TEMPUS Magazine redefines time, giving you a glimpse into all things sophisticated, compelling, vibrant, with its pages reflecting the style, luxury and beauty of the world in which we live. A quarterly publication for private aviation enthusiasts.
Issue link: http://tempus-magazine.epubxp.com/i/131305
O E XQ U I S I T E H OT E L S CHATEAU MARMONT Al fresco dining under a canopy of lush green Beyond the Big Screen 8221 SUNSET BLVD. HOLLYWOOD, CA 90046 323-656-1010 CHATEAUMARMONT.COM CHATEAU MARMONT, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA BY Heidi Williams Of all the celebrities and international clientele who have crossed the threshold at Chateau Marmont, Columbia Pictures' co-founder Harry Cohn best captured the je ne sais quoi of this unique West Hollywood hotel when he said, in 1939, "If you must get in trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont." With "vaguely forties" ambience, brilliant bright white rooms, and dark, moody lobbies, Chateau Marmont is as legendary as it is luxurious for reasons both great and gruesome. (The Hollywood Reporter, in an exclamation-point-laden dispatch, summarized the landmark of luxury thus: "Billy Wilder slept there! Sunny and simple penthouse dining The hills of West Hollywood have been home to Chateau Marmont since the 1920s. 108 John Belushi died there! Lindsay Lohan got banned for skipping a $46,000 bill!") With alumni that include everyone from Jim Morrison to Greta Garbo, this hotel on the hill lives up to its reputation of offering "fantastical folly in the land of make believe." Chateau Marmont's architecture dates back to the 1920s and takes its cues from the Royal Château Amboise on the Loire in France. But guests also enjoy updated interiors by designers Fernando Santangelo and Shawn Hausman, who have used period lighting, furnishings, and eclectic decor that nod to the late 1930s and 1940s. The space exquisitely refects the modern offerings and updates demanded by its New York–based owner, André Balazs, whose other properties include the Mercer in NYC, and the Standard hotels in NYC, L.A., and Miami Beach, among others. As if its reputation did not already precede it, no fewer than four books have been penned about the legendary hideout which, surprisingly, was never actually intended to be a hotel. Designed in the late 1920s as upmarket Hollywood apartments, Tempus-Magazine.com . Summer 2013 the rooms today are as spacious as they are luxurious. Its restaurant, which serves French-California cuisine, is "beyond intimate," according to Balazs, seating fewer than two dozen guests. Chef Carolynn Spence, formerly chef de cuisine at the Spotted Pig in New York City, crafts a menu that balances hearty European infuences with simple, local ingredients; dishes that invite sharing over sparingly plated helpings. And after hours, nightlife spills over aplenty at Bar Marmont, where jazz music and a who's who of Hollywood elite (and those who wish to be) rub elbows. It is truly iconic: The lobby has proved a popular spot for actors being called to read over scripts, while room service has reached legendary status, particularly among guests who prefer to avoid leaving their rooms for days (or even weeks) at a time. Of all its amenities and upscale offerings, Chateau Marmont's most delicious details involve its long history overlooking Sunset Boulevard and lush green views from seemingly every window and balcony. Guests walk away with the distinct impression that Chateau Marmont is beyond belief, and it is in living color.