Ignazio and Maggio Cipriani, the fourth generation of one of Italy’s most famous hospitality families, opened their first American hotel, Mr. C Beverly Hills, when they were just 23 and 21 respectively. In just a few years, the young brothers proved they could uphold the Cipriani name, maintaining an infallible dedication to service, comfort, and elegance. While the hotel was designed for modern travelers—it occupies a high-rise building near Rodeo Drive with commanding views of Los Angeles, and is equipped with an array of contemporary amenities—what stands out is a reverence for timeless European glamour. There’s the marble-floored, wood-paneled lobby featuring a baby grand piano and Murano glass chandeliers, the rooms furnished with tufted leather headboards, beveled mirrors and black-and-white photographs of Italian celebrities from the 50s and 60s, and the teak pool deck flaunting overstuffed daybeds and cabanas swathed in canvas cloths. The Ciprianis are proud custodians of a rich heritage that began in 1931, when a bartender named Giuseppe opened Harry’s Bar in Venice, which became the purlieu of Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, and Orson Welles, planting the seeds for a hotel and restaurant empire that spans several continents.
What stands out at Mr. C Beverly Hills is a reverence for timeless European glamour.
In addition to an enviable list of distinguished patrons, Harry’s Bar owes its reputation to two distinctive recipes: the Bellini and the beef carpaccio. The fist, a mixture of white peach nectar and sparkling prosecco, was named after the fifteenth-century Venetian painter, Giovanni Bellini. The second, a plate of gossamer-thin raw sirloin topped with a sauce made of mayonnaise, vegetable stock, and Worcestershire sauce, was invented for an Italian countess whose doctor forbade her to eat cooked meat. According to Mr. Cipriani’s memoirs (''L'angolo dell' Harry's Bar''), after he came up with the dish, he thought of Italian painter, Vittore Carpaccio, who was famous for his love of deep red hues. Both of these classics have been replicated throughout the world, yet you can only get the original, perfectly executed versions at one of the splendid properties helmed by Giuseppe Cipriani’s descendants. Grab a stool at the bar of Mr. C’s Lobby Lounge to start the evening with a sweet, tart, and refreshing bellini—a cocktail that is often served during brunch, but is also delicious as a dinner aperitif—then head to the main restaurant for Italian specialties like tagliolini with veal ragú, bucatini all'amatriciana, or grilled branzino served with peperonata. All preceded by an order of carpaccio, naturally.
To learn more about Mr. C Beverly Hills please contact the concierge upon making a reservation.
