Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.
Today: Top 10 luxury hotels made famous by Hollywood movies and TV shows
Whether it is the romantic bath scene of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman or Nicholas Cage’s and Sean Connery’s memorable terrace performance in The Rock, luxury hotels have always inspired the producers of Hollywood movies and TV shows. Some luxury hotels that served as a backdrop for blockbuster movies and popular TV shows have become celebrities in their own, and have long drawn visitors that want to step into the world of their favorite film or series. Here’s a round up of the 10 most luxurious hotels on the planet that have been used as a location for a famous movie or TV show.
There is more information below the slideshow. Think I missed one? Share your favorite movie hotel in the comments section.
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10. THE WALDORF ASTORIA NEW YORK, USA
The iconic, Art Deco inspired Waldorf Astoria hotel occupies an entire city block on fashionable Park Avenue in midtown Manhattan. An official New York City landmark since 1993, the Hilton Group flagship hotel has set the standard for lavish rooms and suites, exquisite dining and 5-star events for over a century. When the U.S. President travels to New York, he always stays at The Waldorf Astoria, and it’s also the first choice of heads of state and dignitaries from around the world. The property is currently closed while undergoing a complete renovation and restoration; it is scheduled to reopen in 2026.
The Waldorf Astoria Hotel has been a filming location for numerous Hollywood films, with the most famous ones being Serendipity (2000), Maid in Manhattan (2002), and The Pink Panther (2006).
- Hotel website: The Waldorf Astoria New York
- Other accolades: The Waldorf Astoria New York also features in my top 10 list of the world’s best luxury hotels to spot celebrities.
9. FAIRMONT SAN FRANCISCO, USA
With a panoramic view of the City and the Bay from high atop Nob Hill, Fairmont San Francisco hotel presents an unmatched blend of luxurious accommodations, elegant meeting spaces and superb services, which make for an unforgettable stay. Centrally located, this luxury San Francisco hotel is a short cable car trip from the bustling Downtown, Financial District, Union Square and Fisherman’s Wharf. In fact, Fairmont San Francisco hotel is the only spot in San Francisco where each of the City’s cable car lines meet.
The hotel’s $18,000-USD-a-night opulent penthouse suite features in the Hollywood movie The Rock (1996) with Nicholas Cage’s and Sean Connery’s memorable terrace scene performance.
- Hotel website: Fairmont San Francisco
- Other accolades: Fairmont San Francisco features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in San Francisco.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
8. THE GRITTI PALACE, VENICE, ITALY
The Gritti Palace, managed by Marriott’s The Luxury Collection, is one of Venice’s most celebrated luxury hotels. It is a place where Italian history and culture meet with renewed Venetian style, a place of exceptional art and elegance, reassuringly intimate with a homely feel. With a floating terrace on the best spot along Venice’s Canal Grande, the Gritti Palace has always attracted global influencers, celebrities and the world’s elite to socialize, draw inspiration, and celebrate during international city events such as the Biennale of Contemporary Art and the Venice Film Festival.
Woody Allen filmed Everyone Says I Love You (1996) at the Gritti Palace.
- Hotel website: The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel
- Other accolades: The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, also features in my top 10 lists of the most spectacular hotel rooftops, the best luxury hotels in Venice, and Europe’s best hotel rooftops.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
- Review: read my review of the Gritti Palace here.
7. TAJ LAKE PALACE, UDAIPUR, INDIA
It’s hard to believe the floating vision in white marble is real when you get your first glimpse of the Taj Lake Palace hotel in Udaipur. Accommodations at Taj Lake Palace are as delightful as the exterior. Each and every one of the 66 rooms and 17 suites offer stunning views and intricate décor to envelop guests in royal mystique. Among the most compelling is The Chandra Prakash Suite, meaning Lustre of the Moon. The decorative gilt moldings, sculpted marble columns, and fine fretwork screens impressed even the Maharaja who held court in this very room in the 1930s.
In the Hollywood movie Octopussy (1983), Roger Moore alias James Bond swims up to the ‘floating palace’, populated only by attractive women.
- Hotel website: Taj Lake Palace
- Other accolades: Taj Lake Palace also features in my top 10 lists of the best hotels & resorts in India, the world’s best historic hotels, and the world’s most magnificent castle hotels.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and one lunch or dinner for two).
- Review: read my review of Taj Lake Palace here.
6. BEVERLY WILSHARE, A FOUR SEASONS HOTEL, BEVERLY HILLS, USA
A landmark since opening in 1928, Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills (A Four Seasons Hotel) combines history and glamour in the heart of Beverly Hills, California, just steps from Rodeo Drive shopping and dining. For decades, the hotel has been a preferred address for Hollywood celebrities and the international elite, from Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Warren Beatty to the Aga Khan, Dalai Lama and the British royal family. The luxury hotel features 395 stylish guest rooms (including 137 spacious suites), Michelin-starred restaurants, a world-class spa, and warmly hospitable Four Seasons service.
The international smash movie hit Pretty Woman (1990) was filmed at Beverly Wilshire Hotel, and the iconic hotel has long drawn Hollywood movie lovers to its doors.
- Hotel website: Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
5. BELLAGIO LAS VEGAS, USA
Bellagio, an award-winning MGM resort & casino, is one of the best choices in Las Vegas for discerning travelers. It is home to a staggering 3950 rooms, award winning restaurants, the lush Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, a sumptuous spa, and salon and shopping at designer boutiques. The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art presents exhibitions of paintings, sculptures and works on paper by the world’s most influential artists (such as Picasso). Inspired by the villages of Europe, the hotel overlooks a Mediterranean-blue lake with spectacular fountains performing a magnificent ballet.
In Hollywood’s blockbuster movie Ocean’s Eleven (2011), the star-studded crew (George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Andy Garcia) plans to rob the Bellagio Hotel’s vault.
- Hotel website: Bellagio
- Other accolades: Bellagio features in my top 10 list of the largest hotels in the world and the best hotels in Las Vegas.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
4. PARK HYATT TOKYO, JAPAN
From the moment a guest walks in and collects the room key on a sterling silver key ring, it is clear that a stay at Park Hyatt Tokyo will be an “over-the-top” experience. Perched on the top floors of a modern skyscraper that towers above one of Asia’s most thrilling cities, the legendary Park Hyatt Tokyo hotel is an elegant oasis of space and calm overlooking Tokyo and the Kanto Plain all the way to Munt Fuji. The spacious rooms feature stylishly appointed interiors, with earthy hues of deep green and brown set against ebony furnishings, and a rich warmth from the fine woodwork, hand-tufted carpets, and natural-fibre woven wall coverings.
Sofia Coppola’s beautiful movie Lost in Translation (2003) was filmed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo Hotel.
- Hotel website: Park Hyatt Tokyo
- Other accolades: Park Hyatt Tokyo also features in my top 10 lists of the best luxury hotels in Japan and the most exclusive hotels in Tokyo.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
- Review: read my review of the Park Hyatt Tokyo here.
3. THE ST REGIS BORA BORA
Reaching out across 44 acres of lush landscaping edged by white sands and a crystalline lagoon, The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort represents the epitome of carefree elegance. The resort’s 100 accommodations comprise the largest over-water villas in French Polynesia as well as some stunning beach villas, each one adorned with exotic woods, handwoven fabrics and regional art. Rising in the distance, the towering majesty of Mount Otemanu is an ever-present symbol of the lofty luxury and personalized service that are the hallmarks of the resort. Suspended over water is the hotel’s signature Lagoon Restaurant, where Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s menu offers the finest dining experience in the South Seas.
The hotel, set against a backdrop of jaw-dropping beauty, was used as the exotic Eden Resort for filming the Hollywood movie Couples Retreat (2009).
- Hotel website: St Regis Bora Bora
- Other accolades: St Regis Bora Bora also features in my top 10 lists of the best hotels & resorts in French Polynesia, the best hotels & resorts in French Polynesia, and the best St Regis Hotels & Resorts in the world.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, 20% discount at spa, and complimentary round-trip boat transfers to/from the airport for up to 2 guests).
- Review: read my review of St Regis Bora Bora here.
2. AMANZOE, GREECE
Designed by quintessential Aman architect, the legendary Ed Tuttle, Amanzoe is a hilltop property, laying amongst centuries old olive groves and boasting panoramic views of Greece’s Peloponnese countryside, the glittering tranquil sea, the neighbouring vineyards, and the awe-inspiring mountains. Classically inspired yet sleekly contemporary, Amanzoe’s pavilions and villas open to expansive private terraces, creating a seamless extension of the airy interiors and an unrivalled sense of space and seclusion. A stone’s throw away, the Aman Beach Club comes with two lap pools and two children’s pools and provides fun and games in total privacy by the water.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – Netflix’ third most-watched film ever – was filmed at this outrageous luxury resort.
- Hotel website: Amanzoe
- Other accolades: Amanzoe also features in my top 10 list of Europe’s most astonishing beach retreats, the best hotels & resorts in Greece, and the world’s most fabulous Aman hotels.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, daily breakfast, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
- Review: read my review of Amanzoe here.
1. SAN DOMENICO PALACE, A FOUR SEASONS HOTEL, ITALY
Perched on a rocky promontory high above the Ionian Sea, the iconic San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel welcomes its guests with panoramic views of Mount Etna and the ancient Greek theater. The magnificent resort enjoys an idyllic location in the hilltop town of Taormina on the eastern shores of Sicily. The hotel comprises an ancient Dominican convent from the 14th century, as well as a Grand Hotel Wing that was added in 1896. The 111 guest rooms and suites feature original architecture and stylish furnishings. Facilities include an onsite spa, an outdoor infinity pool, magnificent Italian gardens, and several bars & restaurants, including the Michelin star restaurant Principe Cerami.
The fabulous hotel was used as the setting for season two of the HBO hit show The White Lotus.
I will upload a video with full tour of San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel this Saturday on my YouTube channel.
- Hotel website: San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, daily breakfast, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
- Review: read my review of San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel here.
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Since the Waldorf-Astoria was sold to a Chinese business tycoon a few years back, The president of the United States no longer automatically resides there when visiting NYC. Hidden microphones and other espionage elements are of concern.
Let’s go back a few years…River of No Return, starring Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum, filmed partly in Banff in 1953 and the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel was where the cast and crew stayed. Movie released in 1954.
Plaza Hotel NYC – Home Alone 2
Great list! Cable cars stop right in front of The Fairmont San Francisco is also home to the famous Tonga Room Tiki Bar visited by Anthony Bourdain as well!
Plaza has featured in quite a few films. Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego (Some like it hot), The Savoy in London (lots), The Peninsula Hong Kong (Man with the golden gun), Cala di Volpe Sardinia (Spy who loved me) – in fact most James Bond films feature great hotels. Burj Khalifa Armani Hotel (Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, The Ritz London (Notting Hill), George V Paris (French Kiss), Four Seasons Cap ferrat Hotel (Ab Fab, Diry Rotten Scoundrels), Beverley Hills Hotel (California Suite) Ritz Carlton Krabi (Hangover Part 2)
Plaza has featured in a lot lot lot of films such as Home alone 2,… Pupp hotel Kalvory Vary in “The last holiday” is also an example.
Cant believe you left out the Hotel Del Coronado !