There are hotels, and then there are hotels, those grand, world-renowned establishments that have stood the test of time and become famous in their own right. They’re known for their exciting, exclusive locations, impeccable service, opulent decor, enigmatic histories, not to mention an evolving guest list of typically deep-pocketed clientele from royalty to film stars. Most in this league will have ensured their legacies live on, too, catering to every modern traveller’s whim while staying true to their heritage by refreshing the design with a nod to the original and incorporating modern amenities.
In my 15 years as a travel writer, I’ve visited hundreds of hotels, many for my book Grand Hotels of the World. When exploring a destination, I find it fun to seek out a famous hotel for a snoop, as I would a department store or gallery, and wander around the common spaces. Often I’ll stay for a drink in the bar or book in for a spa treatment for entry to those less open-armed to nosy tourists. There’s something endlessly exciting about escaping into these worlds of dazzling lobbies, uniformed bellboys, and jet-set guests. Especially, of course, if you’re lucky enough to be staying in one. These are my favourites.
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1. Waldorf Astoria New York, US
£££ | SPA | Best for city glam
New York has the lion’s share of glitzy, big-name hotels, so picking out one isn’t an easy task. There’s the screen-famous Plaza and the rock ’n’ roll Hotel Chelsea — but, for a taste of old New York high-society glamour, it has to be the Waldorf Astoria, which opened in its Park Avenue location in 1931 (the original site was razed for the Empire State Building). The gleaming Midtown property has been closed for eight years and is soon set to emerge from an epic revamp. The scale and beauty of the original art deco architecture has been retained, but refreshed with contemporary furnishings that pay homage to its heritage, including brass light fixtures and fluted columns.
The hotel reopens with fewer but more spacious rooms — 375 down from a whopping 1,400, which will be some of the largest in Manhattan (now taking reservations from September) — along with 375 private residences on its upper floors. Guests and residents alike are invited to unwind at the sumptuous Guerlain spa, throw parties at a new opera-inspired grand ballroom that is set to become the crown jewel of the New York society scene, and dine on creative, seasonal American classics at the two-storey, pastel-hued restaurant Lex Yard.
• Read our full guide to New York
2. Claridge’s, England
£££ | SPA | POOL | Best for impeccable service
Check into this five-star landmark in London’s Mayfair for a taste of timeless elegance, sophisticated luxury and faultless service. Entering through its famous revolving doors is a thrill: Claridge’s is one of the world’s grandest heritage hotels and has remained a magnet for royalty and celebrities since it opened in 1856. Even after its recent multi-million-pound mega refurb, which involved the addition of a subterranean spa, Claridge’s still feels firmly grounded in the Jazz Age, when it was transformed into an art deco icon with a new entrance, 80 more rooms and a striking ballroom.
Recently refreshed, pastel-coloured rooms remain true to the original style and come beautifully furnished with velvet chairs, period dressers and marble bathrooms. Meanwhile, its celebrated Foyer & Reading Room is a hit for breakfast, lunch and Claridge’s Afternoon Tea — a London institution with more than 20 flavours of tea to choose from, freshly baked scones and Claridge’s signature strawberry and vanilla jam, not to mention a delicate array of handmade pastries and dainty sandwiches.
• Read our full review of Claridge’s
3. Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons hotel, US
£££ | SPA | POOL | Best for old Hollywood charm
This gigantic Californian pad, perfectly positioned where the world-renowned shopping street Rodeo Drive meets Wilshire Boulevard, is most famous for being the Pretty Woman hotel. Despite its short amount of screen time — only the exterior and historic brass lift inside it featured, with many interior scenes filmed elsewhere — the Beverly Wilshire has become an essential stop for fans of the 1990 film. It became a Four Seasons hotel in 1992 (though the brand’s management is set to end in December), and is renowned for its exemplary service, destination spa and showstopping display of fresh florals atop a round table in the marble-floored main lobby. Less well known is that its Mediterranean-style pool is modelled after the one at Sophia Loren’s private villa in Italy.
Inside it’s a cosy, polished and tasteful affair, with a contemporary-design-meets-old-Hollywood feel. Elegant rooms in light greys are spread across two buildings: the 10-floor Wilshire Wing and the 14-floor Beverly Wing, split by a private driveway — El Camino Real — where uniformed car valets help illustrious guests make a discreet entrance or quick getaway.
• Read our full guide to Los Angeles
4. Raffles Singapore
£££ | SPA | POOL | Best for literature lovers and cocktail connoisseurs
Few hotels are more rich in history than this 115-suite grande dame surrounded by tropical gardens. It occupies an entire block of Singapore’s historic civic district, and has attracted the rich and famous since it opened in 1887. The white-fronted hotel counts writers Joseph Conrad, William Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling among its storied guests, all of whom have suites named in their honour.
Impressively refurbished with respect for its colonial heritage, elegant rooms blend high ceilings, ivory white walls, and dark teaks with historic features such as ceiling fans and oriental rugs. The hotel’s Long Bar is a popular spot: many visitors come simply for a taste of its Singapore Sling, the cocktail said to have been invented here in 1915 to resemble fruit juice for ladies who weren’t allowed to be seen drinking alcohol in public.
• Read our full review of Raffles Singapore
5. Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, Monaco
£££ | SPA | POOL | Best for people watching
A stay at this opulent five-star next to the Casino de Monte-Carlo gives you one of the city’s best locations, right on the F1 Monaco Grand Prix track. The hotel was built in 1864 by the French entrepreneur François Blanc, whose vision was to create a decadent centre of high-class gambling and entertainment. It’s been modernised over the years and in 1909 was entirely renovated in the distinctive style of the belle époque era, with a new façade and arched doorways.
A multi-phase revamp between 2014 and 2019 added two of the most lavish suites in the world: the Prince Rainier III and the two-floor Princess Grace, each costing upwards of £50,000 a night. They are decorated with the couple’s personal objects and ornaments, including the Princess’s favourite books and poems. There’s fine-dining galore, too: panoramic views impress at the Michelin-starred rooftop restaurant Le Grill, with its retractable roof, while Le Louis XV — Alain Ducasse a l’Hôtel de Paris shines with three Michelin stars.
• More of Monaco’s best hotels
6. La Mamounia, Morocco
£££ | SPA | POOL | Best for atmosphere
La Mamounia opened in the 1920s — in the upmarket Hivernage area of Marrakesh, not far from Djemaa el-Fna square — and it’s been a beacon of luxury and Moroccan hospitality ever since. Outfitted doormen welcome you in through grand Moorish doors into the decadent, low-lit lobby lounge, on to a plush red-velvet sofa where a steaming hot towel, glass of almond milk and plate of dates await the weary traveller.
It’s especially atmospheric arriving at night, when the historic 20-acre garden is magically lit by strings of fairy lights and hundreds of candles in lanterns. The garden is worth exploring by day, too, with hundreds of olive trees — some over 900 years old — as well as orange trees, jacaranda trees, cacti, bougainvillea and delphinium. Each of the 209 spruced-up rooms gives a sense of place, with arched headboards and mosaic tiling, and some have balconies overlooking the gardens. With four excellent restaurants dishing up varied cuisine, you’ll be well fed here.
• Read our full guide to Marrakesh
7. Copacabana Palace, a Belmond hotel, Brazil
£££ | SPA | POOL | Best for a party
Affectionately named ‘the Copa’, nothing epitomises Brazilian glamour like the flawlessly beautiful art deco Copacabana Palace, Rio’s oldest luxury hotel overlooking Copacabana Beach. Its impeccable service and lavish facilities — including a Michelin-starred restaurant and a rooftop tennis court — have lured everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Princess Diana since its arrival in 1923. The hotel evokes the grandeur of the early 20th century, with vast chandeliers and copious amounts of marble. Polished Brazilian wood is everywhere, from the grand lobby to the rooms.
• Read our full guide to South America
8. San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons hotel, Italy
£££ | SPA | POOL | Best for A-list nostalgia
Perched on a cliff overlooking the popular hilltop Sicilian town of Taormina is the enchanting, peach-exterior San Domenico Palace, the spectacular setting for season two of The White Lotus. Fans will love the ridiculously photogenic, screen-famous pool, sun-drenched terrace and piano bar — all as dreamy in real life as on the HBO show. Set in a former convent, the hotel has welcomed the elite since it opened in 1896, including stars such as Liz Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. It captures everything that has made Sicily a timeless destination, with many of its original features restored during a grand facelift in 2021 when it reopened as a Four Seasons hotel. This includes immersive gardens in the old cloister and a fragrant courtyard. Of the 111 sophisticated rooms, the Princess Cecilie suite is among the most coveted, with its views of Mount Etna.
• More of Sicily’s best hotels
9. Hotel Sacher Wien, Austria
££ | SPA | Best for stately surroundings
Vienna’s Hotel Sacher has remained an independent, family-run five-star — and Austrian landmark — since it opened in 1876. It recalls old-world Vienna, with heavy, old-fashioned decor: a wood-panelled jewel box of creams, deep reds, dark greens and vivid blues, embellished with 19th-century paintings, crystal chandeliers and silk damask furnishings. The hotel has been meticulously refurbished several times during its 150-plus years in operation, yet there’s a real warmth that’s rare in high-end hotels. Expect to see tourists queuing up along the street for a slice of the original Sacher-Torte — invented in 1832 by the father of the hotel’s founder, and served at its quintessentially Viennese coffeehouse, Café Sacher.
10. Taj Lake Palace, India
££ | SPA | POOL | Best for waterside opulence
The Taj Lake Palace is a hotel like no other, set inside a former 18th-century white marble palace that floats on a four-acre island in the middle of manmade Lake Pichola in Udaipur. It’s a dream to behold, let alone check in to. No matter who you are, all guests are treated like royalty here (expect to be showered with rose petals on arrival). Surrounded by manicured gardens, fountains and landscaped courtyards, there are striking features at every turn, from the weathered carvings of Hindu gods in the sculpture garden to the floating spa, located on a tugboat. The 83 rooms and suites feature a palette of rich reds, greens and golds, Indian textiles, and ornate furnishings.
As for food, take your pick from four restaurants including Neel Kamal, serving wood-fired Indian specialities, and rooftop Bhairo, dishing up juicy cuts of steak. Alternatively, a butler can set up a private table at a spot of your choice on the island. The hotel’s moment in the limelight came in 1983, when it played a starring role in the James Bond movie Octopussy, as the temptress-in-chief’s home. It comes as no surprise that Vivien Leigh, Jackie Kennedy and the late Queen Elizabeth II all stayed here.
• Best cities to visit in India
Discover more about the world’s most famous hotels in Grand Hotels of the World by Ellie Seymour (Luster, £45). To order a copy go to timesbookshop.co.uk. Free UK standard P&P on orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members.
