LA Confidential: Inside Chateau Marmont

Back in the '90s, a savvy New York fashion editor I worked with at Esquire magazine matter-of-factly suggested I stay at the storied Chateau Marmont. It would be a practical outpost for getting to meetings during an upcoming business trip to LA. Little did I know he was facilitating a love affair with the most captivating hotel of all time. 

“Practical” is the last word to describe the reclusive allure of this place. It is full of paradoxes, a liminal space where celebrities hide in plain sight and the rest of us nip at their heels. 

Iconic and inscrutable, famous yet furtive, this 1929 architectural homage to France’s Amboise hides in plain sight on a receded perch high above a busy stretch of Sunset Boulevard. The Greta Garbo of hotels, its signature gesture is to hold itself aloof – from Los Angeles’s manic hustle and bustle, outsiders’ inquiries, and even the guests themselves.

Los Angeles is all about the scene. But the ultimate luxury here at its exclusive epicenter is to be unseen. Left alone. 

You are probably familiar with the hotel’s reputation for bacchanalia and the excesses of movie stars and rock gods. The notorious '70s overdose of actor and comedian John Belushi only burnished its mystique and did nothing to keep A-listers away. Today, the management still averts its eyes from all manner of bad behavior. 

Except one: staff and guests alike must abide by a time-honored code of discretion.

Paparazzi stalking their prey outside the Chateau

I got burned once for violating the unspoken rules and engaging with the enemy -- hungry paparazzi camped outside the main entrance. My other transgression was getting my picture taken with a game and grinning Robert Downey, Jr in the underground parking lot. He could not have been more gracious, but hotel security was unamused.

Me and RDJ in the parking lot

My subsequent, temporary banishment was swift and just. It came as a well-deserved gut punch. 

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Meanwhile, inside, a swanky, segmented open-air courtyard restaurant epitomizes the hotel’s balancing act as a place to be seen and not seen. An ample, oval swimming pool is lushly secluded, thick with bamboo and other tropical foliage; it never seems to draw more than 5 subdued loungers at a time. 

Empty chairs poolside

The guest accommodations themselves exude a painstakingly midcentury vibe, right down to crystal doorknobs from Liz’s Antique Hardware. The swank, über-private bungalows, where John Belushi met his demise, are located just steps away from an adjacent Sunset Boulevard sidewalk. 

Everyone hits the jackpot at some point. For me and Joe, this happened during a 2008 stay when we received a complimentary upgrade to what can only be described as a rock-star penthouse. We didn't deserve it -- it was just one of those things.

Rock star treatment: one of our private balconies

Our retro suite included a full kitchen, living room, two balconies, two bedrooms, and dizzying views of West Hollywood below. We felt like we should be serving extra dry martinis to Cary Grant and Sophia Loren in our capacious living quarters. Those were the days.

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Recently, from 2019 to late 2022, guests could not make online reservations. The hotel’s website, which once included black-and-white photos and a discreet history, became a meager placard that barely listed five nights of contiguous availability. 

There were inconclusive reports of renovations as well as accounts that the owner, hotelier André Balasz, had plans to convert it all into a private club, a residential hotel, or some other newfangled concept. As late as fall, 2022, dissembling front desk staff were still citing Covid as an excuse for operating way below capacity. 

Transparency has never been Chateau's strong suit. Marketing is anathema.

As of this very moment, thankfully, the hotel seems to be accepting reservations once again. But the website is so minimalistic as to be standoffish. 

I got my hopes up when just last week, on Valentine's Day, Architectural Digest published splendid photos that seemed to point to a long-awaited resurgence. Alas, it was unclear whether these were new or archival images.

It would have been a terrible waste for Chateau Marmont to go away. It was always a rare diamond, a one-off wonder. A guy like me, if he could be cool about it, fleetingly breathed the same air as Hollywood royalty.

Its French name notwithstanding, Chateau Marmont is as American as Hollywood itself. I am grateful for my memories inside with the in-crowd and hope to stay once again in its sequestered embrace some time soon.