BA - The Club - In bed with history: eight landmark hotels

Eastern & Oriental Hotel

Penang, Malaysia
Situated within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Georgetown, the Eastern & Oriental – known fondly as the E&O – is an all-suite affair, with rooms named after famous writers who have stayed there, such as Somerset Maugham and Noel Coward.
Know this: The E&O was the architectural blueprint that its creators, the Sarkies brothers, used to build Singapore’s iconic Raffles Hotel.
British Airways will fly to Kuala Lumpur from May 2015 – book now.

Mandarin Oriental Prague

Prague, Czech Republic
Formerly a monastery dating back to the 14th century, this baroque and Renaissance building now houses a modern Mandarin Oriental hotel. It’s conveniently located in Prague’s historic Malá Strana district, close to Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge.
Know this: Visit the hotel’s Gothic spa: its glass floors reveal the ruins of a chapel below.

Fairmont Banff Springs

Banff, Canada
Built in 1888 and modelled on a Scottish castle, this grand hotel is credited with kick-starting modern tourism to the Canadian Rockies. Its setting is some of the most spectacular scenery in the country – Marilyn Monroe recuperated here after injuring her ankle filming River of No Return in the area in 1953.
Know this: Don’t miss the Heritage Tour at 3pm (Tuesday-Saturday), conducted by the hotel’s longest-standing employee, Dave Moberg.

Parador de Jaén

Jaén, Spain
Perched on the Santa Catalina hilltop near Andalucia, this restored 13th-century fortress is a favourite getaway for the King of Spain – and it’s easy to see why: the castle overlooks the olive groves leading up to the Sierra Morena hills, while inside, antique tapestries and four-poster beds pump up the grandeur factor.
Know this: Book one of the four superior rooms, because they all have private balconies.

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel

London, UK
Sir George Gilbert Scott’s Victorian Gothic London landmark lay idle for years after closing in 1935 – until it reopened in 2011 as the St. Pancras Renaissance, with lavish rooms, an ornate bar and a restaurant by Marcus Wareing.
Know this: Several of the 38 Grade I-listed Chambers suites overlook the Eurostar concourse.

Shangri-La Bosphorus

Istanbul, Turkey
Originally a 1930s tobacco factory, this modern Shangri-La lays claim to the largest guestrooms in Istanbul – many overlooking the Bosphorus Strait.
Know this: The hotel has more than 1,000 pieces of European and Asian art throughout its public areas and rooms.

Taj Lake Palace

Udaipur, India
With vintage car rides and butlers, it’s hard not to feel like royalty at Taj Lake Palace. The 250-year-old marble structure is famous for appearing to ‘float’ on Lake Pichola – as well as for being the location of the 1983 Bond film Octopussy.
Know this: For the beautiful lake views, request a palace room. Or if you want to stay in Queen Elizabeth II’s former boudoir, book suite 117.

Tokyo Station Hotel

Tokyo, Japan
The redbrick Tokyo Station Hotel – which sits within Tokyo’s primary train-and-subway building dating back to 1914 – is back to its former glory after a multi-million dollar facelift. Seek out star bartender Hisashi Sugimoto to mix you a signature Tokyo Station cocktail.
Know this: Although nearly 3,000 trains pass through the station each day, it’s surprisingly serene inside the hotel, thanks to double-glazed windows and the steel-framed concrete walls.

In bed with history: eight landmark hotels

Eastern & Oriental Hotel

Mandarin Oriental Prague

Fairmont Banff Springs

Parador de Jaén

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel

Shangri-La Bosphorus

Taj Lake Palace

Tokyo Station Hotel

Eastern & Oriental Hotel

Mandarin Oriental Prague

Fairmont Banff Springs

Parador de Jaén

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel

Shangri-La Bosphorus

Taj Lake Palace

Tokyo Station Hotel

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