Where Hollywood holidays (Lake Como, Paris, Dubai, New York etc) is one debate, but where Hollywood shoots its scenes is entirely another. While some scripts call for dystopian deserts, tropical jungles and alien landscapes, others hark back to days gone by and, luckily for them, stately properties around the world are usually more than happy to oblige a film set or two, from Cliveden House in leafy Berkshire to Villa d’Este on the glamorous shores of Lake Como. With Richard Gere and Julia Roberts heading to Beverly Hills for Pretty Woman, Sean Connery as Bond to Miami for Goldfinger and Macaulay Culkin (aka Kevin McAllister) to New York, we bet you’d be surprised at how many five-star properties have hosted Hollywood royalty. Here are the best hotels that have been featured in films and TV shows.

Villa d’Este, Italy: The Pleasure Garden (1925)

Guests of the centuries-old grande dame Villa d’Este, which sits on the shores of Lake Como, can follow in the footsteps of Alfred Hitchcock who made his first film, The Pleasure Garden, on the property in 1925. The film features the hotel’s 25 acres of enchanting parkland filled with centennial trees, fountains and blooming flowers but perhaps what the hotel is more famous for is its starry guestbook. Elizabeth Taylor retreated to one of its palatial suites at the beginning of her affair with Richard Burton, Stanley Tucci proclaimed it one of his favourite hotels in the world, George Clooney is such a regular that staff simply refer to him as ‘George’, and Lady Gaga lived in the lakefront Villa Cima whilst filming House of Gucci. Visit this summer to live the Hollywood high-life by indulging in personalised spa treatments, dining on executive chef Michele Zambanini’s classic Italian cuisine, or just enjoying the dolce far niente in serious style. 

From £1,117 per night. 

Hostal de La Gavina, Spain: 1950s Hollywood classics 

Perched on a small Spanish peninsula, Hostal de la Gavina has been a byword for Costa Brava luxury since it opened in 1932. It was, therefore, a natural choice as a filming location for 1950s Hollywood classics such as Pandora and the Flying Dutchman starring Ava Gardener, Suddenly Last Summer starring Elizabeth Taylor, and Mr Arkadin starring Orson Wells, who all stayed within its walls. 

Nearly a century later, Hostal de la Gavina hasn’t lost its Hollywood charm. Considered the culinary capital of Catalonia – with no fewer than 18 Michelin stars – the region has since inspired a multitude of innovative chefs, including Michelin-starred Romain Fornell, who oversees the hotel’s four restaurants. Stroll through the acres of landscaped gardens, unwind at the Spa by Valmont, rally on the clay tennis courts and enjoy yoga lessons. Be sure to go beyond the hotel to visit one of the three Salvador Dalí museums, discover the cobbled streets of Girona, step back in time at ancient Greco/Roman ruins or stop by nearby vineyards to sample award-winning Catalonian wine.  

From £239 per night. 

Cliveden House, Berkshire: Help! (1965), Sherlock Holmes (2009), The Trial of Christine Keeler (2019)

This historic National Trust country house has quite the silver screen CV. Renowned as a venue for entertaining royalty and prime ministers, with tales of parties, privilege and power, Cliveden House’s walls certainly have some stories to tell. In 1965, The Beatles filmed part of Help! at Cliveden, as did Guy Ritchie for his 2009 version of Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr, while the estate’s iconic Fountain of Love and Golden Clock Tower were recreated on set for the 2014 remake of Cinderella starring Lily James. Naturally, the property was a top filming destination for TV series The Trial of Christine Keeler in 2019, given the pool was where John Profumo first spotted Christine Keeler skinny dipping in 1961. 

Cliveden House continues to attract history buffs, but since its transformation into a five-star hotel, also fine-dining foodies, spa lovers and adventurers. Enjoy the royal treatment courtesy of lavishly decorated suites, three award-winning restaurants (we love The Grill), and acres of manicured gardens that you and man’s best friend will love. 

From £370 per night. 

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore: Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Singapore was thrust into the spotlight when Crazy Rich Asians hit our screens in 2018 – the first Hollywood film with an all Asian cast since 1993. Earning $34 million in the first five days at the box office, it’s based on the 2013 book by Kevin Kwan and follows protagonist Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she discovers her boyfriend belongs to one of the richest families in the country (Henry Golding). The couple’s star-studded farewell party during the final scene is held on the rooftop of the five-star Marina Bay Sands hotel, offering a panoramic view of Singapore’s skyline.

Fancy a stay here? Pick from the 2,500 rooms and suites that span three towers connected at the 23rd and 57th floors. Head here to discover Sands SkyPark, a roughly 134,000 square foot  tropical sanctuary to take a dip in the infinity pool, spot crowds below on the observation deck, and relax at the plethora of gardens and restaurants. You’d be crazy (ahem) to leave… 

From £360 per night. 

The Ritz London: Notting Hill (1999)

Richard Curtis’s romantic 1999 reimagining of Notting Hill continues to draw tourists to the West London borough year after year, but another filming spot comes courtesy of the most glamorous address on Piccadilly. Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant graced the halls of The Ritz during a scene in which Roberts’ character, film star Anna Scott, holds a press conference in the prestigious Trafalgar Suite while bookshop owner William Thacker (Grant), attempts to get in the room by passing himself off as a reporter from Horse and Hound magazine. The eagle-eyed will also spot head concierge, Michael de Cozar, caught on film answering the phone at his golden desk – and given his steadfast commitment to the job, we highly doubt he was just doing that for the camera… 

From £800 per night. 

Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire, LA: Pretty Woman (1990)

LA’s glamorous hotels don’t get much better than the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire, which has drawn celebrities, royalty, and camera crews from across the world in droves since it opened in 1928. Located at the crossroads of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, guests here have Hollywood, Santa Monica, and Venice Beach on their doorstep, as well as an array of designer shopping, fine dining and picture-perfect views. Inside, pick from the sleek, neutral rooms before diving into Wolfgang Puck’s international steak and seafood mecca Cut (an outpost of which you’ll find in London at 45 Park Lane), and a beautifully curated pool to lounge by. 

Julia Roberts certainly didn’t complain when she spent the majority of her scenes lounging in a suite at this hotel for the 1990 film, Pretty Woman, alongside Richard Gere. The hotel takes its film credentials so seriously that it offers a unique Pretty Woman For A Day experience, including two nights in the sought-after Specialty Suites, a behind-the-scenes tour of Rodeo Drive’s most famous fashion houses with your own personal stylist, an exclusive dining experience at The Blvd, and a romantic dinner for two in the privacy of your suite. To miss this opportunity would be a big mistake. Big. Huge. 

From £700 per night. 

The Plaza Hotel, New York: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Bride Wars (2009) and The Great Gatsby (2013)

A beacon of hospitality that shines around the world, The Plaza Hotel opened in 1907 to critical acclaim. It’s an established staple for lavish society affairs and blockbuster films, first featuring in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 thriller North By Northwest, with Cary Grant being kidnapped form the hotel’s Oak Bar but quickly escaping through the 59th street entrance. It’s also made appearances in The Way We Were (1973), The Front (1976), Home Alone 2 (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Bride Wars (2009) – starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson, whose characters both want to get married here – and Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby (2013). By 2000, The Plaza had become New York’s most popular film site – and it’s no wonder why. 

The Plaza also offers a year-round package for hardcore Home Alone fans, who can book the Have Fun in New York experience including a limousine ride around the city to visit filming locations such as the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Carnegie Hall, and Radio City Music Hall, a large cheese pizza to be devoured from the comfort of your suite’s king-sized bed and the Home Alone sundae: 16 scoops of assorted ice cream, topped with whipped cream, maraschino cherries, brownie bits, and more sauces than you can shake a stick at. Enjoy your sugar rush, Kevin McCallister-style. 

From £531 per night. 

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas: The Hangover (2009)

Another five-star hotel which offered the backdrop for some seriously blockbuster scenes is Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace, the primary filming location for The Hangover. Rumoured to have a budget of $35 million, the film was put together across just 15 days and featured Caesars Palace’s front desk, lobby, penthouse suite, entrance drive and pools – but be rest assured that the suite damaged in the film was built on a soundstage.

Away from its Hollywood credentials, Caesars Palace is a cornucopia of fun. Featuring more than 3,500 rooms, 22 restaurants, 10 bars, casinos and even a colosseum, it’s safe to say that Caesars Palace is a feast for the senses (some good, some not so good). But if you’re looking for a night to not remember, much like the one in The Hangover, this is the place to be – just be prepared to splash a couple of grand on the suite… 

From £220 per night.

The Fontainebleau, Miami: A Hole in the Head (1959), Goldfinger (1964), The Bodyguard (1992)

Another hotel that's no stranger to film stars is the oceanfront Fontainebleau, that fringes the golden sands of Miami Beach. Four years after it opened, it was chosen as a location for the 1959 film A Hole in the Head, which saw the hotel’s pool frequented by Frank Sinatra and Keenan Wynn. Perhaps one of its most recognisable features was in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, when a sweeping aerial shot accompanied composer John Barry's ‘Into Miami’, and a hotel suite hosted the murder of Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton) who is murdered by the villain Oddjob (Harold Sakata). Finally, The Fontainebleau also featured in the 1992 film The Bodyguard starring Whitney Houston. If you find yourself in the Magic City this year, it would be rude not to book one of the hotel’s 1,500 rooms boasting ocean vistas – because if it’s good enough for Houston and Bond, it’s definitely good enough for us. 

From £230 per night. 

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