Los Angeles

A really lovely room with a great view over the "Swan Lake". Recently refurbished. Bed exceptionally comfortable. Nice TV but very complicated to operate.
Immediate Wi-Fi access at no charge. Bathroom well appointed. Good shaving mirror. Poor water pressure in the shower but that is becoming increasingly common now in American hotels. Main criticism: an almost complete lack of drawer space - nowhere to put anything! Why do so many hotels stint on drawer space? Like happiness, you cannot have too much!

The Bel-Air is in the middle of constructing a new spa which one staff member said was costing $30 million; so this was not the time to see the hotel at its best.
They did warn us about the construction (though no discount was offered which was a bit mean) which will last certainly for a few more weeks and is very noisy during the day. Nevertheless the grounds are delightful and the buildings, mainly one storey, very pretty and well-maintained. Staff were, without exception, friendly and responsive.

The formal dining room hasd a compulsory jackets policy. Alas, I had left my jacket at home and there was no warning in the confirmation or the website about this strict dress code. So it was the garden room for Prof and Mrs Magellan which was a bit chilly during a January cold snap. The food was excellent, the main triumph being a chocolate souffle. Extensive, fairly priced wine list. Room service breakfast was prompt and good.

the hotel is located in the heart of Bel-Air one of the nicest residential areas of Los Angeles and withingn easy reach (by car of course) of beaches and shopping.
I stayed many years ago at the Beverley Hills and that was great. The Bel-Air feels less ritzy but somehow more friendly and personal - and altogther more soothing
for a quiet stay. Nice gardens, lake, steam and so on. It is very hard to find and the hotel directions are poor. The street in which it is located is not well mareked and is a small, missable turning off West Sunset.