Dorchester Collection Announces the Reopening of Hotel Bel-Air

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Oct 13, 2011, 12:00 ET

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Dorchester Collection's property, Hotel Bel-Air, will reopen its doors on October 14, 2011, after 24 months of extensive refurbishment and redesign. Christopher Cowdray, Chief Executive Officer of Dorchester Collection, appointed two internationally renowned design teams, Alexandra Champalimaud and Rockwell Group, to oversee the thoughtful restoration. Master Chef Wolfgang Puck and his restaurant group, the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group (WPFDG), oversees all of the luxury hotel's food and beverage operations. Through December 29, 2011, a special preview room rate of $595 will be offered.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111013/NY85370LOGO )

Champalimaud was commissioned to set the design style, and great care was taken to keep much of the hotel's originality. Throughout the process, insightful feedback from valued past guests was taken into consideration when implementing many of the hotel's design changes. The familiar Spanish Colonial architecture splashed in "Bel-Air" Pink is still present while a new generation of Hotel Bel-Air aesthetic is reflected through design themes from the glamorous decades of the 1930s, 40s and 50s, all conveyed in a fresh and elegant manner. A total of 103 guestrooms and suites are offered, including new "Loft" and hillside accommodations, many with sweeping canyon views, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, grand pianos, and spacious decks. New to the hotel are a fitness studio and the 4,134-square-foot Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie with seven treatment rooms, including a private couple's room with outdoor patio. The renowned oval swimming pool, a beloved element of Hotel Bel-Air for over 65 years, has retained its signature shape and can be enjoyed in its familiar setting.

Rockwell Group redesigned the dining venues and new additions to offer expanded dining opportunities that enhance both the indoor and outdoor elements of the property. The signature restaurant, Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air, features modern California cuisine with European and Mediterranean influences. A spacious indoor/outdoor patio overlooks the garden and lush grounds, and multiple glass wine cellars separate the main and private dining rooms. Guests can enjoy tea and cocktails in the lobby lounge, while the famous hotel bar has maintained its cozy lounge feeling and a separate Terrace bar has been added. Events from 10 to 300 can be accommodated in the redesigned Garden Ballroom and Palm Room. Business and leisure travelers alike will also appreciate the installment of a new WiFi network to ensure all mobile devices work at optimum speed and clarity.

The signature Hotel Bel-Air swans, which remained at Swan Lake during the entirety of the restoration process, can still be found gliding along the clearest of water thanks to a new circulation pump that will save 1.5 M gallons of water a year.

For additional information about Hotel Bel-Air, please contact:

Hotel Bel-Air
Alisha Mahon
Tel: 310.887.2594 Email: [email protected]

PR Representative
Leslie Lefkowitz
Tel: 212-255-8276 Email: [email protected]

Notes to the editor:

Dorchester Collection
Dorchester Collection is a portfolio of the world's foremost luxury hotels in Europe and the USA, each of which reflects the distinctive culture of its destination. By applying its unrivalled experience and capability in owning and operating some of the greatest individual hotels, the company's mission is to develop an impeccable group of the finest landmark hotels through acquisition as well as management of wholly-owned and part-owned hotels, and to enter into management agreements.

The current portfolio includes the following hotels (in order of them joining the group):

The Dorchester, London
The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills
Le Meurice, Paris
Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris
Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan
Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles
Coworth Park, Ascot, UK
45 Park Lane, London
Le Richemond, Geneva