Staying in a glamorous hotel can make you feel like a movie star. And that’s especially true if you check into a fabulous room in one of these beautiful places. From Oscar winners to your favorite rom-coms, here are six hotels that have enjoyed starring roles on the silver screen.
New York Icon
Facing the southeast corner of Central Park in Manhattan, the Plaza has been the most dazzling address in the world’s most famous city since it opened its doors in 1907. And literally dozens of films and television shows have been filmed here, including the Leonardo DiCaprio remake of “The Great Gatsby” and the much-beloved romance “Sleepless in Seattle.” And Alfred Hitchcock, too—the lead character in “North by Northwest” is abducted from the Plaza’s hotel bar.
Southern Style
A historic hotel with true Southern charm, the Peabody in Memphis is perhaps best known for its ducks. These five mallards live in a rooftop palace and parade daily down a red carpet to spend their day paddling around the lobby fountain. And the hotel has appeared on-screen, too, most famously in “The Firm,” a film based on John Grisham’s bestselling book. In the movie, at a lovely rooftop party here, the main character, Mitch McDeere (played by Tom Cruise) is wooed to join a prestigious Memphis law firm—with dramatic consequences.
Island Charm
Sitting between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas and surrounded by the waters of Lake Huron, Mackinac Island is a special place. Drawing summer revelers since the 19th century, 80 percent of the island—which allows no private motorized vehicles—is preserved as a state park. The Grand Hotel stands as an icon, fronted by the “world’s largest porch.” It also served as the set for the 1980 classic “Somewhere in Time,” starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour—fans of the film still gather here for an annual convention.
Hollywood Glamour
Set right on the Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel opened in 1927—just in time to play host to Hollywood’s Golden Age. The first Academy Awards were held in its Blossom Ballroom in 1929—the ceremony took just 15 minutes. All the biggest stars stayed at this Spanish Colonial Revival hotel, from Charlie Chaplin to Marilyn Monroe. And there’s a very long list of movies filmed on-site, from Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can” to Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous.”
Into the Wild West
Built out of mud and straw Mexican adobe bricks as a working cattle ranch in the 1900s, White Stallion still feels like the Wild West. Here in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, among big saguaro cactus, guests can rope and ride and do their best Gene Autry impressions. Which is appropriate, because he actually filmed “The Last Roundup” here. It’s just one of many Westerns filmed on the ranch, from Ronald Reagan’s “The Last Outpost” to the ’60s and ’70s television series “The High Chaparral.”Related Stories
Boston’s Grande Dame
The gilded spaces of the elegant, 110-year-old Fairmont Copley Plaza epitomize what we conjure when we think of “fancy hotel.” You might recognize this Grande Dame of Boston from David O. Russell’s “American Hustle” or Ben Affleck’s “Live By Night.” But its ballroom is the place you’ve most likely seen before, from wedding movies like “My Best Friend’s Girl” and “Bride Wars,” the latter starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway.This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.
