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1890: Arrival at the Grand Hotel Belvedere in Davos, Switzerland by A.L.Henderson

In 1890, Queen Vitoria's court photographer A.L.Henderson recorded this wonderful scene at the Grand Hotel Belvedere in Davos, Switzerland. A true treasure of photography and hospitality. 

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Grand Hotel Belvedere Davos Switzerland

At the WEF World Economic Forum, former soccer president Joseph "Sepp" Blatter meets UN Secretary General Kofi Anan at the Grand Hotel Belvedere Davos Switzerland.
Photograph by Marcel Giger, 2015 > More

Richard Nixon and Zhou En Lai at Peoples Grand Hotel Xian, China (1972)
1932: Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy at the Caledonian Edinburgh
Paris: Best dressed American Barry Wall and Frank of the Ritz
People’s Grand Hotel Xian

During the research for his new book People's Grand Hotel Xi'an (China) Andreas Augustin explores a secret underground tunnel, which served as a path between the People's Grand Hotel and the next "Building No 2". The hotel was built in 1953, and this tunnel is today closed. More

Der Grosse César — Ein Abend im Ritz / Abendkritik Andreas Augustin

Der Grosse César — Ein Abend im Ritz / Abendkritik

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Die Leseshow in Wien begeisterte das Publikum, von denen sich einige auf unsere Umfrage mit folgenden kritischen Bemerkungen eintrugen.

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Mourby of Rome — Hotel Minerve Adrian Mourby

Mourby of Rome — Hotel Minerve

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In 1810 a French hotelier called Joseph Sauve converted the Roman Palazzo Conti into a hotel. Following the Italian Unification in 1871, Palazzo Conti was renamed Hôtel Minerva-Cavour e Francia. In the twentieth century it was briefly Crowne Plaza Minerva before becoming Grand Hôtel de La Minerve as it is today.

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Mourby of Books Adrian Mourby

Mourby of Books

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Two books by Adrian Mourby, famoushotels roving reporter and tireless collector of hotel anecdotes, should interest all hotel aficionados: "Rooms of One's Own — 50 Places That Made Literary History" and his latest work "Rooms with a View — The Secret Life of Great Hotels“.

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Hotel Bristol Vienna on Artivive HOTELS

Hotel Bristol Vienna on Artivive

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A wall comes to live. Augmented Reality can be found in famoushotels exhibitions like at the Hotel Bristol in Vienna.

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Tichowana - A Tale of Two Bush Babies — by Roddy Martine BOOKS REVIEWED

Tichowana - A Tale of Two Bush Babies — by Roddy Martine

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Roddy Martine, our coauthor on the story about the fabled icon of Scottish hospitality, the Caledonian, appears again in the limelight with a wonderful tale of two bush babies.

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The Great César — Life and Times of César Ritz PERSONALITIES

The Great César — Life and Times of César Ritz

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César Ritz, born in the Swiss village of Niederwald on 23 February 1850, began his hotel career at the age of 15 in Switzerland. He was considered until for the trade, and rose to become the world’s first true international hotelier.

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Chaïm Soutine — Cooks, Waiters and Bellboys HOTELS

Chaïm Soutine — Cooks, Waiters and Bellboys

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LONDON: Chaïm Soutine — First ever exhibition to assemble Soutine’s remarkable portraits of service staff from the fashionable hotels and restaurants of Paris in the 1920s.

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Mourby of Titanic Adrian Mourby

Mourby of Titanic

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Venice is an inspiration for all of us. Recently Mr Mourby was booked for dinner at Venice’s Westin Europa and Regina. Did he go down with “The Titanic”?

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First Movies at Hotels HOTELS

First Movies at Hotels

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At the Hotel Scribe, in Paris, on 25 December 1895, Auguste and his brother Louis Jean Lumière showed the first motion picture. Later, hotels used to be the best places to present movies. They offered the infrasturcture needed.

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Wanderwell, Aloha PERSONALITIES

Wanderwell, Aloha

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Aloha Wanderwell – nomen est omen – was a Canadian adventurer and the first woman to drive around the world in a customised Model T Ford.

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Carte, Richard D’Oyly PERSONALITIES

Carte, Richard D’Oyly

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Richard Carte – D’Oyly was his middle name – was born in London’s Soho on 3 May 1844, The entrepreneur built The Savoy Hotel, London.

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The Cover Artists The Making Of Books

The Cover Artists

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They are no ordinary artists — they capture the essence of a hotel in one single piece of art. The cover artists of famoushotels.

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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

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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

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

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In 1952, a group of wealthy individuals including Donald Deskey, the fabled designer (among his works the Radio City Music Hall); Harvey Firestone,...Read More

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You don your safari gear during the day, but you always dress for dinner. Because Mount Kenya Safari Club Nanyuki is an exclusive retreat. High on...Read More