Vacation Like Royalty: Top 8 Majestic Hotels to Check into

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Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara

Abu Dhabi, UAE

If Laurence of Arabia had stumbled on Qasr al Sarab during his travels, he might have spent the rest of his years enjoying its decadent hospitality rather than dabbling in foreign affairs. Hidden away on the edge of the vast Rub’ al Khali desert, Qasr al Sarab rises from the orange dunes like an ancient sand city, with the additional embellishments of private plunge pools, Middle Eastern antiquities and unique destination-dining spots throughout the estate. Sheikhs and VIPs come to ride camels at sunset, pamper themselves at the Anantara Spa and soak in the immense silence of the desert.

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Villa d’Este

Lake Como, Italy

With the austerity typical of the 16th-century Catholic Church, when Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio built a summer residence on the banks of Lake Como, it was a resplendent retreat where he could escape the drudgery of ecclesiastical life. After his death, Villa d’Este passed through the hands of various royals and aristocrats, who expanded the estate to its current palatial form. A similarly high-profile line-up of VIP guests continued to frequent the property after it became a hotel in 1873, and still visit today for its picturesque lakeside location, 10 hectares of grounds and famous floating swimming pool.

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Rome Cavalieri, Waldorf Astoria

Rome, Italy

If Jay Gatsby visited Rome, he would probably have taken up residence at Waldorf Astoria’s Rome Cavalieri, a palatial hotel perched on a hill overlooking the rooftops of the Eternal City and the Vatican. Peering down on the expansive gardens and twinkling swimming pool from his balcony at night, the air filled with the sound of laughter and chinking glasses, Gatsby would have been reminded of his own garden parties, as the elite of Rome’s high society gather to dine at three-Michelin-starred La Pergola, admire one of the greatest art collections in the city and discuss offshore investments on the candle-lit terrace.

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Badrutt’s Palace

St Moritz, Switzerland

Winter tourism was born in Europe in the late 19th century, thanks to a legendary wager between hotelier Johannes Badrutt and four Brits in the Swiss mountain town of St Moritz. Needless to say, Badrutt’s claim that St Mortitz was as beautiful in winter as it was in summer turned out to be true, and it’s now Europe’s quintessential ski resort. Standing proud on the northern shore of Lake St Moritz, Badrutt’s Palace resembles a fairy-tale castle with pyramid-shaped turrets and peaked eaves. Elegant suites look out over the lake, where swimmers, boaters and water polo players compete throughout the year.

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Taj Lake Palace

Udaipur, India

Floating surreally in the middle of Lake Pichola, Taj Lake Palace was built by Maharana Jagat Singh II in the 18th century as a winter palace. It was occupied by a succession of flamboyant rulers for 200 years before being turned into a lavish hotel in 1963. Royal visitors have included the Shah of Iran and Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, but its most infamous resident was undoubtedly Octopussy in the James Bond movie of the same name. The palace retains its old-world glamour, with vintage car and speedboat transfers, sunset lake cruises and some of the most resplendent suites in India.

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Ciragan Palace Kempinski

Istanbul, Turkey

Set among manicured gardens on the European banks of the Bosphorus, Cirigan Palace Kempinski looks out over the bustling Istanbul waterway and the loping Bosphorus Bridge, a physical link between Europe and Asia. Built by Sultan Abdülaziz between 1863 and 1871, the palace was the pride of the Ottoman Empire, filled with the greatest treasures of the royal court. It was turned into a hotel in 1990, quickly becoming a favourite of heads of state including Juan Carlos I of Spain, Prince Albert of Monaco and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

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The Gritti Palace

Venice, Italy

The Gritti Palace is as much a Venice landmark as the canals and bridges, and a coveted address in the island city. The hotel was restored to its former glory in 2013, reclaiming its role as a gathering place for luminaries from the worlds of politics, business and the arts. Signature suites are named after its most famous former guests, including Ernest Hemingway and Somerset Maugham, and the Pisani family, the original owners of the palace. For the best views of the Grand Canal, the Terrazza Redentore Suite has its own rooftop terrace—all yours for just US$10,000 a night.

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Umaid Bhawan Palace

Rajasthan, India

Foremost among its royal credentials, Umaid Bhawan Palace is the current home of the royal family of Jodhpur, and has been for the 72 years since it was commissioned by Maharaja Umaid Singh. Within the vast sandstone palace, just 64 art deco rooms and suites are open to paying guests, whose every whim is catered to by staff in turbans and white gloves. Decadent banquets and wedding feasts are served in the majestic Marwar Hall, cocktails are poured poolside as the sun sets over the Thar Desert, and after dark, guests gather for postprandial games of billiards.

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