Fairmont Breakers Long Beach
Long Beach, CA
Originally opened in 1926 at the height of the Roaring Twenties, Fairmont Breakers Long Beach is a legendary Southern California hotel that once played host to Tinseltown’s finest. In its heyday, The Breakers Hotel boasted a star-studded guest list, featuring such names as Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, Rita Hayworth, Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor, and John Wayne. And its signature lounge—the Art Deco-themed Sky Room, the brainchild of renowned hotelier Conrad Hilton—was the favorite date spot for celebrities and Los Angeles locals alike. Sadly, economic misfortune befell the hotel in the mid-20th century, causing it to shutter in the early 1960s. In the intervening years, the structure served as a retirement community and an assisted living facility, a shell of the grand hotel it once was. Still, many recognized its prominent place in the area’s history, designating the storied, then-vacant building a Long Beach Historical Landmark in 1988. Then, in 2017, local businessman and philanthropist John Molina convinced his business partners to purchase the structure and embark on a years-long, $150-million renovation to restore the Long Beach landmark to its former glory. Today, Fairmont Breakers Long Beach once more carries on the tradition of excellence that began almost a century ago. It welcomes guests with 185 boutique guestrooms and suites, a two-story spa, a live jazz club, breathtaking vistas of the Pacific Ocean from the rooftop pool and lounge, and five culinary venues - including, of course, the iconic Sky Room restaurant.