California
- Beverly Hills Hotel
- Beverly Hills
- Opened: 1912
In a state as vast and iconic as California, there are bound to be some
snubs. The Coronado in San Diego, the Claremont in Berkeley, the
Biltmore in Santa Barbara. But nowhere exudes Hollywood celebrity like
the Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows, a 208-room, 28-bungalow
pink-and-green legend that fueled celebrity gossip decades before TMZ.
This is the place where John Lennon and Yoko Ono holed up for weeks to
escape the press. Where Nixon's chief of staff learned about Watergate,
and where the picture on the cover of the Eagles' Hotel California was shot. You can check it out anytime you like.
Nevada
- Bellagio
- Las Vegas
- Opened: 1998
In a city filled with famous structures from other cities, perhaps the
most recognizably Vegas are the fountains outside this 3,950-room
behemoth. The hotel was the setting for the remake of Ocean's 11,
and is probably the most photographed place in Sin City after the
famous welcome sign. A trip to the buffet here might be the most
overwhelming dining experience of your life. Another fun fact: The
original name of this hotel was supposed to be Beau Rivage, a name Steve
Wynn instead used for his Mississippi project, which is now the most
iconic hotel in that state.