Dorchester property
  • Coworth Park (Berkshire, UK) — the principal UK country property
  • The Grand Hotel et de Milan (Milan) — the Milan Dorchester property

The Dorchester Collection management positions the Beverly Hills Hotel within the broader global ultra-luxury hotel portfolio. The Collection’s brand-standard service framework supports the property’s continuous Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond recognition.

The 2012 Historic Landmark Designation

In 2012 — on the 100th anniversary of the property’s 1912 opening — the Beverly Hills Hotel was designated the first historic landmark in Beverly Hills. The designation reflects the property’s significance to the city’s commercial and architectural heritage and provides regulatory protection for the property’s architectural identity.

The historic landmark designation has commercial implications for the property’s broader operating framework. Any significant exterior modifications are subject to the historic landmark review process, which preserves the architectural identity that supports the property’s commercial position.

Beverly Hills Hotel in the 2026 Los Angeles Ultra-Luxury Set

In 2026, the Beverly Hills Hotel operates within the principal Los Angeles ultra-luxury hotel set:

  • Peninsula Beverly Hills: Only AAA Five Diamond + Forbes Five Star hotel in Southern California for 24 consecutive years; 195 accommodations including villas
  • Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills (2017): 170 accommodations at the Santa Monica / Wilshire intersection
  • Beverly Wilshire (Four Seasons): Wilshire Boulevard Four Seasons-operated ultra-luxury
  • Beverly Hills Hotel (Dorchester Collection): The Pink Palace Sunset Boulevard heritage property
  • Hotel Bel-Air (Dorchester Collection): Bel-Air canyon resort positioning
  • Montage Beverly Hills: Montage-flagged ultra-luxury at the Beverly Canon Gardens

The Beverly Hills Hotel’s structural advantages within this set are:

  • The 1912 founding history and the historic landmark designation
  • The signature Pink Palace exterior identity
  • The 21 one-of-a-kind specialty bungalows providing a distinct accommodation tier
  • The Dorchester Collection brand-standard service framework
  • The Sunset Boulevard geographic position distinguishing it from the Wilshire / Beverly Hills core cluster

For corporate travel managers building Los Angeles premium hotel programmes with entertainment-industry meeting requirements, historic-architecture preferences, or the bungalow-accommodation use case, the Beverly Hills Hotel is one of the principal recommendations. The property’s continuous operating heritage and the Dorchester Collection brand framework distinguish it commercially from peer Beverly Hills ultra-luxury options.

Sources

Public reporting tracked for this analysis includes the Dorchester Collection Beverly Hills Hotel page, the Beverly Hills Hotel Wikipedia entry, the Dorchester Collection Beverly Hills Hotel about page, and trade publication coverage of the 2012 historic landmark designation.

Frequently asked questions

When did the Beverly Hills Hotel open?
May 1912. The hotel was established by Margaret J. Anderson, a wealthy widow, and her son Stanley S. Anderson. The original Mediterranean Revival-style building was designed by Pasadena architect Elmer Grey.
When did the property become 'Pink'?
The Beverly Hills Hotel was first painted its signature pink color during a 1948 renovation to match the country club aesthetic standard of that period. The pink color has become one of the most-recognised hotel exterior colour identifiers in the United States and the property is widely known as the 'Pink Palace'.
How is the property configured?
210 guest rooms and suites plus 23 bungalows. 21 of the bungalows are one-of-a-kind specialty accommodations that operate as individual homes — many doubling as specialty suites with living areas, baby grand pianos, fireplaces, and balconies extending to 2,000 square feet. The bungalow inventory is one of the structural commercial differentiators of the property from peer Beverly Hills ultra-luxury hotels.
Who designed the building extensions?
Elmer Grey designed the original 1912 Mediterranean Revival hotel. Paul Williams added the Crescent Wing in 1949 — the year after the property's first pink paint application. Williams was one of the most prominent African American architects of the mid-20th century and a recurring contributor to the broader Beverly Hills hospitality and residential architecture.