There’s always a reason to return to these famous hotels, where glamour is a constant but nothing else stays the same.

Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, France

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Brigitte Bardot once swam in the pool and Pablo Picasso left sketches behind at this boutique hotel that opened in 1908 and sits on six hectares. With all the guestrooms in its main residence offering views from Nice to Monaco, the property glitters as brightly as its French Riviera location. Now the whole family is welcome, with the hotel recently expanding its activities to a reimagined kids’ club that includes garden hideaways and a pirate-ship-inspired treetop adventure – in addition to dedicated spa treatments for youngsters and mini car rides. The five-bedroom Villa Beauchamp, complete with its own guesthouse, and two-bedroom Villa Clair Solei, both refreshed by interior architect Sybille de Margerie, are luxury options nestled in the hotel’s grounds.

Raffles Sentosa, Singapore

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Raffles Singapore, that grande dame of old-world indulgence and white-glove service, has welcomed a new family member. Raffles Sentosa Singapore is a 62-villa resort that overlooks Tanjong Beach on Sentosa Island and provides the next level in luxury: seclusion. Less than 20 minutes from the mothership (which was completely restored in 2019), the new property stays true to the brand’s heritage but with the addition of a spa devoted to regenerative wellness and more than 100,000 square metres of lush tropical gardens alive with exotic birds.

Waldorf Astoria, New York

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Looming like a palace over Park Avenue, the Waldorf Astoria might be 94 years old but it still gleams like a beacon of timeless New York style. Champagne glasses clink in the palm-lined lobby where Frank Sinatra regularly checked in, the grand ballroom where Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier celebrated their engagement still stands, as does the Presidential Suite that Herbert Hoover called home (the first president to reside there, Hoover lived at the hotel for more than 30 years). The property’s complete refurbishment, which took eight years, honours the original Art Deco design throughout the 375 rooms and suites, as well as a new section comprising 375 residences, from studios to four bedrooms, all with gold-accented interiors designed by Jean-Louis Deniot. There’s also a spa spanning more than 2700 square metres and a new brasserie-style restaurant helmed by chef Michael Anthony.

Image credit: Miyuki Kaneko

The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo

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The Ritz-Carlton occupies the top nine floors of the 53-storey Midtown Tower – one of the tallest skyscrapers in the capital – in the Roppongi District. But while the panoramic views from the Michelin-starred French fine-diner Héritage by Kei Kobayashi on the 45th floor are impressive, that’s not the sole reason this hotel is considered to be among the greats. There are also the drinks menus at The Bar and the newly refurbished Lobby Lounge on the same floor. Feeling indulgent? You can order one of the most expensive cocktails in the world – the Diamonds Are Forever Martini, which will set you back ¥3 million (about AU$32,000). Whether it’s shaken or stirred, the cocktail is made from Absolut Elyx vodka and lime juice – and garnished with a one-carat diamond. It’s served to the sounds of its inspiration, Shirley Bassey’s hit from the 1971 James Bond film, played by a live band.

Image credit: Ydo Sol

Hotel Locarno, Rome

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They call it “rooftop season” at Hotel Locarno for the long, languid summer nights spent at the alfresco bar sipping Roma-Braccianos – the 1925 property’s version of a negroni – overlooking the Eternal City below. At the downstairs bar, once frequented by legendary Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini, wisteria climbs the walls of the twin buildings to create an inspirational mood. A century of service has earned this 49-room Art Nouveau stay its stellar reputation by delivering what it calls “heritage with a wink”. Book the Prestige Deluxe Matilde di Canossa suite, first owned by a noble Venetian family, which features restored frescoes and views of Piazza del Popolo’s domed churches from the balcony.

Image credit: Jack Hardy

The Savoy, London

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Built in 1885 from profits of the Savoy Theatre next door on The Strand, London’s Savoy has played host to a lengthy parade of famous figures from the past and present. Monet sketched the River Thames from his room here. Winston Churchill held meetings in a private salon. Bob Dylan filmed the clip for Subterranean Homesick Blues in an alleyway close by. And Kate Moss is a regular visitor to this day. Far from resting on its legendary past, the 267-room hotel has added a scone cafe aptly named Scoff, which offers afternoon tea and a chance to sample the classic treats. There’s also Gallery, a new restaurant for all-day dining, from a traditional English breakfast to a three-course pre-theatre menu.

Image credit: Nikolas Koenig

Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles

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A benchmark in the City of Dreams, Chateau Marmont, originally built as an apartment block in 1929, emerges like a fairytale castle on Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood. It promises a certain type of bohemian luxury and, above all, privacy for its guests. Elizabeth Taylor and Jean Harlow both spent their honeymoons in its bungalows and Beyoncé hosts a post-Oscars party here every year. But its velvet curtains, cosy lighting and DJ decks in the lobby make every guest feel like a VIP. Some of its secrets may never be revealed but the re-publication of the Chateau Marmont Hollywood Handbook, which includes photographs by Bruce Weber, Helmut Newton and Sofia Coppola, shines a contemporary light on the place F. Scott Fitzgerald compared to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon for its glamorous extravagance.

The Palace Hotel, Madrid

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The Palace was commissioned by King Alfonso XIII in the early 1900s to house the Spanish royal family. Opened in 1912, it made a cameo in Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises – not surprising given the author was known to drink dry martinis at the bar. The hotel has undergone a lavish restoration of its 470 rooms, which take up an entire block in Madrid’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed “Landscape of Light” district. The suites and rooms, redesigned by Barcelona-based interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán, feature artwork, wallpaper and mosaics inspired by the nearby Retiro Park and the city’s Royal Botanic Gardens. The Palace’s facade has also been meticulously restored to its former grandeur – the original colours and materials were scientifically analysed to ensure correct matches – as has its domed iron-and- stained-glass centrepiece, best observed from La Cúpula Restaurant & Bar while sharing a paella de Carabinero.

Beverly Wilshire, Los Angeles

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Julia Roberts wasn’t improvising – in the Penthouse suite on the 14th floor you’ll have panoramic views over the City of Angels, spanning from Rodeo Drive to Downtown LA. But the hotel where Pretty Woman was set has more to recommend it than just its penthouse. As well as its 395 rooms and suites, there’s a spa, macaron-making class, free tickets year-round to the Getty Museum and a Michelin-recommended restaurant CUT by Wolfgang Puck.

Image credit: Nguyen Duc Huy/Adobestock

Continental Hotel, Saigon

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Built in 1880 in central Saigon, the colonial-inspired Continental was a favourite of Anthony Bourdain, and before him, Graham Greene, who wrote The Quiet American in one of its rooms. Once occupied by journalists covering the Vietnam war, the 80-plus-room hotel celebrates 145 years this year.

Canaves Ena, Santorini

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Pale aqua water, whitewashed stone and iconic bougainvillea – that classic Santorini milieu just had a refresh with Canaves Ena renovating its 18 private suites in minimalist, calm tones, leaving the views from your infinity pool of the Santorini caldera and the Aegean Sea unencumbered.

Park Hyatt, Tokyo

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The setting of Lost in Translation, Sofia Coppola's homage to hotel culture, Japanese nightlife and fleeting connections, has undergone a major refurbishment and will re-open in October this year with a new suite category and a restoration of the New York Grill & Bar where Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson first met in the movie.

Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, Siem Reap

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Sitting nobly in the French Quarter of Cambodia’s Siem Reap, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor has welcomed Charlie Chaplin, Jacquiline Kennedy and Princess Margaret in its time. But among its proudest moments is securing the Green Globe Certification earlier this year, achieved through reducing food waste, recycling and a commitment to environmentally conscious travel through its electric tuk-tuk initiative.

The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai

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The legendary luxury hotel has added a new dimension to its outsized status – Loya (Pashtun for “gathering for a feast”). The third restaurant opening from the Taj hotels group features dishes inspired by Northern India’s most vibrant flavours, including tender paneer with crushed kali mirch and fresh achari red and green chillies, and broccoli dumplings.

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

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The mirrored ceiling at the Bamboo Bar provided the perfect backdrop to Sam Rockwell's memorable, (and memed) monologue in White Lotus (season three), but the space itself has a history dating back to 1953, when it was a Bangkok jazz mecca. The sultry ambience remains and the cocktail menu is ever-evolving so if you’re feeling sleepy from a whisky sour, (or, in Sam’s case, a chamomile tea,) spend the night in one of the hotel’s 331 rooms, most with floor-to-ceiling windows.