25 Luxurious Hotels History Buffs Will Adore

Built by French architect Joseph Gire in 1923 to be one of the world's great beach hotels of the 20th century, Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel has surely lived up to its name: It has been immortalized through Rod Stewart's eponymous hit single and the 1933 film, Flying Down to Rio, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The hotel resides on one of the most famous stretches of beach in the world, which became even more iconic after hosting beach volleyball events during the 2016 Summer Olympics. Copacabana Palace has been attracting the biggest names in art, music, and film for nearly 100 years, from Brigette Bardot to Madonna, boosting Rio de Janeiro as a top destination for luxury-seekers.

It takes a lot to be considered one of L.A.'s most iconic hotels, but Hotel Figueroa is certainly deserving. The acclaimed hotel is deeply rooted in the women's movement, as it was financed, owned, and operated by and for femininity. Opened in 1926, Hotel Figueroa was the first of its kind in the U.S. to have a female managing director, and it served as a primary destination for women's club meetings across the city, as well as a safe haven for solo female travelers. This luxurious downtown property continues to innovate and support women's equality today by partnering with a diverse array of female creatives in art and film, serving as a polling station for the 2020 presidential election, and even offers a new contactless restaurant concept for safer dining poolside.

Opening in May 2021, Ca' di Dio resides in a 13th-century ecclesiastical estate that has housed pilgrims, crusaders, and curious travelers for nearly 800 years. As Venice's only five-star hotel opening in 2021, this property boasts impeccable lagoon and San Giorgio Maggiore Island views, all from the entrance of Venice's prestigious contemporary arts district, the Arsenale. Ca' di Dio will be filled with immaculately preserved frescoes, Murano glass, Istrian stone, and other iconic elements of Venetian design.

This lush 350-acre estate is where your wildest dreams of becoming royalty come true. Ashford Castle was founded in 1228 by the Anglo-Norman de Burgo family and became a principal stronghold for the powerful family, served as the Guinness family residence, and has accommodated endless royal and political figures in its nearly 800-year history. You'll be welcomed with a drink from the Prince of Wales Bar upon arrival, and the royal pampering will continue all throughout your stay at this illustrious castle.

The legendary Hermitage Hotel served as a central headquarters for the women's suffrage movement 100 years ago (Tennessee was the final state vote needed to reach a victory for the federal decision on a woman's right to vote). It quickly became a place of debate, campaigning, and struggle for protestors, suffragists, legislators, lobbyists, and opposers of woman's suffrage. Telegrams sent to the Hermitage Hotel once the decision ruled in favor of women can be found on the walls today, and the hotel offers a powerful reminder of the importance of believing in your worth.

This spectacular ecological oasis dates back at least 10,000 years and features one-of-a-kind ancient rock sites and sandstone formations. Set in the midst of historic wonders, this five-star sustainable retreat offers the ultimate luxuries in the midst of a wild locale on South Africa's Western Cape. Featuring authentic Cape cuisine and spa treatments inspired by the ancient mystical powers of the breathtaking African landscape, Bushmans Kloof will leave you with memories like no other.

It's only fitting that the country's oldest city is thought to be home to one of the country's oldest hotels, and Casa Monica Resort & Spa offers old-world Spanish glamour for the modern age. The hotel was opened by Franklin W. Smith in the 19th-century and is known for convincing Henry Flagler to invest in Florida property (he later purchased the hotel). The stunning blend of Moorish Revival and Spanish Baroque Revival architecture serves to honor the heritage of the famed explorer, who is believed to have discovered "the fountain of youth" in this coastal town more than 500 years ago.

The widely acclaimed King David Hotel has been opening its doors to celebrities and royals alike since it first opened in 1931, and it has been at the center of Israel's historic and cultural events ever since. One wing of the hotel was bombed by Zionists in 1946, but it has remained a luxurious and peaceful place to explore one of the oldest cities in the world. The architecture, design, and hospitality is full of the splendor and ornateness of the era in which it was built in a covetable location with views of the Old City walls.

This dreamy, circa 1854 Haussmann mansion in the eighth arrondissement is an idyllic place to spend a lavish week in the City of Lights. The former home of Duc du Morny, step-brother of France's first president, Napoleon III, as well as legendary fashion designer Pierre Cardin, this resplendent property was reimagined in 2015 by Jacques Garcia while paying homage to its rich history. The Duc du Morny Library is lined with thousands of antique books from the 19th century for guests to enjoy at the adjacent honor bar for a stimulating afternoon. La Réserve Paris is where old-world glamour and modern luxury meet, with a two Michelin-starred chef, chic health and wellness retreats, and private tours of the best of Paris.

Just across the bay from Alabama's capital city lies the Grand Hotel Resort & Spa, which has been attracting visitors of the charming artist community of Fairhope for 170 years. The hotel served as a military hospital in the Civil War and a training facility during WWII, and it honors its various historic roles through a daily canon firing over Mobile Bay. The hotel also features a variety of local art, most notably from Fred Nall Hollis (known as "Nall"), the Écoles de Beaux-Arts–educated artist who was mentored by Salvador Dalí and works in a wide variety of mediums.

Residing in a magical city with a storied past, Palacio Nazarenas, A Belmond Hotel is an exceptional stay for history aficionados for its various roles as both an Incan temple and, later, a conquistador's mansion. Colonial frescoes and ancient stonework are a nod to Palacio Nazarenas's historic prominence and are well balanced with modern luxuries and education on Peruvian culture today through cuisine and unique private tours throughout the city and beyond, to destinations like Machu Picchu, which you can voyage to via Belmond's 1920s-style train car.

This dashing estate is home to both alluring design and history. The glamorous country home belonged to Lord Beaverbrook, a powerful politician, newspaper magnate, and friend of Winston Churchill, where he wined and dined the rich and famous of Europe and beyond. The Victorian-style mansion was originally built in 1866 and was discovered more than 40 years later in 1910 by Beaverbrook and his friend Rudyard Kipling, the same year he was knighted by King George V and began his media empire. After nearly 100 years of entertaining and hosting the Beaverbrook's friends and family, the house and gardens were restored to become a destination for glamorous getaways with artistic wonders throughout.

The Hamilton Hotel first opened in the mid 19th century and was named after Alexander Hamilton's second daughter, Eliza Hamilton Holly. It quickly became a scene for drinks and leisurely political gossip. The second generation of the hotel came in 1922, when a new building was constructed in the Beaux-Arts and Art Deco styles, and it became a sought-after site for many inaugural balls. It was especially beloved by F.D.R., who used it not only for his own inaugural ball but also as his War Room during WWII. The interiors pay homage to the socialites and designers of the 1920s and '30s, like the Rockefellers and Jean-Michel Frank, offering a glimpse of what our capital city was like during those iconic decades.

Overlooking Rome's famed Spanish Steps lies Hassler Hotel, the legendary property that has been run by the same family for five generations and offers a truly luxurious experience of the Eternal City. The hotel was demolished in 1939 to be rebuilt as one of the continent's great hotels but was first requisitioned by the U.S. Air Force as an Italian military base in WWII before it could be reopened to the public. Located near the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Piazza di Spagna, and the Vatican, Hassler Hotel is a fantastic place to immerse yourself in the rich and vibrant history of this incredible city.

Affectionately known as "the South's Grand Hotel," the Peabody has been a destination since its opening in 1869. It's famous for its unique traditions, like the Peabody Ducks and traditional afternoon tea at the highly lauded Chez Philipe. The breathtaking Italian Renaissance architecture speaks to a longstanding history of refined elegance and glamour, making it a must-see for anyone visiting the city. Plus, it's right in the middle of the action of Memphis history: The Peabody is a short walk from Beale Street, historic record studios, the Orpheum Theatre, and Victorian Village.

This breathtaking 450-acre estate has been hosting royal and noble visitors of all kinds for 500 years, and the lineage of its owners dates back 1,000 years to one of the last High Kings of Ireland. Dromoland Castle's genealogy is so deeply rooted in its sense of Irish hospitality that the hotel offers a unique package that offers a one-on-one consultation with a renowned genealogist to learn the origins and traditions of your own family. Plus, this castle features all the amenities modern royalty could ever want: a golf course with stunning views at every turn, lovely spa facilities, and outdoor activities like horseback riding and falconry.

Nestled at the base of Virginia's stretch of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Omni Homestead Resort has been entertaining and rejuvenating our country's politicians and socialites since before America was founded. In 1764, two military surveyors stumbled into what would be named Hot Springs, Virginia, after the "healing qualities of the waters." One of the surveyors, Captain Bullitt, moved his militia company and his family to the area and built the Homestead Resort, which he and his family operated for nearly 50 years, until a prominent physician with an interest in European spa therapies transformed the resort into one of the colonies' earliest wellness retreats. The property has exchanged hands several times—with a notable investor being J.P. Morgan for a time—and served as a place of healing for Thomas Jefferson's rheumatism. Today, political figures from around the world, including Chief Justice John Roberts, like to unwind and find solace at this spectacular Georgian estate.

This mid-19th-century hotel is seated in Britain’s Cairngorms National Park in a town with royal ties. Textile aficionados will love the Fife Arms's vibrant programming relating to its ties to tartan, as the very hills surrounding the property are where clansmen and royals began defining the region with this iconic fabric. The hotel also has a legacy of royal patronage, as Queen Victoria frequently visited in the process of deciding to purchase Balmoral. And, of course, no Iwan and Manuela Wirth–owned project is complete without a one-of-a-kind art collection.

Bottoms up! Belmond's Hotel Cipriani was founded by Giuseppe Cipriani, a bartender at the world-famous Harry's Bar in Venezia who invented the Bellini in 1948. His drinks drew suave gentlemen like Humphrey Bogart and Ernest Hemingway, and his protégé, Walter Bolzonella, has been with the hotel for 40 years and has become a close friend of George Clooney after many visits to this spectacular waterfront hotel. Located at the tip of Giudecca Island, the hotel's suites are filled with 18th-century furniture, antiques from Fortuny and Rubelli fabrics. Hotel Cipriani is also Belmond's first hotel in its global portfolio of luxury accommodations and has maintained a legacy of opulence reflective of travel's golden age.