You’ve heard of glamping, but have you heard of glogging? Glamour blogging my friends – no more sitting in front of the screen in your pyjamas, with bed-hair and some leftovers to snack on.
For most of us, Bel Air will always signify Will Smith in a backwards basecall cap rapping about his youth in West Philadelphia. The Fresh Prince brought the lairs of Bel Air to living rooms across the globe, including a gigantic television screen in the Dublin suburbs circa 1990. My pop culture memories from childhood are embedded with Jeffrey, Vanessa, Carlton, Big Phil and the Fresh Prince (and their accent, wardrobe, dancing, stern face and comedy respectively) – so on a trip to Los Angeles earlier this year I had to step into the wonderland of Bel Air and see for myself, what lay yonder in this kingdom.
Stepping into the kingdom of the five star Bel Air hotel is like crossing a threshold to that daydream you have of a peaceful haven where culinary hall of fame chef Wolfgang Puck creates your breakfast (black pepper pork & chicken-apple sausage, roasted fingerling potatoes, rye toast, fresh juice…); your accommodation is equipped with an iPad (no excuse then, for a blogger on the go); and a rather good looking man will come and lit your fire (no really, the fireplace in your room is functional, and the hotel helpfully recommends a member of staff come and light it for you). Add in to the mix a warm welcome, serenely peaceful surroundings including a Swan Lake, enchanted forest meandering trails, beautiful fountains, and a pool that will take you back in time to the era of real Hollywood glamour. echoes of Marilyn’s laughter and Dean Martin’s swagger trail throughout the grounds. Just the right ingredients to have you feeling like the Fresh Princess of Bel Air.
photo via MyDaily
Rolling up to the Bel Air is a treat in itself– oh yes, you’ll be rolling in your free car delivery service: the friendly Bel Air drivers will drop you off, and pick you up within a 3 mile radius, another precious service when you’re a “ virgin blogger who can’t drive†in L.A.
The Bel Air hotel is the vision of a Texas investor Joseph Drown, who bought the land in the early 1940s, and without ever relying on a landscape architect, created the landscape of the Bel Air from his own vision, a natural California oasis, planting palms, ficus trees, peach trees, age-old sycamores and perennial blooms. The hotel has just seen a renovation of 2 years and has kept it’s charm and character during the update.
Useful links:
Main website
Tripadvisor Reviews
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*This guest post was written and photographed by Elizabeth Rushe
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