Frankfurter Hof
Whenever I am in Frankfurt, I seek a chat with the head concierge. Later, I find myself sitting on the courtyard terrace. Above me,&n...
Hotels tagged with: Aga Khan
Cala di Volpe
We are thoroughly trained to expect backgrounds and historic context. This hotel presents one of the rare exceptions in the list of The Most Famous Hotels in the World. Here, the brain doesn’t immediately reach the right conclusion. When we se...
Goldener Hirsch
"Jingle your golden room keys and for one blissful moment you’ll feel as if time has stood still. For six centuries the thick walls of this house have been breathing in history. In every silent corner you feel the heart of this unique hotel. It...
Grand Hotel (Florence)
The magnificent Ball Room A perfect network of overnight sleeper trains connects major Central European cities with Florence. When my train pulled into Florence station, the first rays of the sun created this stunning silho...
Imperial New Delhi
"The privileged among us experience a special feeling of ‘coming home’ when checking into a hotel, just as lovers of fine art are struck with profound admiration when confronted with a particularly beautiful piece on a gallery wall. The...
Mena House
The Mena House presented us with a remarkable challenge — we had to verify its opening date which appeard to be wrong (1865?). We unearthed its true opening date, had to alter the published date from 1865 to 1896, and came across some...
Steigenberger Icon Grandhotel Belvédère
One of the grand palatial hotels of the European Alps. Best known for being the heart of affairs during the World Economic Forum, it boasts a rich history, starting in 1875. A well researched book commemorates the history of this l...
Vier Jahreszeiten Hamburg
At the Binnenalster, Hamburgs "city-lake", the second prestigious hotel of the city, one of the most enjoyable retreats of the country. It was here that we launched the third book in the series THE MOST FAMOUS HOTELS IN THE WORLD (1989).
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Reid’s Palace
There are hotels that follow fashion. And there are hotels that outlive it. Reid’s Palace belongs to the latter. Opened in 1891,...Read More
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
Baur, former Savoy Baur en Ville, today Mandarin Oriental Savoy Zurich
Johannes Baur, born in Austria in 1795, was a visionary entrepreneur who profoundly shaped Zurich’s hospitality industry. In 1837, at the age...Read More
Raffles Hotel
The historic building (top, slide to the right): The "new" Raffles main building in 1899. It opened on 18 November 1899, featuring the all new...Read More