Chateau Marmont owner André Balazs has announced a new plan for his hotels.
The exclusive hotel, frequented by the Hollywood elites, is about to get even more exclusive. Hotelier André Balazs has revealed plans to turn L.A.’s iconic hotel into a private members club by the end of the year. Select members will pay annual membership fees to enjoy the hotel property with a vetted list of individuals—keeping the general public at bay. The concept has already been in the making for about three years and the pandemic has only sped things up, according to the Wall Street Journal.
As with most hotels, Chateau Marmont has seen a severe decline in guests due to COVID-19. Balazs sees this new model as a way of giving guests the reassurance they need to stay over. “Guests who know fellow guests and where they have been during the pandemic era are likely to have a higher level of psychological comfort when staying at the hotel,” he said.
Since reopening the hotel has reportedly scaled back and has been operating in a way that simulates a private member club, spurring the idea on further. Members would buy up shares in the hot piece of real estate and could treat it much like a second home (albeit with a few lingering guests), the Times reports.
If this endeavor proves successful, it would be swiftly rolled out in other cities like London, Milan, Paris and Tokyo.
If you haven’t had a chance to experience the 91-year-old castle-like hotel, your chances are looking significantly slimmer. However, you’ll still be able to marvel at its beauty in films like “La La Land” and “A Star Is Born.
Featured Image: Chateau Marmont