Editors’ Note

Offer Nissenbaum has held his current post since December 2007. Prior to joining Peninsula, he was Regional Vice President of Operations for Omni Hotels, based in New York City, overseeing eight properties on the East Coast. He concurrently served as Omni’s corporate liaison to the Global Hotel Alliance, which includes international luxury brands like Kempinski, Pan Pacific, Dusit, and Leela. Nissenbaum received the coveted “Hotelier of the Year” Award by Virtuoso, the prestigious global organization of luxury travel specialists.

Property Brief

The Peninsula Beverly Hills (peninsula.com/beverlyhills) has been one of the few AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star-rated hotels in Southern California for 21 consecutive years. The iconic luxury hotel offers 194 elegantly appointed rooms, including 38 suites and 16 private villas, nestled among lush tropical gardens in the heart of Beverly Hills. The property is home to The Belvedere, the only AAA Five Diamond-rated restaurant in Los Angeles for 19 consecutive years, and also features The Living Room, where the legendary Peninsula Afternoon Tea is served daily, as well as The Roof Garden for alfresco dining and The Peninsula Spa.

What makes The Peninsula Beverly Hills so special?

We strive to anticipate the ever-evolving needs of our guests’ and continually look for ways to provide the utmost in service and value to truly provide a home-away-from-home. All guests enjoy complimentary car service throughout Beverly Hills and Century City via the hotel’s fleet of luxury vehicles, based on availability. We are the only hotel in Southern California to have a dedicated staff of airport concierges at Los Angeles International Airport, who ease guests’ arrivals and departures. Our return guests are greeted with personalized monogrammed pillowcases and we are one of the only hotels in Southern California to provide complimentary luggage storage between visits – these are just a few of the touches that are responsible for our outstanding 70 percent return guest rate.

Would you highlight some of the innovation that is taking place at the property?

I’m particularly proud of our Peninsula Time program. We were one of the first to implement the flexible check-in/check-out policy, which allows guests to stay with us on their own schedule. With this program, guests can check-in and out at any hour of the day or night for no additional fee. When they book a room, suite, or villa, it is theirs for a full day and night – even if they check in at 8 am on Day 1 and check out at 10 pm on Day 2. This offers the ultimate luxury – time.

Would you highlight your suites and touch on how they help differentiate the property?

This year, in celebration of the City of Beverly Hills’ Centennial, we participated in a hospitality promotion with the city to redesign a suite that pays homage to the birth of modern luxury in the 1990s – the decade in which the hotel opened. Named ‘Suite 100,’ this space is the embodiment of modern Hollywood luxury and features an entry upholstered in crimson leather, photographic murals depicting an actual Red Carpet arrival moment, dramatic black wood floors, sumptuous seating in lush velvet and silk fabrics, and a dining table that is lit by a sparkling crystal ring chandelier.

Our four signature suites were recently renovated, each with its own distinct color palette – subtle rose, tranquil blues, relaxing greens, and fresh whites, respectively. The spacious one-bedroom suites feature fireplaces and are accessorized with an eclectic collection of books and objets d’art to create a homey atmosphere for guests. Combining classic elegance with state-of-the-art televisions and audio systems, the suites also feature modern kitchens outfitted with the latest Viking and Sub-Zero appliances.

The Peninsula Villa Suites are freestanding villas set amidst lush tropical gardens. These suites are naturally light and airy with Oriental rugs on light hardwood floors in the living area, bringing the balmy Californian outdoors inside through a spacious garden view balcony. The suites have their own private and discreet side entrances and can connect to the Peninsula Villas to cater for larger groups. Separate living and sleeping areas provide plenty of room for families to share and a complimentary luxury vehicle is also available for guest use with reservation of the Villa Suites.

A grand double staircase leads up through the hotel garden to the private entrance of the two-bedroom, three-bathroom Presidential Villa. At 2,336 square feet, the Peninsula Villa is our largest guest accommodation, offering total privacy in a two-story bungalow setting. Guests enter a rotunda with a starburst-patterned, parquet-wood floor, its curved walls decorated with Chinoiserie panels in luminous cerulean blue. In the living room, the seating area is complemented by buff velvet upholstery, a hand-knotted carpet in soft blues and greens and a collection of Chinese blue and white porcelain. A two-level terrace features a mosaic-tile-backed Jacuzzi hot tub. The dining room, with a view of a private garden, features a crystal chandelier and gold-leaf-framed Chinoiserie panels. The bedrooms include a master suite with soft beige textured silk walls, crisp garden prints and a king-sized bed, and a guest bedroom with double canopied beds. An adjacent one-bedroom villa suite can be connected to create a three-bedroom villa.

Would you provide an overview of your spa facilities at The Peninsula Beverly Hills and how critical is it to provide this offering in the luxury segment?

The spa features seven treatment rooms and two nail suites; a fitness center with a comprehensive array of cardiovascular and weight-training equipment; a Serenity Lounge; and private men’s and women’s changing rooms with exquisite relaxation areas and steam rooms. We’re thrilled to be the first spa in the world to introduce the revolutionary Wellness Wave massage treatment table technology, which we recently debuted.

Peninsula Hotels has three properties in North America – Chicago, New York, and Beverly Hills. Are there certain characteristics that link the three properties or is there more of a focus on each local market?

As Asia’s oldest luxury hotel brand, it’s no secret that service is a critical differentiator of The Peninsula Hotels. Each property is a blend of the best Eastern and Western hospitality imaginable in an atmosphere of unmatched, classical grandeur and timeless elegance. Service, meticulous attention to detail, and a desire to create memories for our guests are the top characteristics.

What are your key priorities for The Peninsula Beverly Hills to ensure that you maintain your market leadership?

The key priorities of The Peninsula Beverly Hills always begin and end with our guests – our goal is to provide them with the most exceptional service imaginable. In addition, we make it our priority to be highly attuned to our staff – by understanding their needs and challenges, we are able to retain talent, ultimately enhancing the guest experience.•