In the classic Eagles song “Hotel California,” Don Henley sings of a mythical, luxurious, and largely metaphoric place where you could check out any time you’d like, but you could never leave. It makes total sense that one of most popular rock songs of all time would be about a hotel, a place that came to symbolize rock-and-roll excess.
Rare is the fan who hasn’t heard at least one hotel-related tale; examples include Keith Richards launching a Continental Hyatt House television from a 10th-floor window, or The Who’s Keith Moon driving his Lincoln Continental into a Holiday Inn pool.
Fortunately, there are no Holiday Inns on our list of the most luxurious rock-and-roll hotels from around the world.
(1) Mandarin Oriental – Bangkok, Thailand – Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, the five-star Mandarin Oriental has a total of 368 rooms and suites, and nine restaurants/bars. Eighties New Waver Billy Idol made it a rock-and-roll haunt by apparently going on a three-week bender in one of the rooms and demolishing it. For more on the hotel, click here.
(2) Chateau Marmont – Los Angeles, California – Featuring rooms, suites, and bungalows—with interiors that evoke a king’s castle—this spot might take the cake in terms of sheer rock-and-roll presence within its gates. According to The Guardian, Led Zeppelin rolled into the lobby on motorcycles, The Doors’ Jim Morrison took a dangle out of one of its windows, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ lead singer Anthony Kiedis recorded vocals for “By the Way” in one of its rooms. That’s only the tip of the iceberg, too. For more on Chateau Marmont, click here.
(3) The Four Seasons Hotel George V – Paris, France – This hotel within spitting distance of the Champs-Elysées has, among other quirks, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Le Cinq and 244 rooms at the height of European luxury. Per the Times, The Beatles set up shop there in 1964 and ended up working on their classic single “I Feel Fine” within its walls. Book a night at the George V here.
(4) Edgewater Hotel – Seattle, Washington – The only luxury waterfront hotel in the city, the Edgewater has jawdroppingly beautiful views of the Olympic Mountains and even has its own luxury, rock-themed suite: The Beatles Suite, which offers an audio system jampacked with the band’s entire catalog. Since opening in ’62, the hotel is played host to not only the Fab Four, but also Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, and David Bowie, to name a few. For more information on it, click here.
(5) Andaz West Hollywood (née Continental Hyatt House) – West Hollywood, California – This is the aforementioned location of Keith Richards’ forced television high-dive. (It was also nicknamed the “Riot House” by Led Zeppelin; we have no idea why.) Overlooking the famed Sunset Strip, the Andaz has been undergoing some renovations of late (they’ll be done mid-February), but is still the classic hot-spot it was back in the day. For more info, click here.
(6) The Beverly Hills Hotel – Beverly Hills, California – We would’ve been remiss to include it on this list, as it was basically the inspiration for “Hotel California.” (It’s also featured on the eponymous album’s cover.) We’d suggest staying in the 1,310-square-foot Presidential Suite, which comes with a welcome bottle of Krug champagne and its own grand piano. For more on the hotel, click here.
(7) Sanderson Hotel – London, England – Located in the West End, the five-star luxury boutique hotel is known for its breathtaking architecture and renowned spa—and some rather British quirks like a “Mad Hatters Tea Party,” which is a favorite among the city’s elite. Before her untimely death, chanteuse Amy Winehouse and her then husband got into an all-out brawl in their room, causing over $10,000 worth of damage. Thankfully, there is no Amy Winehouse Suite. To book a room, click here.
(8) Strawberry Hill Hotel – Kingston, Jamaica – Basically its own little mountain village, the luxury resort hotel features individual cottages, where guests can take in the scenery or sip rum punch on their private porches. It was an early favorite of Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, who took teas there as a child (he later bought it). One of his most famous signings, Bob Marley, ended up spending a lot of time there in the ’70s. For more on Strawberry Hill, click here.
(9) Sanctum Soho – London, England – The Sanctum’s rooms have a decidedly goth look to them, but don’t be fooled by the decor—there’s a giant ode to guitarist Jimi Hendrix right behind its front desk, so you know where their head’s at. According to The Guardian, it’s also where Metallica’s Kirk Hammett devised the band’s widest-known riff for “Enter Sandman.” Book a room here.
(10) Hotel Adlon Kempinski – Berlin, Germany – This five-star behemoth is within steps of the iconic Brandenburg Gate; and has its own wine store, club, and fine-dining restaurant, where they’re known for their signature Berlin curry sausage. Remember that bizarre moment when Michael Jackson dangled his child out a window? That was at the Kempinski. We’d strongly suggest not doing the same. For more on the hotel, click here.
—Will Levith for RealClearLife
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