I've been coming to LA on business & for the odd holiday for over 14 years. I stay with friends more often than not but I've also used several of the "go-to/must-stay/blah-blah" hotels here (I won't be mentioning or dissing any of them.)

I needed to come back to LA on business this month but decided to extend my stay for a little vacation time too. I'd heard about Mr C & was intrigued by it's locality - it's in Beverly Hills, so it's not surrounded by flashing neon & wide-eyed tourists gasping at their Star Maps - but it's close enough should you be unable to resist the temptation to drive past & point at a house where 'somebody' actually lives! Saying that, if the roles were reversed, I suspect Mr C would be the hotel that those 'somebodies' might drive past & point at. Because it is a GREAT hotel...the best I've stayed at in LA...it feels unique without trying too hard.

There is a surprising (but most welcome) lack of pretence here - from the subtly grand entrance & the efficient valets waiting to greet you; to the bar & waiting staff; the reception staff & the exceptional concierge. I don't recall ever being in a hotel, where the bar greets you before the reception desk (or indeed hides it from view) - but on reflection, this seems to be the entire attitude of this hotel. It's like they know that they're cool & fancy, they know that we know that they're cool & fancy but they want you to know that it's cool to be cool about them being cool & fancy - because they think that you are cool & fancy for being there.

You are just plain old 'welcome' here (e.g. - I found out that the space-age pool table in the lobby cost upwards of $50,000 but no-one scowls at you for playing on it...it looks like (& is) a work of art but "it is a pool table, that is used to play pool on!")

The hotel has the feel of a members club, where no-one needs to check your card to let you in. It's friendly, it's cool, it's business & it's family.

Oh & did I mention that the C stands for Cipriani? The food is good. The food is very very good. Mr C pizza is the one!

If you come to LA often or if you've never been, I can't recommend this hotel highly enough.

And I said I wouldn't diss any of the other hotels that I've stayed at here....so I'll veil my thoughts thinly...whatever you've heard, whatever you've been told, Mr C Beverly Hills, is 'More' Seasons.

We stayed at Mr. C in October 2011 for 3 nights. The room was exactly as it is on their website photos. Lovely room which was spacious and very clean, nice leather sofas etc. This hotel gives a personal touch service to its guests, for example the manager himself welcomed us and showed us up to our room and drinks offered on arrival. The Concierge staff gave us an excellent service, booked our restaurants, taxis, and universal studio tour etc. The bed is turned down for you and the newspaper is always delivered in a little cotton bag hung on the door. Very polite courteous staff.

On the down side there are no tea and coffee facilities in the room. Food and drink are typical five star prices, we had breakfast in the restaurant for two people which cost just over $50 - I think it was $7 for a cup of coffee (small). In the morning the hotel do put out some complimentary coffee which you could go down and get to bring back to your room but we only found out about this on the last day.

In terms of location this hotel is in a residential area and NOT near any tourist type of places if that is what you want to do - i.e. hollywood/sunset boulevard/universal studios/Downtown LA etc. Rodeo Drive is about 15/20 minute walk but the hotel really is located in a residential area - so be warned as taxi fares can start adding up - there is a house car which takes you within 3 miles of the hotel but this is not always available.

We ate at STK in West Hollywood - food lovely, typical five star prices. We also had dinner at the Beverly Wilshire hotel and got a window seat looking onto Rodeo Drive. I was extremely disappointed with the food - I think they just re-heated the mash potato the food was very, very average and not of a high standard. We went to downtown LA and ate at the nickel diner - I had an avocado dish, it was delicious and soooooooo cheap. We didn't feel very safe in downtown LA probably because we have never been before and ventured down some dodgy blocks, needless to say we swiftly turned back. Also went to Universal Studios for the first time and thought it was brilliant.

Overall lovely, clean hotel with very polite courteous staff.