ALBAWABA - When in need to stay at a hotel for whatever reason that is, someone would look for a place that’s clean, comfortable and affordable, with a certain level of luxury to it, if possible. But some people might want specific amenities in their hotel, while others might opt for a hotel with a long history.
What kind of history? Well, it could be a special event the hotel had hosted, or a famous personality who stayed in one of the rooms. Anyway, it all boils down to people's preferences.
Albawaba has researched a handful of international hotels, where the rich and famous prefer to stay, and here's the result: a list of six historic hotels from around the world.
1- Hotel Chelsea, also known as The Chelsea - New York City:
Earlier in 2022, this historic 134-year-old hotel in Manhattan was reopened after a serious facelift to bring it back to life. The hotel has seen residences from stars like Mark Twain, Jackson Pollock, Arthur Miller, Bob Dylan, and Madonna.
2- Cliveden House – Berkshire:
This five-star luxury hotel is set on 376 acres of British National Trust grounds. It boasts of a long history, dating back to 350 years ago. It had a fair share of known characters over
time visit it, plus all the important parties and occasions it hosted. There in 2018, Meghan Markle spent the night before she tied the knot with Britain's Prince Harry.
3- Casa Malca – Mexico:
This elegant hotel is located in the famous Caribbean coastal Tulum in Mexico, and it’s full of beautiful works of art. The hotel holds historical importance as it was a coastal hideout for
Pablo Escobar. The combination of Persian carpets, tree bark-covered walls, and the breathtaking nature around it makes it an ideal place for meditation and relaxation. It has gone through a process of renovation and is now ready to receive tourists.
4- Ritz – Paris:
Princess Diana had her last meal in the hotel's Imperial suite, but that’s not all the history this hotel holds. When Germany occupied Paris during World War II, this landmark
hotel was taken over, like many others, by high-ranking members of the Nazi Party, including Hitler's second-in-command Hermann Göring. Fashion designer Coco Chanel also lived in the hotel for 34 years, and as she began her stay pre-war times, it is believed that she had coordination with the Germans in this period, in addition to the hotel's historical association with the famous American writer, Ernest Hemingway.
5- Cadogan Gardens – London:
The famous Irish playwright, Oscar Wilde, favored staying in Cadogan, which today includes an elegant lounge named in his honor. He wrote many stories in this hotel, some which include a handful of his most important stories.
6- Hôtel des Mille Collines – Rwanda:
It might surprise some to find a hotel from Africa located in the southern desert on this list, but it's a hotel with many stories to tell. Firstly, this hotel was the most important subject of a Hollywood movie, "Hotel Rwanda," starring Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte, and Joaquin Phoenix, which was released in 2004. It also holds many stories related to the war that was waged against the Tutsi people during the Rwandan civil war in 1994. At the time, the hotel played an important role in history, as it became a refuge for about 2,000 people fleeing the flames of war in the Rwandan capital. And lastly, Rwanda is now a fast-growing tourist destination, and you can catch a glimpse of that in the updates of this four-star hotel,
whose poolside rooms offer sweeping views of the countryside that was once a symbol of rebellion.
Written by Albawaba Trainee Mayar Al-Khatieb
