READERS OF LA DOWNTOWN NEWS HAVE GREAT REASONS TO GIVE MULTIPLE AWARDS TO MILLENNIUM BILTMORE

In Addition to ‘Best Hotel,’ 2012 Kudos from Those Who Know Best Include 'Most Romantic,' 'Best Wedding Spot,' 'Best Hotel Bar,' and 'Best Private Event Venue'

NEW YORK (July 19, 2012) --- The Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles is, once again, the "Winner: Best Hotel" in downtown Los Angeles, according to the readers of LA Downtown News. But that's not all: those same readers, the people who know Los Angeles best, also just voted for the iconic property as the "Winner: Most Romantic Hotel," the "Winner: Best Private Event Venue," the "Reader-Recommended: Best Wedding Spot," and the Biltmore's stylish Gallery Bar was named the "Reader-Recommended: Best Hotel Bar" in downtown Los Angeles. The latest awards are featured in the July 18 issue of the weekly newspaper.

Some 150,000 readers of LA Downtown News have helped define what is best about downtown Los Angeles since 1972 because they know their home town best, and it is easy to see why the Biltmore consistently comes out on top. 

A downtown landmark since its completion in 1923 and the "star" of numerous movies and TV shows filmed at the property, the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles is where historic grandeur meets modern luxury, where unparalleled architecture provides an extraordinary setting for any occasion, and where "guest-centric" hospitality encompasses exclusive Club and Executive Level floors, a health club and fitness center, beauty salon, retail and specialty shops and, of course, distinctive fine dining and more. Perfect reasons to be recognized as the Best Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Why did the Biltmore win Most Romantic Hotel for the third year in a row? Aside from being magical from the minute a couple sets foot in the door, the hotel's Romance Package says it all: luxurious accommodations with a chilled bottle of Champagne and sumptuous dessert for two waiting; a full breakfast buffet for two in the elegant Smeraldi's Restaurant, and late checkout. There's also the Rendezvous Court where Afternoon Tea is served in style in a uniquely ornate setting, a rare treat in Los Angeles. And, with an architecturally stunning ballroom complete with vivid frescoes, historic charm and elegant décor, and the beautiful Rendezvous Court serving as the perfect venue for a memorable wedding photograph, it should not be surprising that the Biltmore also ranks at the top among wedding spots in L.A. 

The hotel's Gallery Bar owes its trophy as Best Hotel Bar to history – roots going back to the fabulous 1920s – as well as gorgeous wood paneling, intimate lighting and the latest in cocktail inventions, traditional favorites, provocative wines, a food and dessert menu, and live music on Friday and Saturday evenings. And, for groups and companies seeking the ideal venue for a special private event, the Biltmore wins top honors because of its 70,000 square feet of meeting and banquet rooms resplendent with hand-oiled wood paneling, ornate carvings, elegant frescoes and sparkling chandeliers. In short, LA Downtown News readers have heaped honors on the Biltmore because, for history, opulence, beauty, luxury and incomparable services, it is the Number One choice in town.

About The Millennium Biltmore Los Angeles
Known for its Spanish-Italian Renaissance-style architecture and spectacular ballrooms, The Millennium Biltmore has long been the "host of the coast" for high society, celebrities and conventioneers from around the globe.  Some of the famous films shot in the hotel include: Wedding Crashers, Dreamgirls, Spiderman, Ghostbusters, Chinatown, Bugsy, The Bodyguard, Beverly Hills Cop and Independence Day.

The stately 683-room property includes 27 one-bedroom suites and 28 Executive Suites. There is a Club Level on two floors and a Club Lounge featuring concierge service, breakfast and afternoon hors d’oeuvres and beverages. The hotel also features an Art Deco-inspired fitness center and beautiful indoor swimming pool, two lounges and in room dining.  

Dining and entertaining at the Biltmore is always an event -from fresh Italian and Continental fare at Smeraldi's and traditional afternoon tea in the famed Rendezvous Court, to creative Pan-Asian cuisine at Sai Sai Noodle Bar.  Considered one of downtown's best nighttime spots, the Gallery Bar is known for its signature martinis, vintage cognacs and select wine list, and enormously popular for weekly jazz on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, is a Historical Cultural Landmark designated by the City of Los Angeles. The hotel showcases numerous fine works of art, including a ceiling masterpiece in the Crystal Ballroom painted by Giovanni Smeraldi of Vatican fame.  Located just 20 minutes from LAX and Burbank airports, the property is conveniently located in the heart of Los Angeles amid the city's business, financial and cultural centers, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

About Millennium Hotels and Resorts
Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR), established in the United States in 2000, is the North American arm of Millennium and Copthorne Hotels plc (MLC). The MHR portfolio includes 14 hotels in the U.S. and over 100 hotels worldwide including United Kingdom, Singapore, Qatar, France, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, UAE, Thailand, China, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait. U.S. hotels include: Millennium Broadway Hotel, New York City, The Premier Hotel at the Millennium Broadway; Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, New York City; Millennium Hotel, Buffalo, New York; Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles; Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, Chicago; Millennium Bostonian Hotel, Boston; Millennium Hotel, Minneapolis; Millennium Hotel, St. Louis; Millennium Hotel, Cincinnati; Millennium Harvest House, Boulder; Millennium Hotel, Durham; Millennium Alaskan Hotel, Anchorage; Millennium Resort & Villas Scottsdale; and the Millennium Maxwell House, Nashville. For further information on Millennium Hotels and Resorts, call 866-866-8086 or visit www.millenniumhotels.com.