The 9 Best Historical Suites

Credit: John Athimaritis

While some travelers look exclusively for the latest mod cons, high-tech features and glitzy glass-heavy interiors, others prefer a hotel suite with a certain sense of story or the knowledge that notable individuals have graced these rooms before them. In our round up the some of the world's most historical hotel suites, we bring you everything from the very rooms that Winston Churchill once worked in to an abode that has counted the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, King Charles III and Gary Grant as former guests.
Credit: Hotel Bel Air

Claiming that a hotel suite is written into the history books may feel superfluous — but in the case of Hotel Bel Air’s Presidential Suite, it's nothing short of the truth. Counting Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, King Charles III and Gary Grant as previous guests, the suite is as star-approved as they come.
Credit: Hotel Bel Air

Inside its pink-hued walls, the one-bed suite is surprisingly demure given its roster of residents: Expect a muted color palette and clean, contemporary lines, brought together by Alexandra Champalimaud.
Credit: Hotel Bel Air

Inside, there’s a formal lounge area and a separate dining room; outside, there’s a secluded terrace and a shady patio to escape that LA heat (as well as loungers for poolside posing). From $18,000.
Credit: Hôtel Plaza Athénée

Hôtel Plaza Athénée has remained one of Paris’s most fashionable addresses since it opened on the tree-lined Avenue Montaigne in 1913. Its seductive Belle Époque glamour is part of its allure, however the hotel is not one to rely on legacy alone.
Credit: Hôtel Plaza Athénée

Last year saw the much-lauded transformation of the hotel’s famed Dior Spa, while in 2024, the fifth and sixth floors have undergone a chic renovation with the reimagining of 49 rooms and suites. This includes the opulent four-bedroom, four-bathroom Royal Suite, one of the city’s most spacious. The update has stayed true to heritage, with gilded moldings, elaborate cornicing and Versailles parquet floors providing the backdrop for elegant antiques and original artworks.
Credit: Hôtel Plaza Athénée

Parisian apartment living at its finest, the suite comes complete with a butler and dedicated concierge and spans two drawing rooms, an office, a kitchen and a steam room. Though the hotel is home to some of the city’s best restaurants, dining on the suite's flower-lined balcony gazing over the Eiffel Tower is a must. From $49,803 per night.
Credit: Ciragan Palace Kempinski

The only Ottoman imperial palace on the Bosphorus, Cirigan Palace Kempinski is awash with history and luxury in equal measures. One of the largest — and most impressive — suites in Istanbul, the Sultan Suite spans 4,929 sq ft and has captivating views across the Bosphorus from its charming high sash windows.
Credit: Ciragan Palace Kempinski

The two-bedroom suite’s decor is suitably regal — think glittering chandeliers, antique furniture, select artworks and gilded finishes.
Credit: Ciragan Palace Kempinski

The living room is to die for and the dining area can host up to 12 people — this is the place to host a fabulous dinner party. Guests of the suite have a dedicated butler and concierge, as well as point-to-point city transfers with the hotel’s 1974 model Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. From $38,000 per night.
Credit: Mount Nelson, A Belmond hotel

Since opening in 1899, the hotel has formed a key part of the city’s history, hosting many notable guests, from John Lennon to the Dalai Lama. Mount Nelson’s premier accommodation, Honeysuckle Cottage, sits in a row of historic houses dating back to the hotel’s opening.
Credit: Mount Nelson, A Belmond hotel

Currently celebrating its 125th birthday, the Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, is an eye-catching pink wonder, nestled in between the slopes of Table Mountain and the vibrant city of Cape Town.
Credit: Mount Nelson, A Belmond hotel

Decorated with an original trellised verandah, the two-bedroom suite is formed of two neighboring cottages and features a fully functioning kitchen, antique furnishings and working fireplaces, ensuring a comfortable stay in any season. Overlooking the property’s peaceful flower gardens, the cottage also has direct access to the hotel’s heated swimming pool. From $2,000 per night.
Credit: St Regis Rome

Opened by Ceasar Ritz in 1894, the St Regis Rome is a relative newcomer compared to some of its neighbors in The Eternal City. But, with its arrival near Piazza della Repubblica complete with top-hatted doormen just before the turn of the century, it ushered in a new era of lavishness. Today, it is every inch the symbol of la dolce vita, with its latest marvelous iteration at the hands of design luminary Pierre-Yves Rochon.
Credit: St Regis Rome

Playing host to the hotel’s most distinguished guests over its 130-year history, The Royal Suite lives up to its name, with interiors created from bronze, travertine and silk. Aristocratic Roman textiles, Louis XVI furniture and sculptures add to the air of nobility.
Credit: St Regis Rome

The marble dining table has enough space to gather 12 friends for a special St Regis midnight supper, all served by a private kitchen as the suite’s grand piano twinkles. From $21,000 per night.
Credit: The Plaza Hotel

There are iconic hotels, and then there is The Plaza Hotel New York. The Fifth Avenue National Historic Landmark opened on the southeastern corner of Central Park in 1907 and has graced the pages of famed literary works and movie screens ever since.
Credit: Corey Stovin

The beloved Beaux Arts hotel is synonymous with high society, from afternoon tea at Palm Court to white-gloved butlers delivering your freshly pressed cocktail wear. The quintessentially New York hotel raises its already high bar with the 2,100-sq-ft Grand Penthouse Two-bedroom Terrace Suite on the 20th floor.
Credit: The Plaza Hotel

Its two stories are embellished in chandeliers, velvet upholstery and gold leaf. The crowning glory? An elegant staircase leading skywards to the primary bedroom with an expansive private terrace. From $18,000 per night.
Credit: Raffles Singapore

Though refurbished and deftly contemporary in its aura and offerings, landmark Raffles Singapore reigns as one of the world’s most quixotic purveyors of bygone times. Opened in 1887, the hotel continues to reflect romance through its stories, teakwood halls, exquisite antiques and liveried doormen.
Credit: Raffles Singapore

After a Singapore Sling in the legendary Long Bar, unpack in The Sarkies Suite. Planted in the Main Building, elegantly appointed, it emanates an airy residential feel. Sip tea on the suite’s sun-dappled verandah while your butler unpacks the contents of your Louis Vuitton trunks and hangs your clothing neatly in the large walk-in wardrobe. From $18,000 per night.
Credit: Raffles London at The OWO

There are many storied hotels, but there are few that offer you the chance to rest your head in a room that changed the course of world history. The Churchill Suite at Raffles London at The OWO is just that. Eight years in the making, Raffles transformed London’s grade II* listed Old War Office into the city’s most anticipated hotel opening last year.
Credit: Raffles London at The OWO

The one-bedroom suite (which can be expanded to form a two-bedroom residence) inhabits the former ‘Army Council Room' — where Britain's most famous statesman planned for many of World War II’s battles. Reimagined by late French architect Thierry Despont, far from feeling like a night at the museum, the interior’s historic DNA was sympathetically preserved turning the space into one of London’s most extraordinary suites.
Credit: Raffles London at The OWO

Two elaborate fireplaces frame either end of a remarkable drawing room, which is adorned with green damask wallcoverings and bountiful oak paneling. Elongated windows drop from the ornate double-height ceilings, continuing through to a generous bedroom featuring marble fireplace and crystal chandelier. With views over Horse Guards Parade, this is London at its most splendid. From $25,000 per night.
Credit: La Mamounia

A palatial gem in the heart of Marrakech, the century-old La Mamounia is a stunning tribute to Moroccan architecture. The hotel’s three riads are centered around a traditional patio and feature a heated pool, three bedrooms and over 7,500-sq-ft of living space.
Credit: La Mamounia

Secluded from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech, the riads’ private terraces provide the ultimate setting for relaxation, while dining rooms and lounges create an intimate space for gathering. Guests can savor local cuisine prepared in the riad’s kitchen or dine out at one of the hotel’s five restaurants. End the evening with a drink at Le Churchill bar, named in honor of one of the resort’s most notable guests. From $15,000 per night.