Located at the intesection of Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard, The Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel is an iconic address in Beverly Hills. The historic property has also made multiple on-screen cameos in Hollywood, serving as the primary filming location for Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, in addition to appearances in Clueless, Entourage, Sex and the City: The Movie, and many other movies and shows.

The hotel even offers a special “Pretty Woman” For a Day Experience that includes a behind-the-scenes tour of Rodeo Drive’s most famous fashion houses, an exclusive dining experience, spa treatments, and more!

Spa Profile: The Spa at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel

Recently, I paid a visit to The Spa at Beverly Wilshire, which was awarded Forbes Travel Guide’s coveted Five Star rating for the fourth year in a row. The Forbes Travel Guide Award is the global benchmark for luxury travel, and represents a service culture that is genuine and trusted. I was looking forward to spending the better part of my day being pampered at the award-winning spa and enjoying all of the incredible amenities that it had to offer.

Here’s what you’ll love about The Spa at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel: 

• Located at the intersection of Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, is an iconic and historic luxury destination in Beverly Hills that has served as the backdrop for many televisions shows and movies, including Pretty Woman and Clueless.

• Since opening in 1928, the hotel has been a mainstay for Hollywood celebrities and royalty from around the world.

• The property’s other amenities include four on-site luxury retail stories, the Michelin-starred CUT by Wolfgang Puck, The Blvd Lounge, and more.

• The expert Les Clefs d’Or Concierge team can personalize your experience based on your interests, ranging from private-shopping trips with a personal shopper to wine tastings and helicopter tours.

• The Spa at Beverly Wilshire has received the coveted Five Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide for the fourth year in a row.

• Known as the “Jewelry Box of Beverly Hills,” the Spa at Beverly Wilshire features crystal accents throughout the luxurious space and its treatments, including one of the largest amethyst geodes in California.

• Special spa features and amenities include an aromatherapy crystal steam room, ice fountain, and experience shower with multiple settings.

• Spa guests also receive complimentary access to the Mediterranean-style outdoor swimming pool, which is modeled after the pool at actress Sophia Loren’s 16th-century Roman villa.

• The spa is best known for its hand-tailored treatments and team of service providers, led by Spa Treatment Supervisor Gillian Garcia, who has created many of the services on the menu specifically for guests.

• Directly across from the spa, the Nail Bar offers hand and foot treatments in a minimalist and chic setting, where guests can relax while watching reruns of Pretty Woman.

The hotel’s entrance offers guests an elegant welcome with grandiose gates inspired by Buckingham Palace, a cobblestone driveway with stone imported from Italy, gas lamps from Edinburgh, and an original El Camino Real bell marker. Even the elevators feature nice touches with two-toned walls and seating!

I parked in the valet and headed into the Beverly Wing, where the spa is located. At the Beverly Wilshire, guest rooms, suites and other amenities are located in two side-by-side buildings: the 10-story Wilshire Wing, which is the original building that faces Wilshire Boulevard, and the 14-story Beverly Wing, which is located behind it. Both buildings are conveniently connected by a porte-cochère, which resembles a covered bridge.

In the downstairs lobby of the Beverly Wing is the gift shop, which sells a variety of themed Four Seasons merchandise, as well as skin care and beauty products, apparel, and other gift items. There is also a retail section in the spa that offers products from brands used in the spa, including 111SKIN and Knesko.

Directly across the hallway from the spa is the Nail Bar, which features a chic and minimalist decor. There, guests can enjoy various hand-and-foot treatments while catching reruns of Pretty Woman on the flat-screen television!

Also on the same floor is the bi-level fitness center, which overlooks the pool deck and offers a wide range of cardio and weight training machines, as well as private yoga classes.

After checking in at the spa’s reception desk, I was led back to the women’s facilities, which are separate from the men’s. Both genders have locker rooms, changing and vanity areas, showers, wet rooms that include a eucalyptus steam room, ice fountain and experience shower, as well as a tranquility lounge.

Once I had changed into the comfortable robe and slippers that had been provided, I was ready to try out the various amenities in the spa. I made my way to the wet room, which offers three different experiences that guests can enjoy together as a journey or separately if they prefer.

In the wet room, there is a bar cart with complimentary bottles of water, as well as chilled hand towels and large bath towels. I grabbed one of the cold hand towels and headed into the eucalyptus steam room, which has comfortable heated benches and heated floors. I enjoyed staring up at the ceiling, which features 200 fiber optic lights that slowly change color—it felt like I was looking up at the stars!

The steam room also has white quartz crystal (known for its healing powers) and emits a soft ongoing steam that is evenly distributed throughout. In addition to promoting relaxation, the steam room also opens the skin’s pores to deep cleanse and encourage circulation. If you have bronchitis or other respiratory issues, steam inhalation is great!

After my steam session, it was time to cool off with the ice fountain, which is designed to be used after exiting the steam room. The glass bowl containing the flaked ice is equipped with sensors to eliminate overflow, and the ice is made fresh throughout the day.

I grabbed a handful of ice and gently rubbed it in an upwards motion on my arms and legs. Because the heat from the steam room dilates blood vessels, applying ice to the body helps clear arteries and is good for circulation, as well as inflammation.

For the final part of my wet room journey, I was going to try out the experience shower—which turned out to be my favorite. The shower featured three different settings (Cold Mist, Caribbean Rain and Atlantic Storm) and I tried all of them!

I started with the Caribbean Rain shower, which started out as a tropical drizzle then changed to a heavy warm rain. The lights transitioned from yellow to orange and red tones, and the shower ended with another tropical drizzle. The experience lasted for 45 seconds and it felt like I was bathing in the rain in a warm, tropical destination like Hawaii. I loved it so much that I did it twice!

Next was the Atlantic Storm shower, which lasted 52 seconds and began with a cold fog mist. Colors changed from green and purple to blue, which provided a stormy yet relaxing effect. The rain then changed to a “storm” with flashing lights, and the water temperature became a bit cooler with the addition of a breeze. Closing my eyes, I imagined I was caught in a rainstorm by the sea. Towards the end, the rain slowed down to a drizzle again, thereby concluding the storm.

For the final part of the shower experience, I pressed the Cold Mist button, which featured a fog effect and a light, cold mist that was quite refreshing. This would feel especially good on a super hot day or if you need that extra boost when waking up for work in the morning. The experience lasted for 37 seconds and ended with the cold fog mist gently fading away.

All in all, I loved the experience showers and would want to have something similar in my own home. And as it turns out, you can! There are many different companies that make various experience showers for the spa and home—check out one I found here.

Feeling refreshed from my multi-shower experience, I headed to the tranquility lounge before my treatment began. The lighting is dim to encourage relaxation and a variety of reading material is available. In addition to comfortable lounge beds with soft blankets, pillows and curtains between them for added privacy, there is also a table by the entrance that is stocked with a variety of snacks and beverages. Guests can sip on crystal-infused water and an assortment of hot teas, as well as dried fruits, nuts, chocolate and fresh apples.

I was then greeted by Gillian Garcia, the Spa Treatment Supervisor and Lead Spa Therapist, who would be performing my facial today. She has been nicknamed the “skin angel” by clients and has close to 20 years of experience at the Beverly Wilshire, so I knew I was in good hands!

She led me down the long hall leading to the treatment rooms, and at the end was a curved water wall with a stunning giant crystal on display in the center. The Spa at Beverly Wilshire features crystal accents throughout to ensure that a state of relaxation and wellness begins from the moment guests arrive to the moment they leave.

“The amethyst crystal located in the heart of our spa is considered one of the largest geodes in California,'“ Garcia explained. “Strategically placed to ensure its healing powers face all nine treatment rooms, the amethyst’s benefits also include promoting mental relaxation which reduces stress, a state of calmness, induces restful sleep, relaxes the nervous system, and boosts the immune system.”

My treatment room was equally calm and tranquil, and prior to beginning my service, Garcia and I discussed my skin’s needs and the goals for my treatment. I told her I have combination skin that tends to be oiler in some parts and drier in others, and I wanted to achieve a glowing complexion with a more even skin tone. Garcia told me that every service at the spa is customized according to each guest’s needs, and she was planning to do the exact same for my treatment in order to yield the best results.

Today I was receiving the Celestial Black Diamond Cryotherapy Facial, a 60-minute treatment that rejuvenates skin and promotes optimum collagen production. The treatment uses a variety of 111SKIN products—a line of luxury skin care that was founded in London by Dr. Yannis Alexandrides, a European and American board-certified cosmetic surgeon.

To cleanse my face, Garcia used 111SKIN Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser, followed by the Antioxidant Energizing Essence to tone the skin. One thing that’s truly special about this facial is how it incorporates diamond powder, which enhances the absorption of powerful ingredients such as licorice root extract, hyaluronic acid, retinol palmitate and others, which are worked into the skin via a unique massage that helps them penetrate the skin more deeply while at the same, encourages collagen production.

The other great aspect of this particular treatment is the cryotherapy, which is the application of chilled air combined with various facial techniques to stimulate circulation and regenerate skin’s appearance. Garcia started out by performing cryotherapy on my scalp, which I’ve never had before. It felt cool, refreshing, and made me feel more relaxed. She event pointed out that it helps to promote hair growth in the follicles!

While the 111SKIn Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask was on my face for several minutes, in lieu of a hand massage, Garcia offered to perform cryotherapy on my hands, which tend to be sore from overuse (all those hours on a computer!) It felt really nice and helps to reduce inflammation, which can provide effective pain relief. I immediately better afterwards!

Afterwards, she performed cryotherapy on my face. When she finished one side, Garcia handed me a mirror so that I could see the difference between the side of my face that had been treated with cryotherapy and the other side that hadn’t. The difference was dramatic. My right side that she had just performed cryotherapy on looked smooth and my pores were virtually non-existent—it was as if she had used a special Instagram filter. She then treated the other side, and afterwards my face looked and felt flawless!

Garcia pointed out that she performs this particular facial on many clients before red carpet appearances and events, as well as on the day of brides’ weddings. After witnessing the dramatic and stunning results firsthand, I was completely sold and knew that this would be a great treatment to get in the future when I have some big event or special occasion planned. To conclude my service, she applied 111SKIN Celestial Black Diamond Contour Gel under my eye area and a hydrating lip treatment and I was good to go.

After my treatment I was ready for lunch, so I headed over to the swimming pool, which is located on the same floor. The stunning pool is complimentary to spa guests and is inspired by actress Sophia Loren’s 16th-century Roman villa. There are abundant lounge chairs and umbrellas for relaxation, and guests can also upgrade to daybeds ($150) and private cabanas ($495), which include flat-screen televisions, cocktails and bottled water, amenity baskets, and more.

Bonus: Upon request, guests can enjoy pampering poolside spa treatments in the privacy of their cabana or on a lounger by the pool!

The Pool Bar & Cafe has a dining area on one side of the pool, or you can opt to order food and beverages from a lounge chair as I did. The menu features a variety of great cocktails, including the “Pretty Woman”—a combination of Belvedere vodka, Saint Germain, cranberry juice, lime juice and simple syrup. If you’re leaning towards a non-alcohol drink, they also serve tasty milkshakes and smoothies. I opted for a creamy banana smoothie with ice cream and it was absolutely delicious!

Food-wise there are plenty of great options, including salads, sandwiches, burgers, and other sides such as hummus with pita chips, sweet potato or truffle fries, and edamame with sea salt. I ordered the caesar salad with cilantro chicken yakitori teriyaki accompanied by truffle fries, which hit the spot.

After lunch and some leisurely lounging by the pool, it was time to head home. When I got back to my house, I opened the small bag that Garcia had given me upon my departure and was pleasantly surprised to find a bottle of custom-blended aromatherapy oil that she had created for me. It was a nice touch to complete my experience and I now keep the bottle next to my desk, so whenever I need a break I just inhale the intoxicating fragrance and apply it to my pulse points, which instantly takes me back to my amazing day at The Spa at Beverly Wilshire.

Cost: Black Diamond Infusion Facial (60 minutes, $440)

Insider Tips: 

• Valet parking is available and complimentary for spa guests who book a treatment that is 60 minutes or longer.

• Arrive 30 to 35 minutes early to enjoy the amenities, including the wet room and experience showers.

• Bring a swimsuit if you plan to relax by the swimming pool afterwards.

Hours: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Daily)

Address: 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Phone: 310-275-5200

Email: spa.beverlywilshire@fourseasons.com

For more information and to book your next treatment, visit the website. Follow the spa and hotel on Instagram: @thespabw @beverlywilshire

[Images by Kamala Kirk]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk