INDUSTRY INSIGHT: 
The Chateau Marmont
Shabbily elegant. Nostalgically modern. Famously discreet.
words by Lilian Lee
photos by Nikolas Koenig
The Chateau Marmont’s idiosyncrasies are endless. But it’s not a hotel for everyone, and it definitely won’t accept just anyone. As much glamour as it holds inside its hallowed walls, the Chateau is not meant for those who seek loud, flashy luxury. Guests won’t find marble-stone kitchens, sleek modern furniture, or large expansive rooms. Instead they’ll experience nooks and crannies. Fresh-baked cookies and wine will be waiting on their coffee table. They’ll step into tiny kitchens with refurbished O’Keefe & Merritt stoves and 1960’s refrigerators. Restrooms will actually look like restrooms, not miniature spas.
Owner Andre Balazs has been cautious about renovations to the Chateau since he bought the hotel in 1990, and for good reason – the longstanding guests wouldn’t want the Chateau any other way. The beloved Chateau boasts 80 percent repeat guests, an impressive feat especially in Los Angeles, where luxe hotels abound in every quarter. Hotel decor and furniture are updated constantly, says hotel spokesperson Federica Carrion, but in a way as to maintain the balance between understated luxury and old-school glamour.
Indeed, the play between the subtle and the glamorous is evident in every inch of the Chateau. The garden pathway to the oval-shaped pool is covered with lush vegetation, but glance a bit more carefully, and you’ll see tiny lights that sprout out amidst the green. Designed by Herve Descottes, the man behind the lighting for the Louvre’s Mona Lisa, the slowly changing colors invoke water dripping on the leaves. As with all of the Chateau, the pool area is enclosed by beautiful greenery, but look up a little yonder and you’ll see an edge of the gigantic billboard overlooking Sunset Blvd. Enclosed from the noise and traffic of the street, it’s easy to forget where you are, but this billboard is just enough of a reminder that Hollywood is merely steps away.
Bar Marmont at Chateau Marmont
The pool at Chateau Marmont
So it’s no surprise then, that on any given day, the Bar Marmont garden is filled with studio execs making deals, writers scripting their next big project, and actors and actresses conducting business and making fun. This celebrity magnet is a star in its own right, however, with a creative gastro-pub menu spearheaded by the woman who gave New York The Spotted Pig – Carolynn Spence. Simple, fresh, and totally unexpected at a well-heeled hotel, the hearty food menu exemplifies the enchanting juxtapositions at the Chateau. Picture some of the most stylish and sophisticated Angelenos chowing down on the double cut pork chop or the “damn good burger” – it works for the Chateau. But be warned, unless you’re a regular or well-known figure, the garden’s coveted tables are generally reserved for hotel guests, who are all greeted like family and treated like royalty.
While all the rooms, suites, and bungalows exude the simple serenity that the Chateau has made its own, the two hillside bungalows epitomize the hotel’s unobtrusive luxury. Starting at $1800 a night, these 1500-square-feet homes come with a private street entrance, parking space, and garden with direct access to the oval-shaped pool.
Sound enticing? Guests are famous for taking up residence here once they arrive. Good luck finding an available date.
Chateau Marmont
CSQ Contact: Federica Carrion
(323) 656-1010
8221 Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90046
