Marmont Chateau Hotel

Lunch at Chateau Marmont Hotel 

Last October, Don and I managed to pull off a quick lunch adventure at this iconic West Hollywood hotel. 

The castle-like hotel rising above Sunset Boulevard, opened  in 1929.

From Hotel to Hotel

We were staying at another epic Hollywood hotel. Both have lots of Hollywood history, but the Roosevelt had prices we could afford. 

Since we couldn't afford to stay at The Chateau for $700 to $1,400 a night, we decided to make a lunch memory instead.

Ubering in Style
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It was early afternoon on a Tuesday. Don and I stood on Hollywood Boulevard waiting for our Uber. A bright red Tesla pulled up. That felt a little snazzier than our Subaru. (This was before 2024 election...)

It was a short drive. I hoped we'd  spot the grand hotel as we approached, but it seemed to be blocked by walls and jungly growth. Suddenly we turned in, beside a valet parking tent.

The neon sign with arrow, was classic. 

Finding the Entrance

I wasn't too sure what we were in for, when the driver dropped us off.  I'd read about the strict privacy policies. The hotel has long been considered a haven for the elite. A place where celebrities can relax without being asked for an autograph. At least our Tesla made us look less likely to be one of those  celebrity seekers, than if we'd arrived in a car with Texas plates, filled with road trip junk.

There was no grand hotel entrance. In fact it wasn't exactly obvious where we were supposed to go. Luckily we guessed right and didn't have to wander like lost tourists.

A Step Back in Time

Suddenly we found ourselves in a dim hallway with dark furniture and drapes. No bellhops or greeters. It felt more like a ritzy apartment complex. Maybe that's because it had originally been built to be just that.  

The carpets and rugs and plants made me think the interior hadn't been updated since it became a hotel in 1930. Except nothing smelled or felt old. It was the best kind of time warp. Sneaky updating and refinishing, without changing the charm of the past.

1944

As we moved towards the elevator, it felt a little like I was visiting an old and wealthy great aunt... about 80 years ago. I knew it wasn't 1944 though. The drapes probably smelled of cigarette and cigar smoke back then.

The hotel's Bohemian vibe has evidently remained the same over the decades. The celebrities who frequent the place probably preferred it that way. I liked that it wasn't catering to tourists. I was excited (and maybe a tiny bit intimidated) about our 2:00 reservations!

The Front Desk

When the elevator opened at the ground floor, we casually walked towards the front desk, hoping to look like return guests. (I'm sure we fooled no one.)    

But we didn't know what we were doing, so we paused near the lovely desk, with its Gothic designs and brass bell and key boxes! A gentleman wearing many flashy gold pins (and earrings) greeted us. I wondered if this was the same man who answered my call for reservations. "Is this Beth?" the voice asked 2 hours earlier. I laughed and asked how he knew. "I was expecting your call." Hmm??

To the Courtyard

Don and I had just that morning, decided we should attempt a visit for lunch. We actually knew nothing about the hotel's restaurant. ​Was there an inside restaurant? Or was courtyard dining all the hotel offered? We were fine either way. Weather was lovely.

The man with pins and earrings was quite pleasant as he turned us over to a woman holding menus. She guided us through the lovely doorway, into a sunny courtyard.

We stepped out to a stone terrace with a fountain and columns and more plants. We found ourselves in a magical little paradise.

Perfect!

We were seated at a cafe table on the edge of the courtyard, beneath an elegant canvas tent. The view from our table was ideal.

There was no one behind us to notice my cellphone quickly capturing the yellow umbrellas and checkerboard pavement.

I was glad I'd been discreet, when I glanced at my menu and read a sentence at the bottom, "Please refrain from taking photographs and smoking." 

Besides the polite reminder, the menu offered a few lunch items within our budget. We could have enjoyed the most expensive burger in our ordering history. $42. Or maybe Petite Filet for $79. We chose a sandwich and a salad.

Fellow Diners

We placed our order with a welcoming young server, who did not seem to judge our light lunch order. The folks at nearby tables also didn't seem to judge. But I certainly wanted to stare and maybe judge them. Everyone looked like they could be somebody!

The other tables were too busy to notice the nearby Texas tourists. They were sipping wine and staring at laptops, or leaning over to greet other tables, or conversing quietly about important matters. They were far too busy  "working" or socializing to notice my clothes were from Marshall's. I was not fooled by the casual jeans and sneakers I saw. The haircuts, the handbags, the sunglasses... all  from fancy-fancy stores, I'm sure.

​Hollywood Celebs

I didn't actually expect to see celebrities. I was content thinking about the classic Hollywood stars (Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo... Paul Newman) who were drawn to The Chateau long ago. It's the stories that go along with the stars that fascinates me.

F Scott Fitzgerald wrote here... Tony Randall enjoyed sunbathing nude here... Bette Davis fell asleep with a lit cigarette and almost burned the place down... Sidney Portier was welcomed here in 1950 after being turned away from other Hollywood hotels... Humphrey Bogart hid out  here with young Lauren Bacall... Lindsey Lohan lived here until she was kicked out... Beyounce and Jay Z had a big Oscar's bash here... John Belushi died from an overdose here... James Dean stayed here before his fatal car crash.

I was content just knowing stories, bu​t then a couple of celebrities (that we actually recognized) walked into the courtyard. Keegan-Michael Key & Christian Slater joined a young woman for lunch, at a table right in front of us. I was good. My photos are from the internet. Woohoo! A sighting!

Quick Dash

The service was a bit on the slow side, so I made a trip to the Ladies Room. 

Powdering my nose is often an excuse I use, to explore. Especially when visiting an exclusive place where wandering is possibly frowned upon. (Unless you're a hotel guest) I took a quick pic of the lobby lounge, which allowed me to absorb details later.

Powder Pink

The soft pink and silver gray bathroom was lovely.

I powdered my nose and took my time returning to our table.

Small Bar

My blurred bar photo shows that I was rushing. One quick snap, before the men seated nearby saw my phone. 

Another rushed photo in the corner of the lounge, since the man seated moments before had vacated. That retro piano bar was quiet at that moment.

I wondered if the piano and velvet stools were original? Did Duke Ellington, Britney Spears, Bob Dylan or Led Zeppelin sing here, during their stays? 

Fancy Tent

I returned to Don in our elegant tent and the food still had not arrived.

He looked very relaxed as he gazed over towards our 2 celebrities. Chances are quite good that there were other important people... writers, directors, actors I don't recognize. 

Food!

​Food arrived. Don's turkey club for $32.00 was pretty snazzy with marbled bread, pickles and asparagus. I'm not quite sure what he's doing with his fork.

My Greek Salad for $26. was not large, but it was healthy and fresh and tasty.

Until I bit into an un-chewable piece of wilted lettuce, which turned out to be a paper receipt. Our server was as surprised as me. She offered to get me a new salad, but I declined. I was almost done and had sort of lost my appetite. When she brought the check she apologized again and said the salad was removed from the check. Maybe I should have made a big fuss and gotten something more exciting. 

​Wandering Our Way Out

We settled up with our server, then took our time leaving the hotel. We took the stairs, for a change of scenery.

We stepped outside and felt pretty pleased with ourselves that we'd had a dining adventure with celebrities and a free salad.

As we walked out towards the valet stand, I shook my head laughing. "Do you realize how lucky our server was, that I was the diner who ended up with paper in her salad?!" I've waited tables. I understand it wasn't her fault. But I can picture some of those other diners, not being so easygoing about the incident.

We walked out towards Sunset Boulevard to order an Uber. I told Don we should keep walking until we had a full view of the hotel.

It took a while before we were far enough away to see this fun image. I tried to imagine nearly a century ago, when the hotel was new and Sunset Boulevard was yet to be paved. Instead of Teslas and Subarus, there might have been a Ford Model A or a Packard, traveling along the boulevard, in West Hollywood!

What a fun adventure!
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