You could say that showbiz as we know it would not exist without the Chateau Marmont Hotel. No other Los Angeles lodging can compete with its 90-plus-year legacy of sin, sex, Hollywood intrigue and general bad behavior by the rich and famous, shielded by a code of silence among the staff. Yet somehow the Chateau remained accessible to the rest of us, at least those who could afford rates as steep as its perch above the Sunset Strip.
Now that access is going away for ordinary folk. This week, owner Andre Balazs announced plans to convert the 1929 French-inspired landmark to a members-only hotel for a high-end clientele.
Read the full story on my Forbes site.