Hotels around the world made famous by movie stars

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Waking up with the stars
Hotels.com highlights some of the hotels around the world made famous by movie stars

Auckland, 17 February 2009: Who can forget the 1983 James Bond movie Octopussy where the world’s most famous secret agent, played at the time by Roger Moore, was seduced by the breathtaking Taj Lake Palace Hotel, idyllically located on the shores of Lake Pichola in India? It is here where 007 fell in love with leading lady Maud Adams – with the Taj Lake Palace Hotel said to be one of the most romantic hotels in the world, who could blame him?

Similarly, remember wondering what it could feel like being Julia Roberts staying in LA’s luxurious Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel, featured so prominently in Pretty Woman?

The point of these two examples is that very often the character of a well known movie star is enough to put a previously unknown hotel on the travel agenda of admiring fans.

Johan Svanstrom, Managing Director Asia Pacific of global hotels specialist Hotels.com®, says, “Without a doubt, the fascination in film stars and the associated glamour of anything Hollywood has been proven to influence a traveller’s decision of what hotel to stay in. Many people want to have the chance to re-live their favourite movie star’s experience for themselves.”

Hotels.com identifies some of the hotels around the world made famous by movie stars, and highlights their location, facilities and their overall ‘pulling power’ that made them famous in the movies in the first place.

Hotels made famous by the movie stars – as named by Hotels.com

The Grand Hotel Pupp, Czech Republic – Daniel Craig starring as James Bond in Casino Royale (2006)
The Grand Hotel Pupp, located in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, was a major location for the 2006 movie Last Holiday starring Queen Latifah. But the hotel was probably made more famous as a double for Hotel Splendide in the latest James Bond movie, Casino Royale. While many celebrities have stayed as guests at the luxurious hotel, Casino Royale has made The Grand Hotel Pupp so appealing that people come from all over the world to experience it. The Grand Hotel Pupp restaurant is also the same as in the scene where Bond and Vesper enjoy a meal after the gripping poker game. A great match with the movies, the hotel also hosts the annual Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

The Park Hyatt Tokyo, Japan – Scarlet Johansson starring in Lost in Translation (2003)
The Park Hyatt Tokyo was chosen by Director Sofia Coppola for her 2003 film Lost in Translation; an elegant and calm place with views of Tokyo all the way to Mount Fuji. Whilst The Park Hyatt is located in the heart of Shinjuku, Tokyo's vibrant business and entertainment district, the hotel is seen by many as far removed from the hustle and bustle, a place where people can go to relax. The hotel receives calls from people all over the world who want to stay and enjoy the Lost in Translation experience, so, to keep up with demand, The Park Hyatt Tokyo now offers a special Lost in Translation package.

The Bellagio Resort, Las Vegas, USA – George Clooney, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt starring in Oceans Eleven (2001)
The Bellagio is chosen as the only casino to be targeted by Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his crew (including Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle and Carl Reiner) in the 2001 Oceans Eleven. During the shoot, guests were redirected away from key areas of the casino allowing camera crews the opportunity to really feature its grandeur and luxury. Frequented by the stars, The Bellagio is now a must see place for tourists; however they can forget about their own heist of the underground vault because this doesn’t really exist.

The Ritz, London, UK – Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant starring in Notting Hill (1999)
The Ritz Hotel is a glamorous and luxurious 133-room hotel located in Piccadilly – an establishment which gave unprecedented co-operation to film inside the hotel for Notting Hill. Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) stays at the hotel, and the room where William (Hugh Grant) comes to visit is an example of suites available at the Ritz, an icon of British aristocracy which has welcomed royalty since it opened in 1906. For the contemporary traveller, Notting Hill has made afternoon tea at The Ritz a must.

Plaza Hotel, New York, USA – Macaulay Culkin starring in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
The Plaza, a timeless New York landmark hotel which opened 1907, is the temporary home of Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Guests can stay in a suite the same as Kevin’s Central Park Suite, which consists of two bedrooms, two bathrooms a king bed and a view of Central Park. The Plaza was also made famous in the 1950s as the setting for Kay Thompson's series of Eloise books, which was made into a movie in 2003. Much like Eloise and consistent with The Plaza’s original intent to provide permanent residences, the Plaza has 180 condominiums, including multi-level penthouses for permanent stay; they offer owners the opportunity to have Central Park as their front lawn and the passing parade of Fifth Avenue at their doorstep.

Regent Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, USA – Julia Roberts and Richard Gere starring in Pretty Woman (1990)
The Regent Beverly Wilshire, in the heart of LA’s Beverly Hills, is the favourite hotel of Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) and is where Vivien (Julia Roberts) gets to experience the high-life for the first time. The hotel has become the destination for well-to-do-couples who want to spend a romantic weekend as spectacular as the Hollywood duo; do a spot of shopping at the nearby Rodeo Drive and eat “slippery little sucker” snails in elegant dining. Sadly no-one can stay in the suite featured in many of the famous scenes because this was a set built at the Disney Studio, no where near the hotel and bearing little resemblance to the real rooms available. Rest assured though that the lifts in the Regent Beverly Wilshire are equipped with seats, just like in the film.

Taj Lake Palace Hotel, India – Roger Moore starring as James Bond in Octopussy (1983)
The glorious Taj Lake Palace was the setting of the 1983 James Bond movie, Octopussy and it is this movie which put the hotel on the map for contemporary travellers. Built in 1746 and spread across a four-acre island in the middle of Lake Pichola set against the backdrop of the Aravalli Mountains, the hotel is somewhat reminiscent of the iconic Taj Mahal. The Palace is made largely of marble, while opulent silks, richly coloured murals and ornately carved wood furniture justly confirm its status as one of the most romantic hotels in the world.

Timberline Lodge, Oregon, USA – Jack Nicholson starring in The Shining (1980)
Considered an architectural wonder, Timberline Lodge (called the Overlook in the movie), sets the stage for the movie The Shining and the filming captures the essences of the hotels remote location, perched 2,000 meters above sea level on Mount Hood. Despite just a few exterior shots actually being filmed on location (most of the movie was filmed in London), Nicholson’s star-pulling power, almost thirty years on, keeps Timberline Lodge on the agenda for travellers. The hotel's interior is completely different from the film though and Room 227 doesn't exist, nor does the ballroom. Nowadays Timberline Lodge continues to be used for its original intent - a magnificent ski lodge and mountain retreat.
The British Colonial Hilton, Nassau, Bahamas – Sean Connery starring as James Bond in Thunderball (1965) and Never Say Never Again (1983)
Bond movies: Thunderball and Never Say Never Again are set at The British Colonial Hilton, with its colonial-style architecture and beachside swimming pool. In honour of the films, the hotel has created a 007 ocean view living room suite filled with Bond paraphernalia including movies, CDs and books. Guests can still water-ski in front of the resort like the bond girls did or even land their seaplane in front of the hotel in Nassau Harbour just the same as Bond.

Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, USA
Opened in 1955 by Conrad Hilton, The Beverly Hilton has become somewhat of a home for the stars and combines the excitement and elegance of Beverly Hills becoming a mecca for celebrity action. It is the place tourists visit to have the best chance of viewing a movie star, the place where deals are made and broken and of course has hosted a number of Golden Globe Awards, Academy Awards and the first-ever Grammy Awards. With a recent $80 million renovation, the Beverly prides itself on having the reputation for the home of Hollywood ‘royalty’.

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ENDS

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