On Oscar Weekend, after stalking the red carpet, I recommend hotel-hopping your way through Hollywood and Beverly Hills for optimal star viewing! The Chateau Marmont, the Mondrian, the Sunset Tower Hotel, the Regent Beverly Wilshire, and the Beverly Hills Hotel are all prime celebrity viewing locations – and most have extremely friendly staff – except for the Chateau Marmont. The Chateau is a notorious celebrity hangout and was home to Lindsay Lohan for a few years, but the staff there seems to go out of their way to make non-famous guests feel unwelcome. That’s probably why celebs like the place so much. 🙂
The Mondrian, on the other hand, is a great place to star gaze. Last year, while driving on Sunset Boulevard the day before the Oscars, we noticed a huge crowd of paparazzi standing outside the Philippe Starck designed hotel. It turns out Posh Spice was having lunch inside! We went in and, sure enough, there was Victoria Beckham, much taller than I expected and a whole lot better looking. She didn’t have that robotic look in person that she usually has in all her paparazzi photos. She seemed really friendly and was giggling with a friend and hotel security over the pandemonium she had caused outside. We also saw Spike Lee, who is a frequent guest of the Mondrian’s Asia de Cuba restaurant. The Mondrian staff could not have been nicer – the gift shop attendant told us a really long story about Britney Spears, who had just recently shaved her head and had shown up at the hotel in her infamous pink wig, sans credit card, cash or an ID, demanding a room and a free bathing suit! Ah, Britney!
The final stop on your Oscar tour must be the Beverly Hills Hotel, as every Saturday night before the Oscars, the famous “Night Before” party is held by the hotel’s pool. Without a room, the hotel staff will not allow you to hang out in the lobby when the stars start arriving for the big shindig, but don’t worry – most of them venture into the hotel’s Polo Lounge for a drink beforehand. So just park yourself on a bar-stool and you’re virtually guaranteed a star sighting! Last year, dining among us were Paris Hilton, Reese Witherspoon, Russell Simmons, Elle Macpherson and billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, owner of the MGM Grand Hotel.
A Few Oscar Weekend Stalking Tips:
1. Book your hotels early! Anyone who is anyone will be in town for Oscar Weekend, so hotels book up quickly. I would suggest staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel or the Mondrian. The staff at both are extremely friendly, the restaurants and bars are exceptional, and both hotels are beautiful. If you can’t stay at these hotels, or don’t want to spend the money, be sure to at least visit both on your stalking adventures!
2. Drive around Hollywood and Beverly Hills as much as you can and keep your eyes peeled for paparazzi. If you notice a large group of people standing outside the entrance to a hotel or restaurant, stop and go in! There is most definitely a celeb inside! Paparazzi, on the whole, are not very nice people, but if you smile, they will usually tell you who they are waiting around for.
3. Get your hair or nails done at a ritzy Beverly Hills salon – but be prepared to drop some coins! Everyone gets gussied up for Oscar Weekend, so if you are lucky, you just might be getting your French Manicure next to Jennifer Aniston.
4. Whatever you do, don’t forget your camera!! This is one occasion where you will NOT want to miss out on taking pictures! You just never know who you are going to run into! 🙂
5. Don’t be afraid to ask hotel staff and security about celebs. Most are extremely friendly and love to share their stories.
Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂
Stalk It: While hotel-hopping, be sure to hit up Chateau Marmont (8221 Sunset Blvd.), Sunset Tower Hotel (8358 Sunset Blvd.), The Mondrian Hotel (8440 Sunset Blvd.) and The Beverly Hills Hotel (9641 Sunset Blvd.) – the site of the annual “Night Before” party. This year the “Night Before The Night Before” party is scheduled to take place on Friday, February 22nd, at Wolfgang Puck’s eatery Cut, located inside the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel – the very same hotel where Richard Gere wooed Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. The Regent Beverly Wilshire is located at 9500 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.