My domestic editorial trips don’t always inspire as much envy as my international forays, but when I told friends and family that my next destination was Beverly Hills, oohs and aahs were the inevitable responses. Stars were in their eyes, but I was excited to experience tthe hotels. This small city within a city contains three remarkable urban resorts that we rate at 97 or higher, an astonishing concentration rivaled only in Paris.

A fourth hotel has been an object of curiosity for several years. Because we give high ratings to various Maybourne hotels, like Claridge’s in London and The Maybourne Riviera overlooking Monaco, members and colleagues have wondered why we don’t recommend the company’s hotel in Beverly Hills. It was time to pay the property an incognito visit.

The Maybourne Beverly Hills

This 204-room Spanish Colonial-style hotel has a prime location in the Golden Triangle, in easy walking distance to the shopping of Rodeo Drive. Back when Montage managed the property, it failed to impress us, but the reputation and deep pockets of Qatari-owned Maybourne gave me high hopes that this latest incarnation would be a major improvement.

We pulled into the driveway, populated mostly by cars costing in the six figures, and valets bustled right over to us. A grand flower arrangement added a burst of color to the white-and-beige lobby, and bright, high-quality contemporary art enlivened the hallways. Noticing the beamed ceilings and arches, I said, “This building isn’t historic, is it?” The courteous front desk staffer leading us up to our Terrace Room replied, “Sort of — it was built in 2008.”

The lodging’s location on the third floor meant that our spacious terrace, furnished with a table and two chairs, had views of just the entrance courtyard and a snippet of Canon Drive. (Rooms on higher floors tend to have smaller balconies but broader outlooks.) Still, our terrace was a very pleasant place to enjoy the bottle of Laurent-Perrier Champagne we received as part of the rate our Travel Office booked, as well as a relaxed room-service breakfast one morning.

Editor Photos (slideshow below)

Inside, our accommodation had all the right pieces, including a walk-in closet with ample wooden hangers and a bath with a Dyson hair dryer, a sizable shower stall and even a heraldic mosaic over the separate tub. Yet it lacked glamour. In the mostly colorless room, the gray settee had a cheap-feeling faux-leather cushion, and the browns of the bath looked dated. Only a framed print and an abstract painting provided any visual interest. Fortunately, the soundproofing and comfortable bed enabled us to sleep well.

We felt much more “Hollywood” on the hotel’s top floor, where industry types dined on delicious modern Italian food with sweeping views at Dante and relaxed by the small rooftop pool, either in umbrella-shaded loungers or cabanas.

Breakfasting on the patio facing the fountain in Beverly Cañon Gardens was also a pleasure — service was friendly and efficient, and my omelet was impeccable. After wine-soaked dinners at La Dolce Vita and Funke (see my nearby restaurant reviews), I lacked the liver capacity to try the Maybourne Bar or the wood-paneled Whisky Bar, but we did take time to unwind in the sprawling cellar spa. The grand hot tub, backed by a towering wall of inlaid stone panels, was irresistible. Once inside, I couldn’t help but notice missing tiles and a couple of sections that needed a scrub.

The Maybourne Beverly Hills doesn’t compete with our other recommendations nearby, but for those keen on walking to shopping and restaurants — I certainly am — the hotel offers a comfortable and well-serviced base from which to do so.