By Shilo Urban
Famous, fabulous, and one-of-a-kind — the most iconic five-star hotels in the world are not just luxurious but storied. Each legendary establishment evokes a more glamorous era of travel, long before the days of selfie sticks and take-out-your-own-trash Airbnbs. On this list, the historical pedigrees and landmark architecture are just the beginning. Where patrons savor exquisite cuisine, admire precious artwork, and enjoy impeccable modern comforts. So, check your self-awareness at the door; you won’t need it where we’re going. At these hotels, “Eat, Pray, Love” comes standard.
The Victoria Falls Hotel
Mysterious, well-dressed jet-setters sip on gin and tonics from a veranda while they gaze at a world wonder: Victoria Falls. Rainbows spring to life, arching in the rising mist of the falls. A steam train pulls onto the bridge over the Zambezi River gorge, its whistle echoing 400 feet down into the water below. Built by the British in 1904, this opulent grand dame is one of the oldest hotels in Africa. It’s easy to imagine Agatha Christie scribbling away on her novel and Queen Elizabeth II having high tea in the gardens — and the family of warthogs munching on the lawn reminds you that the marvels of the African bush are waiting around every corner.
The Savoy London
Splendor abounds at The Savoy, synonymous with luxury since 1889 and London’s first hotel with electricity, elevators and in-room hot water. Even the door attendants wear top hats and tails. The hotel’s dapper blend of Edwardian and Art Deco design is smart yet understated, never flashy, like British culture itself. The suites overlook the River Thames, each with a Savoir mattress worth tens of thousands of dollars. A-listers from the past and present, including Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan, the Beatles and Taylor Swift, have enjoyed the hotel’s proximity to Covent Garden’s opera, ballet and theatrical productions.
Raffles Singapore
Where the Singapore Sling cocktail originated — and Hemingway, Hitchcock and Kipling drank more than a few during their stay. Debuting in 1887, the hotel is now a protected national monument, whose neo-Renaissance architecture sits amidst gleaming glass and steel skyscrapers. An army of uniformed personnel attend to your every need, and the lobby’s shining marble floor, flanked by fluted columns, sets the finest see-and-be-seen stage in all of Southeast Asia — a stage frequented by Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson (his orangutan in tow).
Belmond Copacabana Palace
Rio de Janeiro’s glitzy Copacabana Beach just wouldn’t be the same without this majestic white marble hotel soaring over it. Featuring multiple Michelin-starred restaurants, the hotel’s Art Deco architecture fuses French Riviera elan with Brazilian effervescence. Albert Einstein and Frank Lloyd Wright visited the hotel shortly after it opened in 1923, followed by Walt Disney and Princess Di. The hotel inspired Barry Manilow to write his hit song “Copacabana,” and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made their movie debut around its photogenic pool together (in 1933’s Flying Down to Rio).
The Peninsula Hong Kong
A fleet of dark green Rolls-Royce Phantoms greets you at the entrance of this monumental hotel, ready to whisk guests wherever they want to go — unless you’d prefer the private chartered jet (there are also twin helipads). Since 1928, global elites have gathered at this Baroque beauty for business deals and lavish celebrations. Relax in the Roman-style indoor pool or clink champagne in the lobby; you may even indulge in an afternoon tea, the epitome of East-meets-West elegance.
Ritz Paris
Sophia Loren declared it “the most romantic hotel in the world,” and Coco Chanel famously extended her stay… for 34 years. The benchmark of Parisian chic, this palatial hotel in Place Vendôme was opened in 1898 by César Ritz, who invented the king-sized bed, and Auguste Escoffier, the ‘King of Chefs and Chef of Kings,’ whose innovations created the modern restaurant industry. With crystal chandeliers and lofty Belle Époque decor, its timeless sophistication has always attracted the crème de la crème of society, including the Shah of Persia and King Edward VII.
Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek
Legendary lore and precious antiques reside in this Texas treasure, a stunning retreat nestled in Dallas’ Uptown neighborhood. Built as the private residence of a cotton baron in 1925, the sumptuous estate takes inspiration from Renaissance Italy. Rare historic furnishings and bespoke elements create an abiding allure, including wooden doors from a Spanish cathedral and a spectacular carved stone fireplace from 16th-century Germany. Fountains and stained glass proliferate. The mansion hosted extravagant society parties for decades, with guests like Franklin D. Roosevelt and Tennessee Williams, and was turned into a hotel in 1979 by Rosewood, launching the now-global luxury hotel brand.