Hang Out With Justin Bieber at the Montage in Beverly Hills
You know you’re in Tinseltown as you drive into the courtyard. (Photo: The Montage)
“I think I saw Justin Bieber in the elevator,” my fiancé Nick said to me when he met me in our room at the Montage in Beverly Hills.
I gave him a look. “No one thinks they see Justin Bieber. If you see Justin Bieber, you know it’s Justin Bieber.”
It was indeed Justin Bieber. The pintsize pop star was rolling around the hotel on his new toy, an electric skateboard, flanked by two large bodyguards. Apparently he likes to use the hotel gym.
We were soon to learn that the Montage is one of the best spots for celeb spotting in all of Los Angeles — if you’re into that kind of thing. This is a place where old Hollywood glamour joins with new Hollywood glam. It isn’t cheap to stay here, but the Montage certainly delivers on making you feel as though you’ve just stepped onto a movie set.
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The vibe: Welcome to a little slice of Italy in Beverly Hills. There aren’t that many places for people to properly congregate in this part of town, and the Montage amends that with its open-air piazza decorated in gilded Venetian style.
This is the heart of the Beverly Hills “Golden Triangle,” and the lunchtime crowd does not disappoint for people watching. Play a game of I Spy that includes celebrities, directors, and Hollywood’s top movers and shakers.
The rooms: These rooms are surprisingly spacious for L.A., a city where hotels are notoriously tiny. Decor is traditional with a touch of opulence, yet another diversion from the ultramodern spaces you find nearby.
What I loved: I’m a sucker for a stellar rooftop cabana. When I visited the property in June, I was very intent on cabana-ing, so intent that I made it a verb.
There is excellent Wi-Fi up on the roof. You couldn’t ask for a prettier place to set up a mobile office. (Photo: The Montage)
The staff couldn’t be sweeter — from the gentleman who consistently asked me if I had enough sunscreen to the preppy waitresses in adorable little blue tops with sweaters tied around their necks.
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Available for rent by hotel guests and locals alike, the cabanas offer unrivaled views of the Beverly Hills cityscape and come equipped with an LCD television, Evian misters, Montage bathrobes, and fresh fruit.
Where to eat: Scarpetta, the restaurant created by celebrity chef Scott Conant, is a destination all on its own, and I recommend making a reservation if you want a table on a weekend evening.
Large doors open out onto the breezy piazza. (Photo: The Montage)
The fresh seasonal menu delights with dishes like roasted sea scallops with caramelized sunchokes, a creamy polenta with a fricassee of truffled mushrooms, burrata with grilled peaches, and a fennel-dusted black cod. But I promise you can’t go wrong with Scarpetta’s signature spaghetti with tomato and basil. It is simple, but perfect.
Who cares if you aren’t hungry? Swing by Scarpetta for the nightly live music or a quick cocktail by the fireplace.
Speaking of cocktails, the Montage is home to one of my very favorite bars, the £10, a lounge specializing in one of the world’s most coveted whiskeys: Macallan single malt. This exclusive Scotch bar maintains a wonderfully Old World feel.
Even if you aren’t a fan of Scotch, you will want to drink Scotch in this room. (Photo: The Montage)
On the flip side, for a healthy start to your day, head to the Rooftop Grill. I still dream about their Green Drink, a delicious juice of spinach, celery, kale, ginger, cucumber-lemon juice, and green apple.
A beyond perfect way to start your day. (Photo: Jo Piazza)
Where to relax: The Montage is home to a 20,000-square-foot spa with 17 rooms that specialize in over-the-top treatments like caviar facials.
Make sure to spend some time in the coed mineral wellness pool in the atrium.
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The staff: One of the truths of luxury hotels is that an encouraging and cheerful corporate culture is the key to running the kind of hotel that people want to return to time and time again.
At the Montage, the team of 550 people that opened the hotel is still intact. Their people have stuck around and found ways to grow within the company.
The general manager, Todd Orlich, stands at the door to greet guests. A highly visible (and friendly, to boot) GM makes guests feel like he is approachable and there to genuinely help make their stay a little bit better.
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