Where pampered celebs go to rest
The Raffles: favoured haunt of Sir Ranulph Fiennes
When it comes to being pampered, celebrities are the experts. So which hotels do they recommend?
The Burj Al Arab (contact 00 971 4 301 7777; www.burj-al-arab.com)is Claudia Schiffer's favourite place to stay. "When I think of luxury, I think of this hotel," she says in The Sunday Telegraph. With 24-hour butlers, chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royces and a menu of bath options, this is a hotel that knows how to pamper you.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes loves the old-fashioned colonial charm of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore (pictured above, contact 00 65 6337 1886, www.raffles.com), he says in The Sunday Telegraph. Situated in the heart of Singapore, the hotel is popular with many celebrities. With past guests including the Queen, Raffles really does know how to treat guests like royalty. Facilities include a 24-hour butler, a spa, and a wonderful restaurant.
The American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem (00 972 2 627 9777, www.americancolony.com) "has been the haunt of writers and politicians down the decades and has so much charm", and is my favourite hotel, says Jonathan Dimbleby in The Sunday Telegraph. It can't boast the same level of luxury as some of the other establishments on this page, although it has everything a guest could need plus a swimming pool and masseuse. This hotel's key selling point is its history and its celebrity guest list. Sir Winston Churchill, Lauren Bacall, Peter O'Toole and the Empress of Ethiopia are just a few of the famous names who have stayed there.
The Miller Howe in Windermere (01539-442536, www.millerhowe.com) gets Honor Blackman's vote. "It's a comfortable country house with beautiful grounds, wonderful views and dreamy food. It is also terribly, terribly English," she says in The Daily Telegraph. Situated on the shores of Lake Windermere, the hotel is ideally located for a break in the Lake District, whether you want to stride out from your room on to the fells or simply look at them from your drinking spot in the hotel's grounds.
Donatella Versace recommends The Dorchester in London (020-7629 8888; www.thedorchester.com). "They prepped the room with a floral room spray I love. I felt like moving in," says Versace in The Sunday Times. Or if you fancy some luxury further afield, and the Burj Al Arab doesn't appeal, then try Versace's own hotel in Dubai which is opening soon. Palazzo Versace will come complete with "an underbeach cooling system to stop the sand burning your toes".
"I like 100% luxury. I want more comfort than I have at home – that's the point of being on holiday," says Tracey Emin in The Sunday Times. And for her that means a trip to the Golden Door health retreats in Australia (00 61 2 4993 8500, www.goldendoor.com.au). Here you can have a complete "internal makeover", with walks in the outback, swimming sessions, and a strict diet all part of the process. But the healthy regime is leavened with pampering in the form of massages, acupuncture and hypnotherapy.
Let's face it, if you can keep Naomi Campbell happy you can please anyone. So when she says The Berkeley in London (0808-238 0245, www.the-berkeley.co.uk) is her favourite hotel, you know it must be a good place to stay. "I love everything about it: the style, the tradition, the service," she tells The Daily Telegraph. And with children's books, board games and Game Boys available, this is a great hotel for families – they even provide a children's magazine with the complimentary morning newspaper.
