Flipkens at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Greetings. Global Chick here on my way to and from clay events by way of a quick trip to Los Angeles. ( Love that the tennis channel is here ) I’m staying @ Beverly Hills Hotel for probably my last time. My old routine used to be I’d check into the hotel. Say hi to Mitchell at his desk , see if Brandon was around to take me to my room. I’d shower , stretch and zoom to a hit with ” The Chief “.
That would be Alex Olmedo who in 1959 won Wimbledon. The Chief was a great guy to hit with. The best flat ball ever. You could have the rally last and last. Stop and have some chilled oranges. Hear Alex talk about back in the day. He had the tennis concession there thru three owners. But that’s a sad story. The Sultan ripped the courts out to build huge bungalows on steroids.
Tennis courts aren’t for revenue they are an amenity at a five star hotel in Los Angeles or anywhere in the world ? Does the hotel gym make money ? Of course not. But it’s there for the guest use. Interesting concept if you are in the hospitality industry. Ok. I digressed. So I can no longer hit that awesome flat ball with Alex. Jon Lovitz is no longer a daily fixture there … He would dine at the snack bar or the pool cabana cafe or the polo lounge straight from the courts after his daily workout with Alex.
So would Summer Redstone and Katherine Hepburn and you name it they were there. Roger Federer was staying at the hotel with Mirka a few years back they were in town visiting Anne and Kirk Douglas when Roger strolled over to the courts to say hi to Alex. Roger actually looked at Alex and quizzically asked “you only one Wimbledon once ?” That’s a classic. So the courts are gone. ( about 3 years now ) How’s that possible when the hotel is under historical preservation ? Mystery to everyone ? Except they had moved the courts from the original location during the hotels two year remodel under the Sultans ownership. Why did I love those old courts ? What tennis nerd doesn’t love old courts ? They were great. Built well. High fences. And nice and cool north/ south courts. Alex had a small shop that he sold basics. Balls. Shoes. Shirts ,shorts. The balls were Wilson a nice shade of light pink.
Katherine Hepburn at the hotel.
I worked there on Saturdays with David Olmedo , Alex’s younger brother who followed him from their home in Peru. The Beverly Hills Hotel is a gem . When it’s gone it’s gone. When these “Boycotters ” win and the hotel doors are shut it will change nothing for the Sultan . His country. His ideas and his rulings. Hollywood celebs does this action really make you all feel better ? More important ? Jay Leno work on your cars. Leave this to the global community to unite against the uncivilized law of Sharia ?
The hotel was 102 years old last weekend. The hotels owner the Sultan of Brunei doesn’t understand his Los Angeles market. His Dorchester group has two hotels here. The Bel Air . And the Pink Palace. The two hotels are both beautiful. But so different. Different clientele. Different scene. Hey it’s Los Angeles. The Dorchester group literally destroyed the charm of both hotels over the years. Is destroyed a big word? Yes. But it’s true. They look like nice high end ritzy places but they look generic or cookie cutter. Zero personality.
The only part of the pink palace they didn’t ruin was the Polo Lounge . And it was set for a “make over ” but was saved by a New York Times article. Thank you for that ! The room rates we won’t discuss. The food rates are way too high and the food is so so at best , other than the best breakfast in town.For lunch the Mc carthy salad is the only winner. The burgers are yuk and they were the best for years. So why am I here. Easy. Back to the start. The staff. The Pink Palace itself. It’s sacred ground. It’s 102 years old. In America that’s unheard of !
So why is this town so fickle ? Why the boycott ? Why the possibility that it’s my last stay here ? Because the Sultan is the ruler of Brunei as well as the owner of the hotel. He does what he wants. All royalty pretty much does. (Divine right of Kings)
There’s really a simple solution : America don’t sell your treasures to foreigners ! The city of Beverly Hills is turning it’s back on its oldest resident. Why ? How can you ? Hypocrites ! Phonies ! Small minded people ? ( it’s so Hollywood ) The hotel made Beverly Hills – Beverly Hills.
What’s going on with the city council the residents ? Save this treasure ! Shame on The agents. The agencies. The “talent “(the stars) that have been told stay way. Boycott till the Sultan changes his mind ? Jay Leno and Mavis Leno we know you were well meaning. But really. Jay try to help the NBA get rid of Donald Sterling and maybe you can bother a King after you perfect tour diplomatic skills ?
Would any reasonable intelligent person accept how he intends to rule his country. Not me or any reasonable logical person. . But hello. It’s the Jumeriah Essex House ? It’s the Emirates that’s all over the back windscreen in Rome tennis and other ATP/ WTA “combined events ” How can people be so hypocritical. ? Hollywood has always lacked loyalty.
But the citizens and businesses in Beverly Hills boycott only hurts the very Loyal & hardworking employees. If this boycott which is in its second week hits a two month mark or more we are fairly certain the hotel will close. End of an era. End of story. The Pink Palace was closed by a small group that held signs and protested . It will close because it’s so called friends in the Beverly Hills City Council made it a ghost town. There’s wonderful hardworking waiters and housekeepers and bellman and parking guys going why ? Why us ? Why not the Dorchester in London ? Or the Bel Air just a few miles down Sunset ? Where is the hotels manager making statements ? Don’t they have a PR firm ? Wake up. This is not the way to deal with this situation. Think globally folks. We are all in this together. We all need to accept that we might Blink and the World Famous Beverly Hills Hotel is gone. …. And if it’s walls could talk what would the Pink Palace Say ? Sultan : You didn’t get the shade of pink right either , you made it salmon colored. Faded salmon color.
Editors note : There are no tennis courts at any hotels in Los Angeles. Where had the Beverly Hills hotel guests been playing since the courts got the heave ho? They get offered reservations at a public Facilty.
http://nypost.com/2014/05/17/a-night-at-the-deserted-blacklisted-beverly-hills-hotel/. This is the best explanation and article we’ve read yet about a very sad situation.
Topics: 10sballs, Beverly Hills, global chick, Tennis, Tennis News
BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL , BEVERLY HILLS CALIFORNIA 90210 “GLOBAL CHICKS” LAST VISIT TO THE PINK PALACE – http://t.co/JqhDyTvDNl