Arrival/Check-In: I arrived at the Thompson Beverly Hills to a warm greeting from the doorman and front desk staff. Check-in was efficient and friendly; I was soon on my way to my seventh-floor corner suite. To access my floor, I had to insert my room key in a slot in the elevator, which I thought was a good idea since ABH, the hotel’s rooftop bar, is open to the public via the same elevators used for guestroom floors.

Guest Quarters: My corner suite had great views over Beverly Hills as well as a fair amount of daylight from the three floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel décor is dark, so I greatly appreciated the large expanse of windows in my room. The suite had an open floorplan, and the entrance area flowed into the living room, which in turn flowed into the bedroom, giving an overall impression of more space. The entrance area included a refrigerator for extended-stay guests. The sitting room had a couch, an easy chair and a desk chair. The good-sized desk did not have easily accessible outlets, so I had to unplug lamps to recharge anything, which I found a bit annoying. There was a large flat-screen TV in the living room, as well as a large wall-mounted TV in the bedroom. And, as in most hotels, there was a minibar and a good-quality audio system. The bedroom was spacious and, since it was on the corner, bright from the two windows. The king-sized bed, which was comfortable, took up a good deal of bedroom space, but this did not matter with the open floorplan. The bathroom had two sinks and a shower. The amenities were C.O. Bigelow, the first time I had used that product. I was favorably impressed.

Services/Amenities: The hotel has a small gym with a few weights, a couple of elliptical machines, treadmills and bikes. The gym is located on the top floor near the ABH rooftop bar and pool lounge. The pool is small but certainly adequate for a few short laps. The views from the roof are spectacular. I did not use the pool or bar since a fierce Santa Ana was blowing my entire stay. I had breakfast at Caulfield’s, the hotel’s restaurant, which I found friendly, accommodating and above average.

The Experience: I’m most impressed by the hotel’s staff and the quality of service provided. I found the Thompson staff to be accommodating to any request. A word of advice to the hotel: Make the hotel signage more visible from the street, as it is a bit too discreet. I would definitely stay there again.

GT Checklist

• Doorman/valet
• Less than 10 minutes for check-in
• Separate tub/shower
• Large vanity
• High-quality towels
• Large, flat-screen TV
• Large desk with convenient outlets
• Complimentary in-room WiFi
• Ample lighting
• High-quality bed linens
• Choice of pillows
• Powerful, unattached hair dryer
• Iron and ironing board
• Easy-to-set alarm clock
• On-site restaurant and bar
• 24-hour room service
• In-room coffeemaker
• Large, complimentary laptop safe

Thompson Beverly Hills

9360 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
tel 310 273 1400
thompsonhotels.com