L’Ermitage Beverly Hills employs some of the best staff in Los Angeles, whose attention to customer service and guest relations is unparalleled. “Service starts with guest needs innovatively anticipated, then uniquely accommodated. Warmth is a given, discretion an essential,” says Viceroy of its intuitive service. In fact, Viceroy is on the cutting edge of hospitality. The group will be the first to test a new smartwatch hotel management solution by Samsung and ALICE, a hotel operations platform. The technology will improve communication and one up Viceroy’s seemingly flawless service beginning with L’Ermitage this summer. We’re here to shoot our summer cover star, Olivia Culpo, on a balmy afternoon during mid-August in Los Angeles. Our experience wasn’t met with anything less than excellence. We began setting up in a Viceroy Junior suite. While even the most conservative of suites start at 700-square feet, we were hard pressed for space to fit our wardrobe, equipment, lighting, hair and makeup, photographer, videographer, and editorial teams. “Ask and you shall receive” proved to be the motto on the property when we were quickly afforded an additional suite for our use. Just like that we had ample room to roll in our racks, cover the countertops with accessories, and offer Culpo’s entourage a place to relax while we got to work creating the ultimate glamour shots of our star in her gilded hideaway. Guests can even mimic our Hollywood experience by arranging in-suite hair, makeup, and nail services during their stay. We shot Culpo in the “ultimate
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dressing space” as Smith calls it, a gorgeous vanity area that allowed us to create stunning images of our model as reflected in the full-length three-way mirror. Even the closet features a bespoke layout with designated spaces measured to fit sky-high stilettos. Elements like these bring the extravagance of personal shopping experiences found on Rodeo Drive inside the hotel to be enjoyed from the comfort of an intimate suite. No trip to Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills would be complete without dining in Avec Nous, the modern French brasserie open to guests and locals alike. Executive Chef Olivier Quignon adapts the menu to the local lifestyle fusing iconic Southern French dishes with farm-fresh California ingredients. Guests will always find seasonal favorites on the menu, like summer’s refreshing chilled watermelon soup. Avec Nous is award winning in its own right, gaining a Wine Spectator “2018 Best of Award of Excellence” distinction. During our shoot, we indulged in the menu’s most savory side item: Truffle Fries, which we think should be given their own award as the World’s Most Posh Snack. It seems as if each of the Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills’ eight floors has something unique to offer. From the welcoming entryway to the rooftop pool deck under the stars, its engaging atmosphere and staff trained in superiority, this relaxing refuge is shrouded from top to bottom in low-key, high-designed elegance where guests become the kings and queens of this castle. ■