LONDON'S MOST UNUSUAL HOTEL FEATURES

With an increasing thirst for the extraordinary and something-to-write-home-about, there is no question that London's hotel scene is more exciting than ever. From budget, to boutique to grand luxe, new hotels are popping up across the city with unusual twists designed to add considerable intrigue to your stay.

THE CORINTHIA
FEATURE: HARRODS SHOP

The Corinthia Hotel is the first ever hotel to boast its very own Harrods store. Not only can you shop here for souvenirs or have your Harrods purchases delivered for collection, but the minibars in every room are stocked with Harrods goodies.

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HAM YARD HOTEL
FEATURE: CROC BOWLING ALLEY

The newly opened Ham Yard Hotel hosts surely one of the most interesting events spaces in London; The Croc Bowling Alley.  The room itself has a sort of swanky lounge feel, and includes a bar, dancefloor, exquisite decor collected from all around the world and an impressive vintage style bowling alley.

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ANDAZ LIVERPOOL STREET
FEATURE: MASONIC TEMPLE

Hidden deep within the Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel by Hyatt lays an extraordinary room laden from top to bottom with marble and gilt. The stunning and secret space was only rediscovered when the hotel was fully refurbished during the 1990's. Reportedly it cost £4 million in today's prices to construct well over 100 years ago - not surprising when you see the lavish use of twelve types of marble, a gold piped organ and meticulously crafted mahogany furniture.

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LONDON SYON PARK
FEATURE: BUTTERFLY HOUSE

As a tribute to the beautiful estate and gardens in which the hotel stands, an exquisite glass butterfly house was built in the centre of the London Syon Park's lobby, exhibiting a haven for exotic species from all over the world. The nature of the insects adds a gentle and serene nature to the most busy area of the building.

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HAYMARKET HOTEL
FEATURE: SWIMMING POOL BAR

Many London hotels these days come complete with spa and swimming pool. However, what makes the Haymarket Hotel’s offering stand-out is that the poolside area; with a pewter bar serving cocktails, a surround sound system and hundreds of fibre optic lights, this pool is considerably more bar than spa.

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ROUGH LUXE
FEATURE: PEELING WALLPAPER

Not at all your average boutique hotel, the architecture and design here uses an unusual combination of classic English luxury furnishings and urban shabby chic finishings. Think peeling walls, unfinished surfaces and bare floorboards juxtaposed with top quality furniture and an array of modern art pieces. Unusual at its best.

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THE CHELSEA HARBOUR HOTEL
FEATURE: CATAMARAN

Set on the banks of the Thames and offering stunning views of both city and river, The Chelsea Harbour Hotel lies within one of London’s most prestigious addresses. The hotel itself also owns its own private catamaran which is available for charter; and what a fantastic way to see London.

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ECCLESTONE HOTEL
FEATURE: MASSAGING BEDS

Behind the doors of a beautiful 19th Century Grade II listed Georgian building; this hotel has taken cutting-edge technology to the next level. Boasting a range of in-room features from 3D TVs and SmartGlass shower walls to iPads controlling everything from the curtains to your room-service, our favourite though has to be the state-of-the-art fully adjustable beds with a range of massage settings.

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HAM YARD HOTEL (again)
FEATURE: HYPOXIC STUDIO

As already mentioned, this new hotel ticks a lot of boxes. A highly unique feature of the Soholistic Spa is a small Hypoxic Studio, where more serious guests can use the most advanced natural performance enhancing tools available to adjust oxygen levels (mimicking high-altitudes in training), to achieve optimum performance results.

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THE ZETTER HOTEL
FEATURE: EXOTIC VENDING MACHINES

Definitely more budget quirky than luxury, The Zetter Hotel has had the novel idea of installing vending machines on each floor that dispense everything from deodorant and toothbrushes to champagne and bloody marys!

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THE TOWN HALL HOTEL
FEATURE: MAGISTRATES COURT

Perhaps the most unusual on this list, The Town Hall Hotel, in London's East End features its very own court room for guests to enjoy breakfast or lunch in. Complete with a judges chair, jury benches and mahogany wall panels the superbly restored room dates back from when the hotel acted as Bethnal Greens county hall at the turn of the 19th century.

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THE COURTHOUSE HOTEL
FEATURE: JAIL CELLS

 

The bar at the Courthouse is particularly of interest – its architecture contains a number of pointers to the room’s history as a magistrate’s court. None more so than the three original holding cells that are now utilized as VIP enclaves. They still contain their original layout with the prisoner benches (now comfortably upholstered) and even (thoroughly cleaned) toilet bowls. The booths can be privately booked for up to 8 people if you fancy being locked away behind their thick iron doors.

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THE GROSVENOR HOUSE HOTEL BY JW MARRIOTT
FEATURE: ABANDONED SWIMMING POOL

Not many five star hotels have a swimming pool in London, making it even more curious that the Grosvenor House Hotel on prestigious Park Lane has a 25m pool that has sat gathering dust since the early 2000's. Not surprisingly the hotel were not keen to provide a photo of its forgotten asset.

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The Most Unusual Hotels in the World

Its that time of year were drizzly weather and falling temperatures make us dream of a holiday. And where better to escape reality than to go a wacky hotel; whether it be a Boeing 727 in the jungle, glass bubbles under the northern lights, an Indian Palace in the middle of a lake or a Latvian prison camp. Take a look at the most unusual hotels in the World.

Costa Verde, Quepos Costa Rica

A hotel within a Boeing 727

Like a scene from the TV show Lost, the Costa Verde hotel has a two bedroom suite housed within a 1965 Boeing 727 jet that has seemingly crash landed in the jungle. The plane juts out over the jungle canopy by 15m to give its occupants the feeling they are flying when inside their quarters; albeit flying with the sound of Toucan’s and Monkeys from the on-board balcony. Let’s just hope there are no snakes on this plane.

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Karslautten Hotel, Finland

A glass dome hotel under the Northern Lights

Nestled in the wilderness near Finland’s Urho Kekkonen National Park, the Karslautten hotel is made up of over 20 glass domed igloos - allowing each guest to watch the mesmerising Northern Lights from their very own beds. Every igloo has its own ensuite, king/twin beds, endless views of the night sky and, thankfully, is well insulated from the minus 22 degree temperature outside.

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The Caves Resort, Jamaica

A stunning resort with a unique dining proposition

Poised upon 9 miles of honey coloured limestone cliffs on Jamaica’s west coast the Caves resort is paradise. This however is not what sets the hotel apart; that would be the numerous caves that dot its coastline. One of these natural caves houses the resorts seductive private dining restaurant where guests can enjoy an astonishing candlelit dinner.

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Magic Mountain Lodge, Chilie

?????

Like its name suggests, the Magic Mountain really is a wacky fantasy come to life. The rooms are burrowed inside a conical granite tower that appears to have come from a children’s cartoon. The tower spews water from its pinnacle that cascades down the guest room windows, only adding to the bizarreness. Originally built as a place for friends of the owner to stay while they enjoyed the hunting and fishing trips in the stunning Patagonia region, thankfully the resort is now open to all.

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Sala Silvermine, Sweden

Sleep 155m underground

Sala Silvermine is a Mecca amongst mines, being one of the oldest and best preserved mines from the 19th century. Nowadays it lays claim to hosting the world’s deepest bedroom, 155m below the surface. The corridors maybe damp, cold and dark, but the winding galleries, vast caverns and mystical underwater lakes will win over any guest looking for an experience.

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Tree Hotel, Sweden

The Invisible hotel

A quite remarkable hotel, designed with one simple concept…….to be invisible. Located within a hardwood forest in Idyllic Northern Sweden, the developers wanted to make the hotel blend in with its surroundings and be at one with the forest. A feat which they have thoroughly achieved; One of the suites of the hotel is a floating cube high in the forest, with reflective glass on all 6 faces. In total there are six absolutely unique tree houses for guests to enjoy.

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Fairy Chimney Hotel, Turkey

Fairytale hotel built within fairy chimneys

Another enchanting hotel, the Fairy Chimney Hotel in Turkeys Unesco heritage site Cappadocia blows guests away with its amazing natural architecture. Large parts of the hotel are carved out of the areas famous tufa rock cones amongst soaring buttes, sudden caves and sweeping arches. The setting is like to a movie set in the Stone Age, which the hotel brings up to modern standards with luxuries such as underfloor and Hamman style bathrooms.

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Karosta Prison Hotel, Latvia

Soviet Prison/Hotel?

Originally constructed in 1906 as military hospital at the base of the Soviet Baltic Fleet, the dilapidated building actually spent most of the last century as a Nazi and Soviet Prison. Many Latvian deserters where sent to the camp for solitary confinement and/or eventual death. Today, despite years of being obsolete, the prison has reopened (and rebranded?) as a boutique hotel where courageous tourists can enrol for an authentic jail experience. On arrival visitors can either ask for the full Karosta experience – including a prisoner garb, interrogation, harassment and being locked into a cold dank dark prison cell for the night.

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Free Spirit Spheres, Canada

Eye balls in the forest

About as unusual as it gets, the Free Spirit spheres, located deep within a Vancouver Island forest, are eye ball like structures suspended from the trees by nothing but guide ropes. Each one is beautifully handcrafted with natural wood joinery and brass trims. One discerning travel remarked "...At night it felt like as though we were adrift in a sea of trees and stars."

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V8 Hotel, Böblingen, Germany

A petrol heads dream

A remarkable hotel, based on a simple concept; cars. Each of the 34 rooms are individually themed after a classic car. The cars, including vintage Mercedes models, are reengineered in to bed frames in a room that takes the shape of either a car wash, petrol station or mechanics workshop. Situated in a former Zeppelin base, the hotel is well located for tours of the nearby Mercedes or Porsche factories.

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Featherbed Railroad, California, US

Sleeper cabins that go nowhere

Not quite first class, but this B&B offers all its guests club class tickets to a unique experience. All its suites are located in nine antique railroad cabooses, each one individually decorated to echo the railroads past former glory. The most notably of which is the Easy Rider caboose, with its on board Jacuzzi and Harley Davidson memorabilia.

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Prendiparte B&B, Bologna, Italy

Be Rapunzel for the night in a Medieval tower

Bologna’s medieval centre is littered with high rise towers from the period, each one built taller than the previous one to reflect that particular owner’s wealth. One of the tallest is the 60 meter high Torre Prendiparte which now days can be exclusively booked as a hotel room. Inside there is a living area, snug, bedroom, and kitchen and not to forget a spellbinding roof terrace.

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Mihir Garh, Rajasthan

A fort deep within the desert

Mihir Garh literally translates to ‘The Fort of the Sun’, and the resort lives up to this name. Sitting in splendid isolation like a mirage deep within the Thar Desert, the resort is a recently built, traditionally styled fort operated by super the luxury Relais Chateaux hotel chain. Everything within in the fort is completely bespoke and unique, from the cow dung fire places to the tapestry carpets that line the walls.

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Quinta Real Zacatecas, Mexico

A hotel built within a 17th century bull ring

The Hotel Quinta Real Zacatecas is a luxury conversion of the 17th Century San Pedro bullring into an all-suite hotel. The uniquely circular colonial architecture is married to modern interior design, creating a magnificent juxtaposition. Many of the rooms overlook the hotels beautiful piazza, the others? They overlook the town’s ancient aqueduct.

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Palacio del Sal Hotel, Bolivia

A hotel built from nothing but salt

Set 3,650m above sea level on the mirage inducing Bolivian salt flats, the Palacio de Sal is entirely constructed out of salt; yes the walls, floors, beds, chairs and even the hotels spa are made entirely of white rock salt. In addition to its unique construction the high altitude and dry climate makes the hotel ideal for stargazing and watching amazing sunset colours beam off the salt flats.

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Spit Bank Fort, Hampshire UK

An exclusively hired Gun Turret in the middle of a bay

Originally built to protect the UK navy from unwelcome visitors, this brutal concrete gun placement now welcomes those seeking a luxury stay. Isolated in the middle of the Southampton Solent the resort is about as exclusive as you can get. It features 8 bedroom suites, a Laurent Perrier champagne bar, wine cellar and games room in the accommodation quarters alone. Then you get to the observation deck where you can expect to find a fire pit, heated pool, sauna and restored lighthouse to help navigate your guests as they arrive at the private mooring station.

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Taj Lake Palace in Rajasthan, India

A marble palace built within a lake

"A real-life jewel in Lake Pichola" is how the Taj Lake Palace is described, and accurately too - the eighteenth-century palace is literally located within a lake, only to be reached by boat. Unless you are James Bond that is. During the filming of Octopussy he dressed up as a crocodile and swam to the palace, which was used as Octopussy’s lair. Inside, the palace is one of the most ornate on the planet with its sweeping corridors opening up to idyllic courtyards. The rooms are equally as impressive with gold gildings, painted motifs, mosaics, silk bolsters and stained glass.

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Giraffe Manor – Nairobi, Kenya

Have breakfast with Giraffes! 

On the face of it the Giraffe Manor a colonial country house on the outskirts of Nairobi is lovely if not completely remarkable. However wait until breakfast time, when the Manors resident giraffes are encouraged to feed with guests of the resort through specially designed windows. Guests can feed them right at the table, take photos or even have a cheeky kiss.

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Poseidon Undersea Resort (Fiji)

Sleep Underwater and spend hours finding Nemo

Still under construction but nevertheless we feel that the Poseidon Resort deserves a place on this list. Set in a lagoon located just off a private Fiji island, the luxury resort will house 25 underwater suites within acrylic bubbles forty feet under the sea.  Once finished, guests will be able to lie in their Egyptian cotton beds whilst gazing at tropical fish and blossoming coral life. Wow. Not to mention the underwater restaurant, bar, gym, and even a wedding chapel.

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Best Country Hotels within Two Hours of London

Best Country Hotels within Two Hours of London

Four Seasons Hampshire

Situated in an idyllic 500 acres of rolling hills, lakes and canals the Four Seasons Hampshire makes the perfect rural escape. The retreat boasts a fantastic location being 1 hour from central London, yet within 45minutes to countless family destinations including; Stonehenge, The New Forest, Legoland, Winchester Cathedral and Hampshire’s beautiful coastline and beaches. The hotel itself occupies an old manor house filled with an abundance of character, creaking floorboards, mahogany stairs and stone fire places. A contemporary extension has been added, containing many of the guest rooms – which are traditionally furnished.

Highlights: Award Winning Spa, Indoor & Outdoor Pool, 500 Acre Grounds

For Children: Horse Riding, Archery, Fishing

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The Grove

The Grove completely belies its location within the M25, just 18 miles from Piccadilly Circus, with its vast landscaped gardens and championship golf course giving the impression that you are deep within the country side. The hotel itself occupies an attractive multi-faceted Grade II listed mansion that hides within more than enough amenities to keep the whole family happy. Parents are pampered with an award winning spa, the aforementioned golf course and a fine dining restaurant – Collette’s. Meanwhile the children have their very own nursery, orangery and even an artificial beach. The rooms are finished in a plush contemporary style.

Highlights: Championship Golf Course

For Children: Swimming Pool, Authentic Beach Area, and Nursery

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Stoke Park

A chocolate box of treasures, Stoke Park occupies an absolutely stunning 18th century mansion, reminiscent of a mini White House, set in wonderful landscaped gardens designed by Humphrey Repton. The picturesque grounds have featured in many films, notably it is where James Bond challenged Goldfinger to round of golf. The accommodations are housed within both the Old Georgian Mansion and a newer, juxtaposing, contemporary block. Facility wise, the hotel boasts a Michelin star restaurant, a renowned golf course and an excellent spa with swimming complex – all located just 1 hour from central London and 15minutes from Heathrow airport.

Highlights: Golf Course, Michelin Star Restaurant, 300 Acres of Land

For Children: Tennis, 300 Acre grounds, Kids Menu

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Coworth Park

Since 2011 Coworth Park, part of the Dorchester collection, has been the linchpin of country hotels. Situated in fabulously blossoming 240 acre meadows nearby to Ascot race course, the resort is a favourite of Middle Eastern guests. This doesn’t mean it rests on its laurels though, with the hotel consistently ranked among the top 10 in the United Kingdom. The spa is state of the art (in fact the hotel even has a spa for visitors cars), that impresses with its architecture alone – its roof being a half buried sweep of glass bound by natural wood, with a herd garden on top. The rooms merge contemporary chic with the old manor house exterior - all are spacious, with oodles of natural light, and finished in calming white and creams. Many too have deep copper bathtubs for extensive relaxation sessions. As you can imagine heaps of activities are available such as clay pigeon shooting, Segway riding, horse riding lessons and visits to nearby Windsor.

Highlights: State of the art Spa, 18m Pool, Fine dining restaurant

For Children: Equestrian Centre, Children’s Concierge, and Parkland

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Ellenborough Park

Located in a 15^th century estate overlooking Cheltenham Racecourse Ellenborough Park is steeped in history. The resort has 62 bedrooms, in a seemingly endless and maze like space. One Elizabethan fine dining restaurant, a more casual brasserie, a superb spa, outdoor pool and countless ‘cosy’s’. Perhaps more suited for an intimate retreat for two than an expansive family, nether the less Ellenborough Park offers plenty for children to do, albeit outside the resort in the gorgeous Cotswold Hills. The rooms are bursting with character - decorated in a tradition English rural style, with exposed beams, heavy drapes and mahogany furniture.

Highlights: Stunning Countryside, Typical English Manor, Spa

For Children: Bike Rental, Arts classes in nearby Cheltenham

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Lucknam Park

Lucknam Park’s 500 acre estate really has it all; an award winning spa, Michelin Star restaurant and even an equestrian centre (for those less into horses and more into horsepower luckily there is a race track just 6 miles away). The building is eye catching too, a 17th century Palladian manor that greets dumbfounded guests into its marvellous gothic central hall, filled with curious oddities. It’s a place where kids can be equally as happy as adults by undertaking any of the countless activities on offer; whether it be tennis, croquet, football, riding bicycles or attending the hotels very own cookery school. The rooms are equally as dramatic as the hotels architecture, many with four poster beds, hand woven tapestries and mahogany furniture.

Highlights: 500 acre grounds, Michelin Star Restaurant, Spa, nearby town of Bath

For Children: Tennis, Croquet, Horse riding, Cookery School

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Chewton Glen

Long revered as the best hotel in the United Kingdom and for ample reasons too, that fact that staff outnumber guests two to one tells you level of pampering you can expect to receive. The resort is located within a red brick, ivy clad mansion house surrounded by acres of immaculately manicured lawns and extensive thriving woodland. Chewton Glen has rooms to suit almost all tastes too; whilst the vast majority of the rooms our decorated in a traditional English style, the new and spectacular Tree house suites ooze contemporary luxury. To tempt guests out of the well-appointed rooms the hotel boasts a sensational spa with both an indoor and outdoor pool, tennis courts, croquet lawns and a nine hole golf course. Should this not be enough the hotel is on the doorstep of the UK’s equestrian capital, The New Forest, and only a 15 minute walk to the sea.

Highlights: Sensational Spa, Great Location, Two to One staff to guest ratio

For Children: Horse Riding, Tennis, Swimming, Beach within a 15 minute walk.

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Cliveden House

Perhaps the most historical and grand hotel on this list; once being home to a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor. Even Queen Victoria was a frequent visitor during her reign with the House's River Cottage being built specifically for her requirements. Guests to Cliveden House can spend hours getting lost spectacular grounds maintained by the National Trust, grounds that also house neighbouring Hedsor house - used as filming location for hit TV show Downtown Abbey. Inside the property one can expect to feel like an Earl or Countess with wonderfully intricate wood work, four poster beds and original fire places. The vast array of original features make it even more remarkable that the hotel managers to fit in the modern amenities of an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, spa, Michelin Starred chef, club lounge and library bar within its offering. 

Highlights: Stunning Grounds, History, Restaurant

For Children: Horse Riding, Tennis, Swimming, Boat Rides.

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London hotels that have featured in films

LONDON HOTELS DO HOLLYWOOD

As one of the most recognisable cityscapes in the world, and with the British film industry going from strength the strength, London has unquestionably been a favourite filming location amongst directors. As well as the streets and iconic landmarks, London’s finest hotels have also played a major role in providing authenticity and bringing certain scenes and stories to life.

HOTEL: THE RITZ
FILM: NOTTING HILL (1999)

Room: The Trafalgar Suite

When William Thacker (played by Hugh Grant) is invited by his famous love interest, Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) to her suite at The Ritz, he thinks he has lucked out. Much to his bemusement, she is hosting an interview session with the press and he amusingly pretends to be a reporter from ‘Horse & Hound’.

Each time Miss Scott checks into arguably London’s most famous hotel, she uses a fake name of a cartoon character. You can imagine how often this happens in real life with The Ritz being a favourite among the rich and famous. And as a quintessentially British icon, the filmmakers knew that the use of the hotel would be an immediately recognisable to international audiences and aid in the upscaling of the reach.

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HOTEL: THE LANGHAM
FILM: GOLDENEYE (1995)

Room: Hotel Exterior

When James Bond (played by Pierce Brosnan) is tasked with retrieving a stolen and dangerous Russian satellite system called GoldenEye, he is dispatched to The Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg.

However, much to the convenience of the crew, luxury 5* hotel The Langham on Regent Street was used as a stand-in for filming. Displaying the same exterior splendour as the imitated hotel, hanging a Russian flag off the front of the building was all that was needed to complete the illusion.

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HOTEL: HILTON LONDON ON PARK LANE
FILM: HITCHCOCK’S ‘FRENZY’ (1972)

Room: Suite 508/509

When Richard Blaney (played by Jon Finch) loses his job, he visits his ex-wife seeking advice. She is shortly thereafter found raped and murdered, and his current girlfriend is the next to fall victim. Although innocent, Blaney is arrested for the crimes.

On the run and seeking advice, he visits The London Hilton on Park Lane where his friend is occupying a suite. He is sent packing by the mate’s wife and she watched them disappear from a 2nd floor balcony. The hotel itself has a very recognisable façade amongst the Mayfair hotels and this is believed to have been the reason behind the location choice.

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HOTEL: LANCASTER LONDON HOTEL
FILM: THE ITALIAN JOB (1969)

Room: Suite 602

When Charlie Croker (played by Michael Caine) is released from prison, what more suitable way to celebrate than to spend the day with some scantily-clad young ladies in a fabulously hip London suite. Upon check-out, he is summoned up to a different room to be met with a proposal from the widow, Beckerman. From here, The Italian Job is born.

The hotel was used as it had just the right mix of mystery and elegance to make any meeting a special one. Since filming, the 1960’s interior has been replaced with a much more modern and luxurious style of décor, with fabulous views over Hyde Park.

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HOTEL: THE CORINTHIA
FILM: SKYFALL (2012)

Room: Rooftop

Towards the later stages on the film after some heroic action James Bond (played by Daniel Craig) takes an idyllic moment to gather this thoughts (and presumably to dry his pants) whilst peering over the London Rooftops. Whilst scene itself is actually filmed next-door to The Corinthia, at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, certain Penthouse Suites share the same rooftop and do have their own private terraces offering the same captivating views.

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HOTEL: THE LANESBOROUGH
FILM: EYES WIDE SHUT (1999)

Room: The Royal Suite

When Dr. Bill Harford (played by Tom Cruise) and his wife Alice (Nicole Kidman) attend a party and flirt with other guests, they discuss and admit to having fantasises about strangers. Bill becomes progressively obsessed with the idea, and with many dodgy encounters along the way including a meeting in the impressive pool room at the iconic Lanesborough Hotel, he ultimately ends up with a stranger in The Royal Suite.

The room was used in filming as a representation of where the wealthy and powerful would reside. True to this, in real life the suite costs around £8000 per night and is so exclusive that it is positioned in a secret location within the hotel that reportedly isn't even disclosed to some of the hotel staff.

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HOTEL: THE DORCHESTER
FILM: WIMBLEDON (2004)

Washed up tennis pro Peter Colt (played by Paul Bettany), competing at the Wimbledon tennis tournament for the final time, has the privilege of staying at arguably London's most famous hotel, The Dorchester. It is here where Peter meets an up-and-coming tennis star by the name of Lizzie Bradbury (played by Kirsten Dunst) for the first time during the Championships. Some say it was this romantic encounter that led to Peter's upturn in form to win the championship, we have our doubts though and reckon it was more down to the rejuvenating qualities of the hotels tremendous spa.

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HOTEL: THE MAY FAIR
FILM: HEREAFTER (2010)

London's prestigious May fair hotel often finds itself hosting celebrities, but in 2010 if found itself part of the show when executive producer Stephen Spielberg chose it to host the 3rd act of his action thriller Hereafter. Stars Matt Damon and Cécile de France rendezvous outside the hotel, were the later is staying.

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