Not only do these stunning hotels have an impressive history, but their reservation lists read like a who’s-who of the biggest celebrities throughout the last century. From the glamorous Monaco hotel where Cary Grant came to lay his head, to the Parisian hotel where Coco Chanel lived for years, these top-notch establishments have certainly earned bragging rights.

Click through the gallery to discover the historic European hotels loved by the rich and famous...

Since it opened in 1864, the Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo has been a symbol of luxury and discretion, catering to wealthy guests drawn to Monte Carlo's renowned Place du Casino and glamorous lifestyle. The hotel has maintained a close rapport with its elite clientele, partly due to its long-serving staff who have built strong relationships with its elite clientele.

With its Belle Epoque exterior and prime location overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the hotel embodies all the glitz and glamour that people expect in Monte Carlo. Monacan royals have long roamed here, including Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly, who celebrated their wedding breakfast here in 1956. The likes of Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, Maria Callas, Rita Hayworth and Cary Grant (pictured) have also been known to stay at the hotel.

The jewel in the crown of Monaco’s hotel scene was recently given a little extra sparkle thanks to a restoration in 2017. This includes the new Princess Grace Suite – an artfully decorated two-floor apartment which pays homage to the late royal’s style, complete with terraces and an infinity pool from which to gaze across the city. Pictured is racing driver Lewis Hamilton driving in front of the hotel during a trial session for the 2008 F1 Grand Prix in Monte Carlo.

The Savoy, one of London's most beloved hotels, opened in 1889 under the guidance of theatre impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte. It quickly became a haven for star-studded guests, including actors, opera singers and royalty. While not the first luxury hotel in Britain, it was the country's first to be purpose-built with modern conveniences, inspired by the grand hotels of America in the late 19th century.

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Its interiors have never held back on drama either. From their earliest incarnation, with plenty of Victorian floral wallpaper and elaborate gilded details, to the 1920s, when the space was given an Art Deco revamp, the Savoy has always kept up with the times. Its reputation for glamour really began to skyrocket as cinema was gaining popularity, with film stars including Mary Pickford, Ava Gardner and Marilyn Monroe (pictured here with Laurence Olivier in 1956) staying at the hotel.

The Savoy has successfully modernised while preserving the old-school glamour that guests have cherished for decades. In 2007, the hotel embarked on an extensive renovation, with designers carefully incorporating Edwardian and Art Deco styles using archival images. While the hotel maintains a policy of discretion about its celebrity guests, it has been featured in Taylor Swift’s music videos, and Rihanna spent time there while working on her album Talk That Talk.

The name has become a byword for all things luxurious, so it’s no surprise that The Ritz in Paris has been the touchstone of glamour since it opened in 1898. Built in two 18th-century palaces in the Place Vendome, the swanky hotel was filled with innovations that were ahead of their time, including en-suite bathrooms, telephones and electricity. Pictured here is the Ritz Hotel Salon in 1957.

From the moment it opened its doors, The Ritz Paris became a haven for the famous and influential. Literary giants like George Bernard Shaw, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Graham Greene all left their mark on the hotel’s storied history. However, the most enduring resident was Coco Chanel, who made The Ritz her home for 34 years, living in a suite until her death.

Coco Chanel’s former suite at The Ritz Paris has been elegantly restored, reflecting her timeless style with luxurious touches and showcasing some of her lesser-known artworks. After a £322 million ($450m) renovation, completed in 2016, the modern Ritz thoughtfully incorporates nods to its rich history, from the Bar Hemingway to the Salon Proust and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Suite. The Espadon Restaurant, pictured, offers a Michelin-starred menu in a bright, contemporary setting.

Not just a place for celebrities to rest their heads, the Carlton was also used as a filming location by Alfred Hitchcock, who shot scenes with Grace Kelly and Cary Grant here for To Catch a Thief (1955). Kelly met Prince Rainier (her future husband) in Cannes the following year and became a frequent visitor to the hotel, inspiring the creation of a suite in her honour. Morgan Freeman is pictured here during a photo shoot at the hotel in 2000.

Now part of the vast IHG Hotels & Resorts chain and officially known as Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel, this legendary venue recently underwent a major renovation. Architect Richard Lavelle and interior designer Tristan Auer, along with a team of 750 French artisans, have given the building a contemporary refresh while carefully preserving its original character. A standout feature is the lobby, now with a newly raised ceiling, restored white stucco columns, and shimmering chandeliers. Guests can also enjoy the largest infinity pool on the French Riviera.

The story of the Gritti Palace began in 1475 when it was originally constructed by the Pisani family. It later became the residence of Doge Andrea Gritti, whose name it now bears. Located along Venice’s Grand Canal, the stunning Gothic and Renaissance-style building was transformed into a luxury hotel, officially opening as The Gritti Palace Hotel in 1947. It quickly became a favourite among famous guests, including Ernest Hemingway, Peggy Guggenheim and Charlie Chaplin.

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In 2011, the Gritti Palace closed for nearly 15 months to undergo a £30 million ($50m) renovation that breathed new life into the historic hotel. Reopening in February 2013, the hotel's revitalised design seamlessly preserved its old-world charm while embracing modern sophistication. The renovation also introduced themed suites that pay homage to its illustrious guests, including the Peggy Guggenheim, the Hemingway and the John Ruskin suites, each reflecting the unique legacy of these cultural icons.

Despite being one of London’s grandest hotels today, Claridge’s began with more modest origins. It initially opened in the early 19th century as Mivart’s Hotel before being purchased by William and Marianne Claridge in 1854, who expanded and renamed it. The hotel’s reputation grew significantly after royal guests, including Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, stayed there in the latter half of the 19th century. However, it was a major transformation under new owner Richard D'Oyly Carte in the 1890s, when the hotel was rebuilt, that catapulted Claridge’s to the height of glamour. Alfred Hitchcock, a frequent visitor, was among the many notable figures associated with the hotel during its illustrious history.

In the Roaring Twenties, Claridge’s splendid ballrooms were the scene of lavish parties, hosting flappers and Jazz-Age celebrities. During the Second World War, the hotel became a refuge for European monarchs from countries like Norway, Greece and Yugoslavia. After the war, Hollywood’s finest flocked to Claridge’s, drawn by its luxurious service and discretion. Barbra Streisand and Peter Sellers are shown here at a party in 1969. 

The present-day Claridge’s preserves souvenirs from each of its defining eras, including the Art Deco glass screens in the Foyer & Reading Room and the iconic facade from its late 19th-century reconstruction. A striking Dale Chihuly light sculpture, added during a 1996 restoration, adorns the foyer, blending the hotel’s historic charm with contemporary art. Claridge’s is also home to one of London’s oldest working elevators, dating back to the 1890s, which is still operated by a dedicated lift attendant. 

You might be wondering which came first: the Hotel Sacher or the Sacher-Torte? Turns out it was the latter, created in 1832 by pastry chef Franz Sacher, whose son Eduard went on to open the eponymous hotel in 1876. This Vienna institution, pictured in 1910, was grand from the get-go, allowing well-heeled guests to visit the nearby Vienna State Opera or feast on the famous cake in the Sacher Cafe. 

Movie stars poured in from the mid-20th century, including the Gabor sisters, a well-known troupe of Austrian-Hungarian actors and socialites, shown in a family photograph at the hotel in 1955. The hotel is one of the few family-run 5-star hotels in the world today, and is operated by members of the Gurtler and Winkler families, descendants of the original Sacher family. 

Nowadays, visitors can expect a sleek, timeless hotel which doesn’t scrimp on luxury. Complete with 152 individually designed rooms and suites, a boutique spa and state-of-the-art gym, there’s also the opportunity to sample (what else?) the famous Sacher-Torte, the recipe for which has become the hotel’s most closely-guarded secret.

The Dorchester Hotel opened its fabulous doors in April 1931. Located on the swanky Park Lane, the sleek steel-and-concrete building stood out against London’s ornate Victorian era-hotels at the time. In fact, the reinforced concrete would make it one of the capital’s safest buildings during the Second World War. In the Postwar years it hosted plenty of screen stars, including Audrey Hepburn, pictured in 1954 with American actor husband Mel Ferrer.

Other famous names to sign its guest book were Louis Armstrong (pictured in his suite in 1956), Gloria Swanson, Marlene Dietrich, Meg Ryan, Walt Disney, Clint Eastwood and more – the list is pretty long! It was also a firm favourite of Elizabeth Taylor, who spent a lot of time in the Harlequin Suite, often accompanied by on-again off-again partner Richard Burton.

The iconic hotel has recently undergone a major design revamp which skilfully blends 1930s glamour with a cool contemporary vibe. Works by modern British artists grace the elegant public spaces while The Bar at The Dorchester has been transformed into the chic Vesper Bar, named after the Vesper Martini created by James Bond author Ian Fleming, a regular guest at the hotel from the 1940s. Rooms have been redecorated in a fresh, natural palette of leaf green, dusty pink, lemon yellow and heather blue which evokes nearby Hyde Park. Opulent, marble clad bathrooms contain the deepest baths in London. 

The establishment that would put Antibes on the map was originally conceived in the mid-1860s as an artist’s retreat called Villa Soleil. However, by the time it opened its doors in 1870, it had been transformed into a luxury hotel and renamed the Grand Hotel du Cap due to pressure from landowners. Unfortunately, the timing was poor, as the Franco-Prussian War broke out the same year, followed by an economic depression that hampered the hotel’s success. While it struggled for years, the hotel was revitalized in 1887 when Italian hotelier Antoine Sella took over, bringing it back to its former glory.

Attracting a literary crowd in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, F. Scott Fitzgerald is known to have used it as the inspiration for the Hotel des Etrangers in his novel Tender is the Night (1934). Famous romances have blossomed here over the years too, including that between Rita Hayworth and Aly Khan, and Joseph P Kennedy’s affair with Marlene Dietrich.

Despite its celebrity legacy, the hotel remains surprisingly down-to-earth. Its rooms are still opened by old-fashioned keys instead of modern key cards, staff treat guests like family and much of the building itself hasn’t changed in years. Which is precisely why many famous guests still love it today. Pictured is Penelope Cruz on a powerboat outside the hotel in 1999.

Perched at the top of Rome’s well-trodden Spanish Steps, the Hassler Hotel has been an emblem for luxury ever since opening in 1893. The original building was demolished and rebuilt in 1939, before serving as the American Air Force’s headquarters during the Second World War. Pictured here, former US President Harry S. Truman shakes hands with Enrico de Nicola, President of the Italian Constitutional Court, in the hotel’s lobby in 1956.

Within easy reach of Rome’s prime attractions, including the Pantheon, the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica, it’s easy to see why trendy tourists love the Hassler. Screen icons old and new have stayed here, including Audrey Hepburn (pictured), Grace Kelly, Charlie Chaplin, Ingrid Bergman, Danny DeVito and Leonardo DiCaprio.

After a revamp in January 2018, to celebrate its 125th anniversary, the hotel’s suites were given a breath of fresh air, decked out in a timeless neutral palette with gold and silver touches. The Hassler is also home to Rome’s first ever rooftop restaurant, Imago, where guests can enjoy Michelin-starred Italian food with panoramic views over the Eternal City.

The Frankfurter Hof opened its magnificent doors in 1876. Right from the beginning the hotel’s state-of-the-art lifts, modern heating system and opulent interior design attracted a notable clientele from around the world. Queen Victoria was a particularly illustrious early guest. The celebrated German writer Thomas Mann also appreciated all that the hotel had to offer. “At the Frankfurter Hof I have realised the meaning of a real grand hotel again. There you know for what you are paying, and you do it with a kind of happiness,” he said.

Sadly the hotel was badly damaged by bombing during the Second World War and only the facade remained. The hotel began reconstruction in the late 1940s and by 1961 it had regained its reputation, becoming one of the largest hotels in Germany. Duke Ellington, pictured here with the dancer Marianne Lutz-Pastre on the hotel’s terrace, Orson Welles, Hildegard Knef, Mick Jagger, Eton John and Yoko Ono have been among the hotel’s many celebrity guests. 

Today, the Frankfurter Hof is part of the Steigenberger Icons chain, offering a seamless blend of tradition and modernity. The hotel features 267 rooms and 36 suites, all elegantly designed with luxurious bathrooms, including rain showers. Guests can enjoy a variety of cocktails in the elegant Autorenbar (Authors’ Bar), a popular spot during the Frankfurt Book Fair, where literati and publishers from around the world gather. Dining options include Oscars Brasserie, which provides a contemporary brasserie experience.