The Stanley Hotel β Inspiration for The Overlook
Stephen King and his wife Tabitha checked into Room 217 of this 1909 grand hotel in October 1974. The building was nearly empty β just them, the staff, and whatever else was there. King's nightmare that night became the seed of his most famous novel. The hotel is famously haunted β staff won't go to the 4th floor alone. Ask for Room 217 if you dare.
GoldenEye Hotel β Ian Fleming's Jamaican Villa
Ian Fleming built his Jamaican retreat in 1946 and wrote all 14 James Bond novels here β including Casino Royale, which he wrote at his desk in what is now the Fleming Villa. The property has since expanded into a boutique resort with beach cottages and villas. You can sleep in the actual room where Bond was born. The lagoon used in Dr. No is steps away.
Highclere Castle β The Real Downton Abbey
The 5,000-acre ancestral home of the Earl of Carnarvon is the actual filming location for Downton Abbey β every interior and exterior scene. The castle occasionally opens for exclusive overnight stays through its private hire programme. Sleep in one of the grand bedrooms, dine in the State Dining Room and roam grounds that feel frozen in 1920. An extraordinary English heritage experience.
Shire's Rest β Accommodation at the Hobbiton Movie Set
The Alexander Farm in Matamata was chosen by Peter Jackson for Hobbiton after he spotted it from a helicopter. Today, the hobbit holes remain permanently built on the farm, and Shire's Rest is the official accommodation. Wake up, walk to the movie set before the day-trippers arrive, and have breakfast at the Green Dragon Inn. The most Tolkien experience possible outside of a book.
Grandhotel Pupp β The Hotel Splendide from Casino Royale
The grand belle Γ©poque facade of this 300-year-old spa hotel was used for the exterior of the "Hotel Splendide" in Casino Royale β where Bond plays cards against Le Chiffre. The hotel has been frequented by royalty, film stars and Beethoven since 1701. Its GrandcafΓ© is one of Europe's most beautiful rooms. The real Casino Karlovy Vary is next door.
Hotel Stari Grad β Sleep Inside King's Landing
Dubrovnik's medieval Old Town is King's Landing. The Stari Ulica (Old Town alleyways), Fort Lovrijenac, MinΔeta Tower and the famous Jesuit Staircase (the "Walk of Shame" steps) are all within minutes of the hotels inside the walls. Staying inside the Old Town walls means waking up, opening your shutters, and looking directly at the set of one of television's greatest epics.
Adrina Resort β Stay on Mamma Mia's Greek Island
The fictional Kalokairi island was filmed across Skopelos and the neighbouring island of Skiathos. The famous wedding chapel β Agios Ioannis β sits dramatically atop a rocky promontory and is accessible only by 200 steep steps. The Adrina Resort on the hillside above Panormos Bay offers the most cinematic views of the coast used in filming. Blue sea, white walls, absolute bliss.
Zeavola Resort β The Resort Closest to The Beach's Maya Bay
Maya Bay on the uninhabited island of Phi Phi Leh became the most famous beach in the world after Danny Boyle filmed DiCaprio swimming into its crystal lagoon. Maya Bay periodically closes for reef regeneration. Zeavola Resort on the adjacent Phi Phi Don is the most stylish and secluded base for experiencing these islands β rustic luxury amid coconut palms.
Gleneagles Hotel β Scotland's Greatest Hotel & Skyfall Location
The sweeping Scottish highlands scenery around Gleneagles provided the backdrop for Bond's ancestral home in Skyfall. The hotel itself β opened in 1924 β is one of the grandest in the world, with three championship golf courses, an equestrian centre, a shooting school and the UK's only restaurant by the late Roux family. You don't need to like golf to love Gleneagles.
The Portobello Hotel β Eccentric Luxury in the Heart of Notting Hill
The iconic blue door at 280 Westbourne Park Road β William Thacker's home and bookshop β is a 10-minute walk from The Portobello Hotel. This wonderfully eccentric Victorian town house hotel has counted Johnny Depp, Kate Moss and Tina Turner among its guests. Alice's room with its round Victorian bath is legendary. Portobello Market is outside your door on Saturdays.
Chateau Marmont β Hollywood's Most Legendary Hotel
Built in 1927 as a luxury apartment building and converted into a hotel in 1929, the Chateau Marmont is one of the most storied buildings in Hollywood history. Every suite has hosted legends. Jim Morrison famously dangled from his balcony. Led Zeppelin rode motorbikes through the lobby. John Belushi died in Bungalow 3. Harry Cohn allegedly said: "If you must get into trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont."
Amhuinnsuidhe Castle β The Scottish Wedding Castle from Four Weddings
The remote 19th-century castle on the Isle of Harris provided the setting for the third wedding in Richard Curtis's classic film. Today it's available for exclusive hire β the entire castle is yours, along with private salmon rivers, red deer stalking and Atlantic sea fishing. The remoteness is part of the magic: the nearest town is two hours away, and the stars here are extraordinary.
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