Mr. C Beverly Hills

In the lobby of Mr. C’s, a new hotel on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles, there is a transparent glass pool table. Built in Australia, the table top is coated with some sort of material that mimics the texture of a regular pool table. As someone who leans on pool tables when I play, I was a bit too skittish to try it out myself.

Even though Mr. C Beverly Hills is in the midst of a city that prides itself on perpetual reinvention, its own personality adheres to the classics. White chandeliers and marble floors meet emerald leather couches and glossy wood details in the lobby, where a bar specific to new guests serves complimentary Bellinis upon check in. In the dining room, waiters wear white coats as they serve traditional Italian food and drinks from the famed Cipriani family, whose fourth generation oversees the hotel. But given the property’s affinity for Old World charm, Mr. C is far from out of touch. In fact, a return to such polish – where modern luxury can still mean the aforementioned attention to detail – is a fresh take on hospitality, indeed. Nearly 140 guest rooms and suites comprise the accommodations in the property’s white tower, and each space has a private balcony overlooking L.A.’s stunning hills or downtown skyline. The guest rooms are as stylish as the hotel’s public areas – thanks to features like red leather couches under black-and-white photos and an in-room bar outlined in glossy wood paneling – but they also include high-definition flat screens and pillow-top mattresses. After a swim in the pool or a spa treatment, enjoy a rain shower in a marble bathroom. At night, sink peacefully into the waffle bed linens that were requested by the owners to make the rooms feel more like home. This hotel may be a renewed take on tradition, and a restful sleep is no exception.

Shrouded by the orange canopies of outstretched umbrellas, and secluded from the bright-eyed atmosphere of the city just outside its walls, the poolside tables at Mr. C Beverly Hills are the ideal hideaways through which to observe this hotel. From here, the blue of the pool matches the shade of the sky, and the property’s renowned pink Bellini completes the overall feel of ease. Order a round before getting a closer look at the menu, and a waiter in a white coat will serve the drinks with a basket of flaky breads and rounded scoops of butter. Opened in 2011 by brothers Ignazio and Maggio Cipriani – the fourth generation of a surname responsible for creating the Bellini at Harry’s Bar in Venice – Mr. C Beverly Hills has a dining experience that exudes a dreamlike quality even before the drinks are finished. Hear the sound of grouped palms swaying nearby, or the soft splash of a swimmer retreating from the pool to her private cabana, as the last of the pink concoctions disappear. Then, Old World Italian dishes will fill the wooden table, from the classic beef Carpaccio alla Cipriani made with thinly sliced tenderloin to the lightly baked tagliolini tossed in white sauce and ham. After dessert, leave the poolside view behind for the shade indoors. White linens drape over the tables and red-studded stools line a classic wooden bar. If your room is upstairs, finish the afternoon as it started – with another Bellini.

This creamy pile of awesomeness could be a meal on its own. Mr. C’s in Beverly Hills serves all things delicious at the famous Cipriani’s restaurant. The desserts are what won me over, can’t even remember what I ate as main after receiving my massive dessert.