15 legendary luxury hotels

Where: Paris

The is arguably the best-known hotel in Paris, thanks to its over-the-top décor and famous guests. Marcel Proust and Coco Chanel both lived here, and Gary Cooper and Audrey Hepburn filmed scenes for Love in the Afternoon at the Ritz. Ernest Hemingway famously declared the hotel bar liberated from the Nazis at the end of WWII, and today the is named in his honor. As Hemingway once wrote, “When I dream of afterlife in heaven, the action always takes place in the Paris Ritz.” The hotel is currently closed for renovations until early 2015.

Insider Tip: The Ritz Paris has made cameo appearances in many novels, including Ian Fleming’s From Russia With Love in the James Bond series; F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night, and Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises.

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Where: Marrakesh, Morocco

The undisputed grande dame of Marrakesh is . Since it opened in the 1920s, the hotel has played host to statesmen including Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as Marlene Dietrich and Charlie Chaplin. Alfred Hitchcock used it as the backdrop for his 1956 version of The Man Who Knew Too Much. Apart from its celebrity guest list, La Mamounia is famed for its opulent architecture and landscaping. The hotel reopened its doors in 2009 following a three-year, $180 million renovation.

Insider Tip: If you can’t make it to the hotel, pick up a copy of Laure Verchere’s coffee-table book for a close look at the hotel's craftsmanship and design.

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Where: Singapore

No trip to Singapore would be complete without a visit to , even if all you do is sip a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar—the drink was invented here. The hotel, which looks like an enormous wedding cake, was a favorite of W. Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling. According to legend, Singapore’s last surviving tiger snuck into the hotel before being chased (and shot) in the Bar & Billiard Room.

Insider Tip: The Singapore Sling was created at the turn of the 20th century by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. It's a mix of gin, Cherry Heering, Cointreau, pineapple juice, lime, bitters, grenadine, and Bénédictine—served shaken and garnished with a cherry and a slice of pineapple.

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Where: Los Angeles

This legendary West Hollywood hotel was an immediate hit when it opened in 1929. Howard Hughes holed up in one of the 's many bungalows, Judy Garland was known to play the lobby piano, and Marilyn Monroe was also a frequent guest. Although the hotel gets plenty of attention for celebrities misbehaving here, it has served as inspiration and a home away from home for many artists and writers, including Sofia Coppola and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Insider Tip: Architect Arnold A. Weitzman modeled the hotel after the in the , where Leonardo da Vinci is rumored to be buried.

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Where: England

This Italianate-style country home was built in the 1600s for the second Duke of Buckingham, and it has hosted presidents, royals, and celebrities ever since. At one point was owned by William Waldorf Astor, who was one of America’s richest men at the time. Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill were frequent guests here, but the hotel is arguably best known as the place as the site of the 1961 Profumo scandal, which helped topple the Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's government.

Insider Tip: In 1961, Britain’s Conservative Secretary of State for War John Profumo began an affair with 19-year-old Christine Keeler while staying at Cliveden House. She was the rumored mistress of a Russian spy, and their affair brought down the government.

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Where: Cap d'Antibes, France

It’s hard to imagine a more glamorous hotel in the south of France than the . Located in the Cap d'Antibes, this hotel has hosted the likes of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Marlene Dietrich, as well as Marc Chagall, who spent days sketching on the beach. F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald were frequent guests, and the hotel makes an appearance in Tender is the Night (renamed the Hôtel des Étrangers). The Hôtel du Cap was famous for only accepting cash and wire transfers until 2006, and it's the place to stay during the .

Insider Tip: The hotel underwent a $67 million renovation in 2011; adding televisions to the guest rooms was one of the biggest changes made.

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Where: New York City

New York City's is one of few hotels in the world that's known equally for its fictional and real guests. The hotel, of course, is the imaginary home of Eloise from the children's book series, but it has long attracted the power elite and Hollywood celebrities. F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald famously jumped in its fountain, and the writer Truman Capote hosted his legendary masquerade Black and White Ball here.

Insider Tip: Can’t get enough of Eloise? Book a night in the Betsey Johnson-designed Eloise suite, which features pink-and-white striped walls and zebra-striped flooring, as well as plenty of Eloise-themed toys and DVDs.

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Where: Riviera Maya, Mexico

The is spread over 1,600 acres of beach and jungle, connected by a series of lagoons. The hotel is located just south of , but guests won’t find a spring breaker in sight. While all guest rooms have a contemporary design, the Deluxe Overwater Lagoon Suite sits above the resort’s lagoon and comes with its own deck, private plunge pool, and outdoor garden shower.

Insider Tip: Guests can sign up for a daily, guided eco-tour of the resort’s lagoon, led by the resort’s on-site biologist.

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Where: Florida

Favored by US presidents (Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Carter) and writers (most famously Ernest Hemingway), today is a colorful jumble of art galleries, colorful conch-colored cottages, booze emporiums, and all variety of restaurants. Locals embody the island’s bohemian identity, so the street theater here is non-stop. There are plenty of funky boutiques and purveyors of upscale goods (mod-print pioneer Lily Pulitzer got her start here)—but you’ll want to steer clear of Duval Street for shopping, unless tacky T-shirts are your thing.

Insider Tip: Driving in Key West is a futile endeavor: The streets are crammed to capacity with cars, and parking spots are nearly non-existent. Get to your destination quicker and easier by riding a bike, just like the locals do. There are several reputable rental companies, many of which will drop your bike off at your hotel.

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Founded in 1766 by Louis XIV’s beverage manufacturer Lefèvre, quickly became known for its excellent cuisine and exquisite wine cellar. The building had been a hôtel particulier, and on the second floor, Lefèvre kept private rooms where his customers could do their books (and some more risqué business, later on). These second-floor rooms became popular with France’s most important 19th-century authors, including Gustave Flaubert, Emile Zola, Victor Hugo, Georges Sand and Alfred de Musset.

The gastronomy reached its height when Auguste Escoffier, known as the “king of chefs and the chef of kings” took over the kitchen. A meal at La Pérouse isn’t cheap, but if you’re ready to splurge, you can dine in one of the private second-floor rooms.

The only place more ornate than the is the across the street. It’s precisely the café’s location near the opera that has kept it so busy, ever since it opened in 1862, as part of the Grand-Hôtel de la Paix (now the ). Zola, Guy de Maupassant, and Proust dined there when they went to the opera, and Oscar Wilde was a regular.

Spring kick-starts a year of Danish design and architecture exhibitions. Start at the iconic , which first opened in 1755. The hotel is newly refurbished, overlooks famous square, and sits near the Nyhavn Canal, the Royal Danish Theatre, and shopping street Stroget. Spend another afternoon at , Northern Europe's largest aquarium.

Insider Tip: For unforgettable organic fare, go to super-hip , the Meat District neighborhood, and try restaurant, which is housed within a 1920s Bosch warehouse, or the neighboring .

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Where: Laucala Island, Fiji

Booking a vacation to a private island resort in Fiji would feel like getting away from it all for most people, but guests staying at can take privacy even further. The hotel arranges excursions to Tadra Beach (meaning “dream beach” in Fijian), which can only be reached via boat, catamaran, or Jet Ski. Tadra Beach is available to just one couple at a time. The excursion is complimentary for guests celebrating an anniversary or honeymoon, and a spa treatment can be arranged there, for a fee.

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Where: The Goring, London

Located near Buckingham Palace in London, is perhaps best known as the luxury hotel where Kate Middleton spent her last night as a commoner before the royal wedding. Guests who would also like a taste of royal life can book the Royal Suite. Here, at no extra charge, the hotel can arrange for a private pianist to serenade guests on the suite’s bespoke grand piano. Guests can also enjoy personalized stationery, bathrobes, and slippers in addition to hand-made chocolates.

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Where: Hotel de Rome, Berlin

Forget your little black dress? No problem. The offers Schumacher designer dresses at no extra charge, whether guests are looking to wear a cocktail dress or an evening gown. The Schumacher shop is located just a few minutes from the hotel, which can organize a private shopping trip there.

Plan Your Trip: Visit