Designed in the manner of an elegant private residence, the award-winning Peninsula Beverly Hills is a highly personalized luxury hotel catering to top celebs and all the way down to the everyman. As "everyman" as they come in Beverly Hills, anyway.

The property features 36 suites and 16 villas nestled around lush gardens. All guest rooms feature deluxe appointments, each with personal in-room safes, three telephones, VCR, cable TV, computer, fax, mini bar, refrigerator and spacious marble bath with separate oversized shower. And the 24-hour check-in/check-out policy (if you check in at 4pm, your checkout isn't until 4pm upon your day of departure) is a nice touch. There's also an interesting, shall we say classic bar scene, and a lovely Roof Garden. Since CAA was until recently about two steps away, the contingent of agents, their clients and their soon-to-be-clients has historically been high: the more interesting anecdotes over the years include Carly Simon recording her Christmas album in her room (133) and Paul Newman dining with Mikhail Gorbachev. —Lonny Pugh