Ok, maybe there’s no place like home… but sometimes we get to stay somewhere even better. A bed we don’t have to make. A kitchen we don’t have to clean up. A breakfast we don’t have to cook.
Perhaps a bit of people-watching by the pool or a lazy afternoon lounging in the lobby is what you’re after. Or maybe a night in the glamorous penthouse suite is more your style. Room service, overstuffed pillows, terry cloth robes, sleek bars—sometimes all you need to feel a little fancy is a nice hotel.
Here’s a guide to some of the best hotels on film. We’re all at home and can’t check in to one right now, but you can check out these movies. So, pack your bags and decide which will be your first stop.If you’re looking to be pampered and value your privacy, may I suggest a couple of nights at The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)? It sits atop an alpine mountain and is only accessible by funicular. There’s a concierge who will bend over backwards to get you anything. Fresh mountain air, a demure and dusky color palette, Old World elegance, and a few eccentric characters—just the thing to restore your health. Just be sure you don’t upset your greedy heirs.
Or perhaps it’s just not a vacation until you get some sun in your eyes and some sand in your bathing suit. For some beach time with vintage style, I suggest the sunny antics in Some Like It Hot (1959). It doesn’t get any funnier than Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe in an all-female traveling band. First stop, the beachfront Seminole Ritz. Pack your pearls and gloves, ladies!
Does that sound too busy? Too many people? Not to worry. You can get away from it all with The Shining (1980). This out-of-the-way hotel actually closes for part of the year and they need an off-season caretaker. You’ll have the place to yourself. Mostly. Probably. So bring that stack of books you’ve been meaning to read, or pack a laptop and work on your own novel with no distractions. Just settle in for the long winter ahead and don’t worry about those creepy twins or the elevator full of blood.
If that sounds a bit claustrophobic and you’re up a change of scenery, I suggest an Americana road-trip. There are dozens of quaint roadside attractions waiting to be discovered. At the end of the day, you’ll find a modest, comfortable room in an independently-owned, family-run motel that has been in the Bates family for two generations. Since they moved the main highway, there are always vacancies. Just look for the Bates Motel sign, pull up, and give a honk. The manager will be right out to greet you.
All that driving seem overwhelming? There’s a place in Berlin where you can simply make it your home. The Grand Hotel (1932) is a magnet for wayward souls looking to dissipate into obscurity gracefully. A jewel thief, a stenographer, an accountant, and a ballerina on the descent of her career all engage in half-hearted, last-ditch attempts to keep going.
If you are interested in being frightfully languid and melodramatic in a gorgeous gown or smart World War I uniform, this is the hotel for you.
If the glamour sounds enticing but you are looking for intrigue more than melodrama, find a hotel—like the one Casino Royale (2006)—that hosts high stakes poker games. It draws all sorts, including international super spies, sneaky private bankers, slinky treasury agents, and even some henchmen. They also offer some elegant corners for a quiet dinner with your special someone. Oh, and if you’re really nice, they will let you practice your sashay getting on and off the elevator.
Originally written for DVD Netflix