Take Me There
Written by Gary A. Seidman
SwitchYard Media, Inc. - email | website
Designed and produced by Kent Harris
Tin Can Rocket, Inc. - email | website
A production of SwitchYard Media, Inc.
Courtesy La Mamounia
LA MAMOUNIA, Marrakech, Morocco
"Marrakech," Winston Churchill told Franklin Roosevelt in 1943, “is the most lovely spot in the whole world.”
Following the wartime Casablanca Conference, Churchill persuaded FDR to visit this colorful and imperial Moroccan city where the prime minister frequently stayed at La Mamounia and painted its idyllic 300-year old gardens.
Today, the suite where Churchill stayed is a small museum to the great man, with one of his unfinished paintings still propped on an easel. Since it opened its doors in 1923, La Mamounia has entertained everyone from silent screen stars to rock stars. With its spectacular views of the snow-capped Atlas mountains, and the city%27s colorful tumult of snake-charmers, henna-painters and lively markets, La Mamounia is a luxurious base to explore from.
ADDRESS: Ave. Bab Jdid, 40 000 Marrakech, Morocco
WEB SITE: mamounia.com
PHONE: 212 24 38 86 43
WHAT TO SEE AND DO: Explore the Medina, the walled city, with its many souks and then head to Jemaa el Fna square at twilight.
Courtesy The Ritz
THE RITZ, London
Century-old elegance with all the conveniences of the 21st Century, this swanky and sophisticated London hotel is the inspiration for the expression “Puttin on the Ritz.”
A magnet for celebrities throughout its illustrious history, The Ritz has played host to kings and queens, statesmen and silver screen stars. Noel Coward immortalized the hotel in song, and actress Tallulah Bankhead famously sipped Champagn from her slipper during a 1950s press conference.
The hotel was César Ritz%27s baby. With his business brilliance and attention to detail, Ritz became known as “the king of hoteliers, and hotelier to kings.” Today, The Ritz is famed for sumptuous suites, sophisticated decor and extraordinary service.
ADDRESS: 150 Piccadilly, London
WEB SITE: theritzlondon.com
PHONE: 1 877 748 9536
WHAT TO SEE AND DO: Tea at the Palm Garden served with "finely cut sandwiches, freshly baked scones, jam and clotted cream and a range of delicate pastries."
Damon Garrett
CHATEAU MARMONT, Los Angeles
Is there a better perch in all the world for star-gazing? The Chateau Marmont is a virtual planetarium for Hollywood-types.
It%27s here that the famous, the infamous, the fabulous and the freaky all congregate at some point or other to be seen or to hideout. Few hotels are in the Marmont’s league when it comes to playgrounds for misbehavior.
Located on the Sunset Strip, this 1929 classic is where James Dean auditioned for Rebel Without a Cause, where Led Zeppelin drove their motorcycles through the lobby and where John Belushi overdosed and died. Nowadays, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christina Ricci or Johnny Depp might be ringing up room-service or wandering through on the way to the hotel%27s be-seen bar.
ADDRESS: 8221 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
WEB SITE: chateaumarmont.com
PHONE: 323 656 1010
WHAT TO SEE AND DO: As Columbia Pictures founder Harry Cohn said in 1939, “if you must get in trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont.
Courtesy Raffles
RAFFLES, Singapore
In 1887, a quartet of enterprising Armenian brothers, the Sarkies, opened the hotel and named it after Singapore's founder Sir Stamford Raffles. The location was the old bungalow at the corner of Beach and Bras Basah Roads.
Within a year, author Joseph Conrad had stayed, and Rudyard Kipling had dined at the hotel. It was the start of a legendary literary tradition.
In the 1920s, Somerset Maugham wrote in the Palm Court, and the hotel became a destination for the rich, the famous and the literary. The Depression and World War II took a toll, but it wasn’t long before Raffles reclaimed its colonial glory and the Elizabeth Grill was buzzing with gentlemen in tropical suits telling tales of adventure. Today, Raffles sports luxurious accommodations, a grand veranda and, of course, the “Singapore Sling.”
ADDRESS: 1 Beach Rd, Singapore
WEB SITE: raffles.com
PHONE: 1 800 768 9009
WHAT TO SEE AND DO: Sidle up to the famous Long Bar to enjoy the colonial ambiance with the aid of a Singapore Sling.
Courtesy The Greenbrier
THE GREENBRIER, White Sulpher Springs, W.V.
Way back in the 18th Century, this was a destination for those who wanted to “take the waters.” Since then, this hotel has had a rich history.
During the Civil War it was occupied by both Union and Confederate armies; during World War II it was used as a hospital; in the 1950s it resumed its place as one of the world’s foremost golf resorts; and throughout those years, it entertained president after president, including JFK.
But perhaps the most intriguing element of The Greenbrier%27s history is its bomb bunker. While life proceeded normally above ground in the early ‘60s, a massive shelter was being constructed underground to house Congress in the event of war. It was all hush-hush. Now, in addition to great golfing, fishing and many more activities, guests can tour the bunker.
ADDRESS: 300 W. Main St., White Sulphur Springs, WV
WEB SITE: greenbrier.com
PHONE: 800 453 4858
WHAT TO SEE AND DO: The 90-minute Bunker tour gives you an opportunity to reminisce about the Cold War.
Courtesy Grand Hotel Europe
THE GRAND HOTEL EUROPE, St. Petersburg
This is one of those great 19th Century European classics with its marble and gilt interiors, sweeping stairways and well-heeled guests lounging on elegant furniture.
Situated in the city of the czars, The Grand has entertained composers, presidents, artists and rock stars through the years.
The hotel opened its doors in 1875 and has been beautifully restored to become one of a trio of five-star hotels in St. Petersburg. From Rasputin and Tchaikovsky to Bill Clinton and Deep Purple, the guest list reads like a Who’s Who of the rich, the powerful and the creative. Winter is a particularly enchanting time to savor the Zhivago-like charm and old world elegance of The Grand ... and warm up with tea from a Russian samovar or a vodka aperitif.
ADDRESS: Nevsky Prospekt, Mikhailovskaya Ulitsa, St. Petersburg
WEB SITE: grandhoteleurope.com
PHONE: 7 812 329 6000
WHAT TO SEE AND DO: Visit the Hermitage Museum and Mariinsky Theatre.
Courtesy The Algonquin
THE ALGONQUIN, New York
In literary lore, the Algonquin holds a revered place. As the story goes, one afternoon in 1919 a group of writers descended on the hotel%27s Rose Room to welcome home one of their own. Alexander Woollcott was the honored guest. A correspondent during World War I, Woollcott was a first-hand witness to the bloodiest conflict of the young century. But not all his colleagues were enamored by the returning hero. Woollcott, it seemed, had the annoying habit of beginning many of his battlefield dispatches with the pretentious phrase: “From my seat in the theatre of war ...”
The gathered crowd came armed with cynical barbs and sarcastic witticisms, and the homecoming proved so much fun that it was suggested it become a daily ritual. The Algonquin Round Table was born. For the next decade, literary luminaries including Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, George S. Kaufman would gather daily for lunch.
ADDRESS: 59 W. 44th St., New York
WEB SITE: algonquinhotel.com
PHONE: 212 840 6800
WHAT TO SEE AND DO: Walking distance to Broadway theatres, Fifth Ave., the Museum of Modern Art and more.
Courtesy Old Cataract
THE OLD CATARACT, Aswan, Egypt
The Old Cataract in Aswan, Egypt sits atop a pink granite plateau, the site of the first cataract – or waterfall – of the Nile. Four thousand years ago, this was the location of the Pharaoh%27s quarry.
The hotel, however, has a much more contemporary history. Built in 1899 by the famed British tour operator Thomas Cook, the Old Cataract first lodged travelers who had come to cruise the Nile and visit Egypt%27s ancient sites.
Over the years, the hotel – a mix of Victorian and arabesque design -- has played host to all manner of guests, from the discoverer of Tutankhamen%27s tomb to Winston Churchill, Jimmy Carter and Lady Diana. It also was the inspiration for Agatha Christie%27s novel Death on the Nile.
ADDRESS: Abtal El Tahrir St., Aswan, Egypt
WEB SITE: sofitel.com
PHONE: 2097 2316000
WHAT TO SEE AND DO: Enjoy the Nile view with the traditional white sailed feluccas gliding by.
Courtesy The Peninsula
THE PENINSULA, Hong Kong
Built to be the finest hotel east of the Suez, The Peninsula opened its doors in 1928 and was an instant sensation with the rich and famous. It is the oldest and most expensive hotel in Hong Kong, but its guests are rewarded with all sorts of luxuries.
Besides a roof-top helicopter pad and a presidential suite that meets the White House%27s security specifications, the hotel has a number of world-class restaurants and bars. But the Peninsula’s crown jewel is its fleet of 14 Rolls Royce Phantoms, all painted in signature Peninsula Green and available to shuttle guests around town.
The hotel went through a rough spell during World War II. In December 1941, British officials surrendered the then-colony of Hong Kong to the Japanese, an event that occurred on the third floor of the Peninsula. Things have been looking up since. In 1994, the hotel constructed a 30-floor tower above its original colonial structure.
ADDRESS: Salisbury Rd., Kowloon, Hong Kong
WEB SITE: www.peninsula.com
PHONE: 852 2920 2888
WHAT TO SEE AND DO: Afternoon tea at The Peninsula's Lobby is a Hong Kong institution.
Emmanuelle
HOTEL CHELSEA, New York
The Chelsea may be Manhattan%27s last bastion of authentic Bohemian culture.
Famously seedy, but a people-watching paradise, the hotel has been a haven for punks and poets, artists and actors for generations. Mark Twain and O Henry called it home. So did Bob Dylan, Frida Kahlo and the Ramones.
It%27s been immortalized in song by Leonard Cohen and others, and it’s been the set for movies, including Sid and Nancy, the ill-fated tale of Sex Pistols singer Sid Vicious and his groupie girlfriend Nancy Spungen. Today, the Chelsea boasts of free Wi-Fi and rates that start at a New York bargain $195.
ADDRESS: 222 W 23rd St., New York
WEB SITE: hotelchelsea.com
PHONE: 212 243 3700
WHAT TO SEE AND DO: The Meatpacking District, Union Square and the Chelsea art galleries are an easy walk.
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