The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, USA

We love how the hotel is in the thick of everything yet discreetly tucked away from the bustle - celebrities love it.

The hotel is in Beverly Hills, just 20 minutes by car to Hollywood or Santa Monica.
By plane: flights to Los Angeles from London take 11 hours. The hotel is a 20-minute drive from LAX airport. Parking costs $60 per day. skyscanner.net

Around half the guests are international, and it has a nice mix of families and ages. We love that the hotel is shaped like a Z, which means that there are great views from all the rooms.

Check-in/out is amazingly flexible, and is called 'Peninsular time'. Most days instead of a rigid 'check-in at 3pm, out at noon' you can check-in as early as 6am on arrival and check out as late as 10pm on the departure date, at no extra charge.

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Swimming pool
• Garden
• Spa
• Fitness centre
• Beauty treatments
• Paid parking
• Free Wi-Fi

The seven top-level speciality suites (such as the Pink Suite at $12,500 per night) are luxuriously appointed. The grandiose pink marble bathrooms are quintessential old Hollywood.

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Facilities include: ensuite bathroom, bathrobe & slippers, hairdryer, TV, desk, free Wi-Fi

Afternoon tea in the lounge among two roaring fireplaces and a resident harpist is a real occasion. Our favourite dish is lamb loin en croute with artichoke ragout, truffle pomme puree and madeira jus in the Belvedere - a rich symphony of flavours.

The Belvedere: Californian-French cuisine. Open Weds-Sat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, weekends for brunch. Dishes from $19.
The Roof Garden: Californian. Open daily 7am-9pm. Mains from $24.
The Living Room: afternoon tea and dim sum. Open Thurs-Sun, tea at 11am, 1.30 and 4pm, dim sum at 6.30pm.