This list is drawn from decades of public reporting, film-festival lore and hotel history — the places consistently associated with actors, musicians and royalty. It reflects reputation, not any claim about which guests are there now. We don't track anyone's whereabouts, and the discretion these hotels are known for is part of the appeal.
Chateau Marmont · Los Angeles, USA
Perched above Sunset Boulevard since 1929, it has been Hollywood's discreet hideaway for nearly a century — famous less for glamour than for the privacy that drew generations of actors and musicians.
- Best time
- Weeknights are calmer; the garden and lobby bar are the scene.
- Signature
- The garden bungalows and the members-club feel of the bar.
- Where to stay
- Book a bungalow or garden room — seclusion is the point, not a view.
- Watch out
- Deliberately worn-in, pricey, and strict on privacy: no photographing other guests.
The Beverly Hills Hotel · Beverly Hills, USA
The 'Pink Palace' has drawn Hollywood royalty since 1912, and the Polo Lounge remains a genuine industry institution.
- Best time
- Breakfast at the Polo Lounge or a cabana day by the pool.
- Signature
- Banana-leaf wallpaper, pool cabanas, the Polo Lounge.
- Where to stay
- A bungalow for the full legend.
- Watch out
- Its ownership (the Dorchester Collection) has drawn boycotts over Brunei's laws; some in the industry factor that in — decide for yourself.
Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc · Antibes, France
The Riviera's most storied retreat since 1870 and the unofficial base of the Cannes Film Festival's A-list, famous for cash-only discretion for much of its history.
- Best time
- Spring to autumn; the Cannes fortnight in May is booked years out.
- Signature
- The clifftop seawater pool and pavilion suites.
- Where to stay
- A room facing the Mediterranean; the pool is the icon.
- Watch out
- Seasonal and extremely expensive; reserve far ahead.
The Ritz Paris · Paris, France
The Place Vendôme legend tied to Coco Chanel, Hemingway and generations of film stars; the bar carries Hemingway's name.
- Best time
- Low-key on weeknights; the bar fills after 21:00.
- Signature
- Bar Hemingway, the Chanel suite, the spa and pool.
- Where to stay
- A Vendôme-facing room; suites are named for former residents.
- Watch out
- Among the priciest in Paris; Bar Hemingway is tiny — arrive early.
Claridge's · London, UK
Mayfair's art-deco grande dame, the choice of royalty and Hollywood alike for over a century.
- Best time
- Afternoon tea is the ritual; December's lobby tree is an event.
- Signature
- The deco lobby, the sweeping staircase, afternoon tea.
- Where to stay
- A deco suite; book the foyer tea in advance.
- Watch out
- Reserve tea and dinner well ahead; smart dress expected.
The Carlyle · New York, USA
Upper East Side old-world glamour — a longtime haunt of royalty, presidents and film stars, with Bemelmans Bar as its living room.
- Best time
- Evenings for Bemelmans; Café Carlyle for cabaret.
- Signature
- Bemelmans Bar murals and the Café Carlyle cabaret.
- Where to stay
- A high-floor suite with Central Park glimpses.
- Watch out
- Formal, old-money atmosphere; jackets encouraged.
The Mercer · New York, USA
SoHo's discreet celebrity standby — cast-iron, loft-like and downtown, long favored by A-listers who skip Midtown.
- Best time
- Quietest on weeknights; loudest in fashion weeks.
- Signature
- The lobby library and oversized loft rooms.
- Where to stay
- A corner loft over the SoHo streets.
- Watch out
- Books out during the fashion weeks; no big-hotel facilities by design.
Faena Hotel Miami Beach · Miami Beach, USA
The theatrical heart of Miami's art-and-celebrity scene — gilded, cabaret-loving and unmistakable.
- Best time
- Winter season; Art Basel week (December) is peak and priciest.
- Signature
- The Damien Hirst gilded mammoth, the cabaret, the beach.
- Where to stay
- An ocean-view room; the scene is the point.
- Watch out
- Loud and see-and-be-seen; not a quiet retreat.
Hotel Bel-Air · Los Angeles, USA
A canyon hideaway of Mission-style villas and a swan lake, long favored by stars who want to vanish.
- Best time
- Year-round; the garden is loveliest in spring.
- Signature
- Swan Lake, the garden suites, the Wolfgang Puck restaurant.
- Where to stay
- A garden suite with a private entrance.
- Watch out
- Also Dorchester-owned (see the Beverly Hills note); very expensive.
Belmond Copacabana Palace · Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio's grande dame since 1923 and the definitive celebrity hotel of South America — royalty, film stars and musicians have filled its Art Deco suites and famous pool for a century.
- Best time
- December–March (summer); New Year's Eve is legendary
- Signature
- The rooftop pool, and a suite over Copacabana beach.
- Where to stay
- A beachfront suite for the classic view.
- Watch out
- New Year and Carnival book out a year ahead.
Alvear Palace Hotel · Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Belle Époque grande dame of Recoleta, where visiting royalty, presidents and stars have stayed since 1932 — all French antiques, marble and old-world service.
- Best time
- March–May and September–November
- Signature
- Afternoon tea in L'Orangerie; a Recoleta suite.
- Where to stay
- A classic room over Avenida Alvear.
- Watch out
- Very traditional; the Faena is the design-led alternative.
Hotel Fasano São Paulo · São Paulo, Brazil
The fashion-and-media set's São Paulo base in Jardins — a sleek Philippe Starck-era design landmark with a rooftop pool and one of the city's best restaurants.
- Best time
- April–October (drier)
- Signature
- The rooftop pool over Jardins; dinner at Fasano.
- Where to stay
- A high-floor room for the skyline.
- Watch out
- Book the restaurant when you book the room.
Four Seasons Bogotá (Casa Medina) · Bogotá, Colombia
A 1940s landmark of hand-carved wood and stone in Zona G, now a Four Seasons — the discreet, characterful choice for visiting names in Bogotá.
- Best time
- December–March and July–August (drier)
- Signature
- The courtyard restaurant; a fireplace suite.
- Where to stay
- A Casa Medina room in the historic wing.
- Watch out
- Bogotá sits at 2,600m — the altitude is real.
Country Club Lima Hotel · Lima, Peru
A 1927 Spanish-colonial landmark in San Isidro hung with museum-loaned art, long the grand choice for dignitaries and stars passing through Lima.
- Best time
- December–April (Lima summer)
- Signature
- The Perroquet terrace; a suite with colonial detailing.
- Where to stay
- A classic room around the courtyard.
- Watch out
- Lima's coastal grey (garúa) lingers May–November.
Rankings summarise what travelers wrote after their trips, cross-checked by our editors. Seasons, prices and conditions change; confirm entry rules, weather windows and bookings before you commit. Nothing here is a guarantee of an experience.
- Decades of public reporting, film-festival coverage and hotel histories
- Hotel and operator pages for practical details
- Reputation-based; no claims about individual guests' whereabouts
- Chateau Marmont: photo by Tony Mariotti from Los Angeles, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
- The Beverly Hills Hotel: photo by Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
- Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc: photo by John Jason Junior, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
- The Ritz Paris: photo by Arthur Weidmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
- Claridge's: photo by Anthony O'Neil, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
- The Carlyle: photo by Jim.henderson, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
- The Mercer: photo by ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
- Faena Hotel Miami Beach: AI-generated illustration (not a photograph of the hotel).
- Hotel Bel-Air: photo by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
- Belmond Copacabana Palace: photo by Wilfredor, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
- Alvear Palace Hotel: photo by Just a Man, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
- Hotel Fasano São Paulo: AI-generated illustration (not a photograph of the hotel).
- Four Seasons Bogotá (Casa Medina): photo by Felipe Restrepo Acosta, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
- Country Club Lima Hotel: photo by Privado (imagen donada al publicador), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).