Bel Air is an affluent and exclusive faux-gated residential community in the Westside of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States
Alphonzo E. Bell, Sr. founded the community in 1923.  Bel Air is part of the so-called "Platinum Triangle," a term that refers to three adjoining communities: Bel Air, Beverly Hills and Holmby Hills.The community is approximately 17 miles (27 km) west of downtown Los Angeles and includes some of the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains and borders the north side of UCLA along Sunset Boulevard. At the heart of the community sits the ultra exclusive Bel Air Country Club and the Hotel Bel-Air.

Residences
Residences in Bel Air tend to be private and hidden from the winding roads of the community. Most homes are not visible to the naked eye, as they are hidden by well manicured hedges and gates. Residences range from modest ranch style homes, to multi-story configurations, to grand mansions. While some homes in Bel Air seem quite modest from the outside, often lying only six feet from the street they however, have large grounds. In general, the higher up the mountain, the smaller the building lot and more modest the homes; however, those residences along roads such as Stradella Road have magnificent views of the Los Angeles basin and Catalina Island. The most desirable homes are right off the main entrances of Bel Air and the country club entrance for these homes have both the views of the Bel-Air Country Club and the rest of Los Angeles. Lower Bel Air homes can sell for over $50 million. Many families prefer lower Bel Air because of its proximity to Sunset Boulevard, a major thoroughfare.

Multi-family housing is not permitted within the community, and strict ordinances regarding architectual styles, landscaping, and lot sizes exist to preserve the quality of life and character of Bel Air. Unlike Beverly Hills, Bel Air has no residential sidewalks in attempts to discourage the public from walking around the community. Bel Air is also heavily patrolled by local security companies to reinforce the safety and privacy of its residents.