Hospitium Gaudium Maximum Est

Hospitium Gaudium Maximum Est

Welcome

Dear Traveller;
Welcome to The Most Famous Hotels in the World, the keepers of the archives of the legendary icons of hospitality. 
Renowned historical hotels constitute a distinctive facet of our cultural legacy. The Most Famous Hotels in the World functions as both a research center and a publisher specializing in exquisite volumes dedicated to iconic hotels. We diligently contribute to preserving the past, thus ensuring the future remains secure.
So much more „About“ us

ABOUT THE HOUSES


 

hotel baur und johann baur in zurich

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, Every city in the world has a hotel legend. The Sacher in Vienna, the Ritz in Paris, Raffles in Singapore. The list is long. But Zurich has not one, but two hotels that still enjoy worldwide fame after nearly 200 years, both founded by the same hotelier and both bearing his name in their early years. HOTEL BAUR (today Savoy Mandarin Oriental) is Zurich's oldest grand hotel, followed by BAUR AU LAC. Austrian hotelier Johann Baur (inset) opened HOTEL BAUR as the first of his two world class hotels of the city on December 24, 1838. At that time, it marked a milestone in the history of the hotel industry. More ...


CAMBODIA — A Tale of Two Hotels: Raffles Le Royal and Grand Hotel d'Angkor


The Singing Butler is an oil-on-canvas painting by Scottish artist Jack Vettriano in 1992. More in Art in Hospitality


The history of travel -- Austria, Zell am See, ca. 1880: Empress Elisabeth of Austria walked all the way to the top (4 hours). Her husband Emperor Francis Joseph I. chose the back of a horse, and this group of early tourists took the so called Schmittenwagerl, a reversed jin-rickshaw, pulled by a horse. The summit: Schmittenhoehe, the tallest (2000m) mountain of the city of Zell am See.

Zur ORFIII TV - Spiel-Dokumentation von Andreas Augustin und Carola Augustin >>> Mehr dazu


LVIV, UKRAINE ,Grand Hotel  (under research). It opened in April 1894 in the city of Lemberg (Lviv), then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. More

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA: Galle Face Hotel
In 1864, on 31 December, the name Galle Face was first mentioned in connection with a proposed hotel building in that location. We have researched the history of this splendid palatial hotel along the shores of the Indian Ocean, and found more than one gem of fabulous history telling. 


VIENNA, AUSTRIA: Hotel Imperial, 1873: To the left the former palace of the Prince of Wuertthemberg, transformed into the Hotel Imperial (right). Can you spot the difference? One storey had been added!


USA CHICAGO, Ambassador East hotel: Marilyn Monroe on the terrace of her suite. She was in town to promote her latest movie "Some Like It Hot".


Amazing Tales of the East Bangkok Thailand: The Oriental Bangkok - The Amazing Tale of Thailands most Famous Hote

Fascinating ExhibitionsPath of History — Walls TALK! - our exhibitions


 


News

Hanoi: The Opening Riddle Andreas Augustin

Hanoi: The Opening Riddle

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The (Sofitel Legend) Metropole in Hanoi confronted us with the most challenging project. The research material was scattered all over the world, from London to Paris, from Washington to Aix-en-Provence in the heart of France. It was basically everywhere but neither at the hotel nor in Vietnam itself.

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Frankfurter Hof — A German Hotelstory The Making Of Books

Frankfurter Hof — A German Hotelstory

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Since 1876 the Frankfurter Hof ranks among the most famous hotels in the world. Its façade is a reminiscence of glorious days, of splendid festivities and heydays of a young empire.

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Llviv - Ukraine - The Grand Hotel Andreas Augustin

Llviv - Ukraine - The Grand Hotel

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Despite this pointless war, we embarked on a journey to Lviv to delve into the history of the Grand Hotel. This iconic establishment, opened in 1894, holds the distinction of being the oldest luxury hotel in Ukraine. Augustin's exploration encompassed various fascinating narratives, including the evolution of travel during the monarchy, the development of railway systems, and the captivating history of Ukraine and Lviv, formerly known as Lemberg.

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Swiss Hospitality PERSONALITIES

Swiss Hospitality

( words)

The Fine Traditions of Swiss Hospitality
Swiss hospitality in the 19th century
(article written in 1927)



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The Charles Chaplin Journeys Feuilleton

The Charles Chaplin Journeys

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Charles Chaplin was the most popular movie actor, producer, director and composer of the 20th century. He was also a connaisseur of fine hotels. PICTORIAL

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Hotel Bristol Vienna TV Documentary Andreas Augustin

Hotel Bristol Vienna TV Documentary

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The Hotel Bristol in Vienna is at the crossroads of the most important thoroughfares of the Austrian capital as well as of events of today and history. The TV documentary is narrated by Andreas Augustin (in German only).

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Women steal more often than men Andreas Augustin

Women steal more often than men

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It is not all dead dry facts and serious history. The hotel world is full of good laughs.

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BREAKFAST WITH ANTHONY TYLER | MANDARIN ORIENTAL, BANGKOK Adrian Mourby

BREAKFAST WITH ANTHONY TYLER | MANDARIN ORIENTAL, BANGKOK

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Breakfast with Anthony Tyler of the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok at the Verandah. It's the perfect place for breakfast as it sits on the hotel’s river terrace with an ever-changing floorshow of boats passing by, including the hotel’s own shuttles.

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Art in Hospitality Andreas Augustin

Art in Hospitality

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Art in hospitality takes us from hotel labels to posters, from advertisements to magazine covers. This could be a groundbreaking exhibition to be held at the most famous hotels in the world. Here are some inspiring samples of great pieces of art - some of them world famous. For details please ask your curator.

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Bond of Brothers — the First Asian Hotel Chain Andreas Augustin

Bond of Brothers — the First Asian Hotel Chain

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Arriving from Armenia, settling on the island of Penang, the Sarkies formed the first Asian group of hotels, long, before Raffles became a hotel chain — The Story of A Family

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REVIEW: Worth the Detour, A History of the Guidebook Andreas Augustin

REVIEW: Worth the Detour, A History of the Guidebook

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‘But why, oh why, do the wrong people travel, when the right people stay at home?’ asked Noël Coward, and Nicholas Parsons seems to have the answer: 'Because they have guide books!’

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Around the World in 80 Hotels (1) HOTELS

Around the World in 80 Hotels (1)

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In 1873, the journey Around the World in 80 Days took Jules Verne's novel character Phileas Fogg from London to London — via Europe, India, China and America. But did you know that this figure was inspired by William Perry Fogg (27 July 1826 – 8 May 1909) an American adventurer and author. In our story we visit 80 of The Most Famous Hotels in the World. The first part of our journey takes us from England to Scotland.

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Bergues, Des

Bergues, Des

In our world, it is no longer a given that simple restraint represents true elegance. To be recognized as one of the oldest purpose-built Grand...Read More

Le Royal

Le Royal

In 1923/24, the construction of a 55-room hotel in Phnom Penh was proposed. Architect Ernest Hébrard, who was largely responsible for...Read More

Grand Hotel Lviv (Lemberg)

Grand Hotel Lviv (Lemberg)

Grand Hotel Lviv in 1894   The spirit is remarkable in this eastern Ukrainian city. Formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian, empire, Lemberg...Read More

Savoy (Baur en Ville)

Savoy (Baur en Ville)

This is Zurich's oldest grand hotel. When it opened on December 24, 1838, it marked a milestone in the history of the hotel industry. In...Read More

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

Since decades “The Oriental”, as it is affectionately known by travellers from all over the globe, leads the lists of all...Read More

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Bergues, Des
(1834)

In our world, it is no longer a given that simple restraint represents true elegance. To be recognized as one of the... Read more

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