Iconic Hotel Bel-Air Re-Opens After 24 Months of Renovation

Christopher Cowdray, Chief Executive Officer of Dorchester Collection, appointed two internationally renowned design teams, Alexandra Champalimaud and Rockwell Group, to oversee the thoughtful restoration. Master Chef Wolfgang Puck and his restaurant group, the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group (WPFDG), oversees all of the luxury hotel's food and beverage operations. A special preview room rate of $595 will be offered until December 29, 2011.

Champalimaud was commissioned to set the design style, and great care was taken to keep much of the hotel's originality. Throughout the process, insightful feedback from valued past guests was taken into consideration when implementing many of the hotel's design changes. The familiar Spanish Colonial architecture splashed in “Bel-Air Pink” is still present while a new generation of Hotel Bel-Air aesthetic is reflected through design themes from the glamorous decades of the 1930s, 40s and 50s, all conveyed in a fresh and elegant manner. A total of 103 guestrooms and suites are offered, including new “Loft” and hillside accommodations, many with sweeping canyon views, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, grand pianos, and spacious decks. New to the hotel are a fitness studio and the 4,134-square-foot Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie with seven treatment rooms, including a private couple's room with outdoor patio. The renowned oval swimming pool, a beloved element of Hotel Bel-Air for over 65 years, has retained its signature shape and can be enjoyed in its familiar setting.

Rockwell Group redesigned the dining venues and new additions to offer expanded dining opportunities that enhance both the indoor and outdoor elements of the property. The signature restaurant, Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air, features modern California cuisine with European and Mediterranean influences. A spacious indoor/outdoor patio overlooks the garden and lush grounds, and multiple glass wine cellars separate the main and private dining rooms. Guests can enjoy tea and cocktails in the lobby lounge, while the famous hotel bar has maintained its cosy lounge feeling and a separate Terrace bar has been added. Events from 10 to 300 can be accommodated in the redesigned Garden Ballroom and Palm Room. Business and leisure travellers alike will also appreciate the installment of a new WiFi network to ensure all mobile devices work at optimum speed and clarity.

The signature Hotel Bel-Air swans, which remained at Swan Lake during the entirety of the restoration process, can still be found gliding along the clearest of water thanks to a new circulation pump that will save 1.5 M gallons of water a year.