For its first facelift in nearly twenty years, the Spa at the legendary Beverly Hills Hotel dialed-up on two core aspects of the luxe lifestyle—privacy and pampering. Though the footprint increased substantially (from 1,916 to 2,600 square feet), it has been nook- and cranny-ized to charming effect.
Think: a private check-in area peppered with retail vitrines chock-full of skincare products and tools speaking to our collective obsession with selfcare, and a delightfully secluded, natural light-drenched mani/pedi area overlooking the hotel’s bountiful citrus garden. With four treatment rooms for face and body, a duet suite and separate nail enclave, the spa is big enough to accommodate a comprehensive menu of offerings but intimate enough to feel like you’ve got the place to yourself.
For the re-invigoration, the team tapped global interior design star Alexandra Champalimaud, who recently revamped the hotel’s bungalows and poolside cabanas, as well as a nearby sister property, the Hotel Bel-Air. “Alexandra truly understands the balance needed to pay tribute to the history of a property like ours, while keeping it internationally relevant,” says Kristy Whitford, Director of Spa and Retail. “The spa design is playful, fun, and reflective of our iconic design elements throughout the hotel.”
Case in point, the signature “floral and fauna” wallpaper that brings the outside in. But if the décor tilts slightly jungle, the spa treatment menu is a decided mix of natural and high-tech. On the holistic front, it’s all about facials crafted by the Ayurveda-based Uma and Flora Mirabilis, a brand known for its artisanal plant-based oils. Waving the flag for beauty science are Natura Bissé, which offers a Diamond Life Infusion Lifting Facial regulating key skin-age biomarkers, and Growth Factor Facial, designed to ward off the effects of indoor and outdoor aggressors such as blue light, sun, and pollution.
“The spa design is playful, fun, and reflective of our iconic design elements throughout the hotel.”—Kristy Whitford
Keeping Guests Glowing & Going
Somewhere in the middle of natural and high-tech is the renowned Swiss skincare brand Valmont, which is new to the spa. In addition to stocking its retail products for purchase in those teeming reception-area vitrines, it’s offering a deeply hydrating “Sources of Bisses” facial based on an ancestral irrigation system used by mountain dwellers in the Valais region of Switzerland, home to the Matterhorn. Like many of the spa’s treatments, the Bisses facial is offered in both 60- and 90-minute blocks. “We’ve learned that our guests really want to experience the newest in skincare science and technology, as well as enjoy the longer 90-minute services,” Whitford notes. After a spa-deprived 2020, the hotel’s visitors have a newfound appreciation for wellness. “Whether it’s that lovely Valmont facial with unique massage, a reiki gemstone-infused facial with gua sha by Knesko or a Superfood facial by Skin Authority that feels like a green juice nourishing the skin, we’ve created a menu that’s universal and always exciting and new to experience, all delivering results to keep guests glowing and going.”
Nailing It
To support the spa’s stunning new nail suite, Whitford says the treatment roster needed to be “swoon-worthy” and extraordinarily comprehensive. “It’s definitely more than you’d normally find, but that’s because our hands and feet are busier than ever.” So what awaits those extra-busy hands and feet? Dazzle Dry, a clean and vegan approach to old-school acrylics that sets in five minutes without the help of UV light; Illuminating glycolic and acid and peels to soften and youthify; and the bespoke “NCLA x The Beverly Hills Hotel” manicures and pedicures featuring the hometown hero brand NCLA, a pioneer in the clean nail category. “We believe our hands and feet are just as important as the skin on our faces,” says Whitford. “We need to give them the TLC they deserve.” And with that, let the post-pandemic spa-going begin.
Dana Wood
Dana Wood is the Contributing Beauty Editor at InsidersGuidetoSpas.com. She has been writing about beauty and wellness for decades, and no matter how many times she taps the words “hyaluronic acid” or “healing modalities” into her keyboard, it never gets old. Dana spent a total of 20 years at Condé Nast, serving as Beauty Director for W, Cookie, and Brides. A transplanted New Yorker, Dana now lives in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her peak spa experience? Dana says it’s impossible to decide between the Coco-Mango Body Buff at the Driftwood Spa at Jakes in Treasure Beach, Jamaica, The Land of Beautiful Waters Anti-Aging Facial at Four Seasons Nevis, and the 80-minute 5 Senses massage at the Spa by JW in Marco Island, Florida.