With the Academy Awards just a few days away, we got to thinking: we should really petition for a “Best Hotel Featured in a Motion Picture” category. Unfortunately, the Academy has yet to respond to our requests, so we thought we’d share a few of our favorite hotels featured in Academy Award-nominated films.
St. Regis Princeville Resort, Kauai – “The Descendants”
You could put George Clooney in a film set at a dilapidated motel and travelers would be clamoring to stay there. Thankfully, many scenes in the “The Descendants” were filmed at the dazzling St. Regis Princeville Resort in Kauai – a much more desirable locale for travelers to put on their bucket list. This five-star hotel is located on the picturesque North Shore of Kauai, overlooking Hanalei Bay, and provides the perfect juxtaposition to main character Matt King’s unstable world. Guests can expect a regal experience, with all of the bells and whistles that make staying at a resort such a treat: modern, fashionable rooms; sweeping ocean views; heavenly spa treatments; and, of course, the requisite infinity pool.
Photo Courtesy of Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Hôtel Le Bristol, Paris – “Midnight in Paris”
Characters in Woody Allen movies are pretty lucky. Sure they’re a little quirky and dysfunctional, but boy do they get to travel to some incredible destinations. In his newest flick, “Midnight in Paris,” Allen whisks his protagonist off to The City of Light, where Hôtel Le Bristol served as one of the primary filming locations. A perfect representation of Parisian charm, Le Bristol offers some of the largest guest rooms in Paris, each adorned with Louis XV- and Louis XVI-style furniture, antique prints and sumptuous fabrics. The hotel is located just two blocks from Élysée Palace, on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, which is considered one of the most fashionable streets in the world. And while you might not be lucky enough to wine and dine with the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Cole Porter, your time at Le Bristol will feel just as magical as the nights main character Gil Pender spent with the cultural elite.
Photo Courtesy of Hôtel Le Bristol
The Millennium Hotel Cincinnati – “The Ides of March”
It seems that many of the juiciest political scandals unfold at hotels, and “The Ides of March” does its part to support this theory. The Millennium Hotel Cincinnati serves as one of the backdrops to the film’s unraveling political mayhem, and while the movie explores the ugly side of politics, one thing is certain: there’s nothing unpleasant about the Millennium Hotel Cincinnati. With 872 guest rooms and suites, eco-friendly practices and a rooftop pool to boot, this downtown hotel is at the heart of the city, where attractions like Music Hall, Paul Brown Stadium and Newport on the Levee are within walking distance. After exploring all Cincinnati has to offer, guests can bask in their rooms, and enjoy services and amenities such as plush bedding, in-room coffee, room service and high-speed Internet access. So even if you don’t have a political agenda of your own to tend to while visiting the Queen City, the Millennium Hotel Cincinnati is definitely a hotel worth endorsing.
Photo Courtesy of millenniumcincinnati
The Dolder Grand, Zurich – “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Dating back to 1899, The Dolder Grand is steeped in history: it was a choice retreat for royal European families during World War II and has even played host to luminaries such as Nelson Mandela, Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson. Most recently, this Swiss retreat was featured in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” and guests can even book the room that’s featured in the film: the Masina Suite. This two-bedroom suite channels the glamour of the 1950s, with dark green marble bathrooms, a sauna and steam shower, a Fendi sofa, a pool table, and a terrace that overlook the treetops and lake. Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist might be trying to solve a mystery 40 years in the making, but the appeal of The Dolder Grand is certainly no enigma.
Photo Courtesy of andrewarchy
If there was an Oscar given for “Best Hotel Featured in a Motion Picture,” which one would you vote for?
