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Top 10 Classic Hotels
To step into the aura of a legendary hotel is to experience a moment of altered reality, a sudden transport to 18th-century France, post-Prohibition Chicago or the New York of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. The 10 landmark hotels below set a standard for the fusion of history and luxury.
01. THE CARLYLE, New York
An Upper East Side institution since it opened in 1930, the Carlyle welcomes repeat guests by name into its black-and-white marble Art Deco interior and modern but richly finished guest rooms, originally designed by society maven Dorothy Draper. Guests and celebrities still mingle with locals in the Carlyle’s iconic Bemelmans Bar and the jazz club at the Café Carlyle.
Info: 212.744.1600, thecarlyle.com
Price per night: $800 to $15,000
What’s New: This year will bring renovations to the Sense spa, more than doubling the size of its Yves Durif salon and adding new treatment rooms and services.
02. THE MAY FAIR, London
Opened in 1927 in the city’s most expensive quarter at a ceremony presided over by King George V, the May Fair has been a destination for Hollywood royalty since at least the 1960s. A £75 million restoration in 2006 brought the classic hotel up to modern standards of luxury.
Info: 44.20.7629.7777, themayfairhotel.co.uk
Price per night: $412 to $4,852
What’s New: The 150 at the May Fair, a semiprivate enclave in the hotel’s bar, features a floor-to-ceiling display of magnum bottles of vintage Champagne.
03. CHATEAU MARMONT, Los Angeles
Built in 1927 to resemble a famed château in the Loire Valley, this hotel has been a celebrity magnet since the day it opened, with rooms grandly laid out (most have full kitchens and enough living space to call home) to foster long-term stays. The hotel appears in nearly as many police reports as films; to get a sense of the current players, find a seat at the Bar Marmont and watch the stars.
Info: 323.656.1010, chateaumarmont.com
Price per night: $415 to $4,500
What’s New: The Craig Ellwood Bungalows, famous examples of Los Angeles’ midcentury modern architecture, are getting a face-lift this year.
04. THE DRAKE HOTEL, Chicago
The Drake has anchored Chicago’s Gold Coast since its famed circular doors first opened on New Year’s Eve in 1920. The Drake features stately rooms, a private club, dinner at the renowned Cape Cod restaurant and high tea at the Palm Court.
Info: 312.787.2200, thedrakehotel.com
Price per night: $259 to $800
What’s New: The Drake’s bar, called the Coq d’Or—opened one day after the repeal of Prohibition on December 6, 1933—underwent a monthlong renovation in February.
05. THE MAYFLOWER, Washington, D.C.
Politicians behaving badly? If they’re not doing it in the White House, they prefer to do so at the Mayflower. (Just ask Eliot Spitzer.) Opened in 1925, the hotel hosted Calvin Coolidge’s inaugural ball that year, and has continued to house presidents and host political functions ever since.
Info: 202.347.3000, renaissancemayflower.com
Price per night: $399 to $499
What’s New: The Mayflower will see some major changes in 2011, including a renovation of the lobby, a new 3,000-square foot event space and the addition of a Thomas Pink boutique.
06. LA MAMOUNIA, Marrakech, Morocco
From under the 18th-century olive trees that cover the grounds of La Mamounia, the red-brick grand dame just off Djemaa el Fna Square looks much the same as it has since 1923, the year of its opening. But inside, a three-year, $180 million renovation has transformed gaudy Art Deco into sleek, velvety chic punctuated with detailed mosaics and rich hardwoods. The rooms are bright and airy, and guests can sate their appetites in four excellent restaurants and the historic Churchill bar.
Info: 21.25.2438.8600, mamounia.com
Price per night: $750 to $10,000
What’s New: Since February, the hotel has offered the “One Million Dirham Experience” —a $125,000 trip that includes transportation via private jet and Jaguar and accommodations in a traditional Moroccan house, or riad.
07. THE PENINSULA, Hong Kong
The oldest hotel in Hong Kong was built in 1928 and is the flagship property of what would ultimately become the Peninsula Hotels group. Guests are divided in their loyalties between the stately comfort of the original building and the modern Tower addition, but both wings feature the top-notch service for which the hotel is famed.
Info: 852.2920.2888, peninsula.com/hong_kong
Price per night: From $640
What’s New: Afternoon tea in the lobby may be the classic ritual, but upstairs at Felix, the interactive menu and wine list are showcased on iPads and stocked with tasting notes and pairing tips.
08. ROUND HILL HOTEL & VILLAS, Montego Bay, Jamaica
The tropical resort is beloved for its elegant design and discreetly glamorous atmosphere; it has welcomed celebrities since Babe Paley and Grace Kelly were cottage owners at the original private club. The 36 recently renovated guest rooms, as well as the 27 privately owned villas, see many repeat visitors each season.
Info: 876.956.7050, roundhilljamaica.com
Price per night: $395 to $1,250
What’s New: The Grill at Round Hill was recently redesigned by frequent guest Ralph Lauren.
09. HOTEL CIPRIANI, Venice, Italy
On a small island a short boat ride from the Piazza San Marco, Giuseppe Cipriani opened the Hotel Cipriani in 1958 to serve the jet-set clientele he’d already developed at his Harry’s Bar. The hotel has been an escape for international luminaries ever since, who enjoy its private shuttle, tranquil gardens and enormous heated swimming pool.
Info: 39.041.520.7744, hotelcipriani.com
Price per night: $754 to $5,420
What’s New: Although the hotel may be quintessentially Italian, it borrowed some secrets from the Far East for its spa: Thai and Balinese massage and Tai Chi classes have recently joined the more traditional treatments.
10. THE BREAKERS, Palm Beach, Fla.
Generations of guests have made the pilgrimage to this preppy haven, where 140 acres of beaches, tennis courts and golf courses welcome them back. Originally built as a small inn in 1896, the current incarnation opened in 1904. It was rebuilt after a 1925 fire and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Info: 888.273.2537, thebreakers.com
Price per night: $309 to $2,600
What’s New: The Breakers recently saw the completion of $80 million in room renovations and a doubling in size of its organic vegetable garden; new shoe and swimwear boutiques are in the works.