You and your prince charming have said “I do,” and now you can live like a king and queen when you check into an honest-to-goodness palace. So shine up your tiara and get ready to be treated like royalty at these historic hotels in some of the world’s most exciting cities.
Shangri-La Hotel, Paris
The hotel’s aristocratic beginnings started with Napoleon’s grand-nephew Prince Roland Bonaparte who built it in 1896, a stone’s throw from the Seine in the 16th arrondissement. It made international news, with The New York Times describing it as a “splendid and spacious palace.” Here, the botanist prince held intellectual salons and extravagant soirées attended by the cream of Parisian society. Today, the party continues under the attentive auspices of the hotel’s committed staff, and the resplendent Belle Epoque decor and furnishings would satisfy any fin-de-siècle lady. Indulge your sybaritic side in the lavish rooms, many of which have spacious balconies and breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower. There’s even a large indoor pool, a true rarity in Paris. Room rates start at $1,350 a night.
What to Do: At the hotel, recharge with afternoon tea or dine at L’Abeille (French for bee, Napoleon’s favored emblem). Head to Montmartre to take a photo in front of the I Love You Wall, a public work of art that has “I love you” written in 250 languages on 612 enameled tiles. For a super special souvenir and unique experience, visit Nose, a perfumer and boutique where they’ll help you create a signature scent to celebrate your amour.
Photo Credit: Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
Next: The Gritti Palace, Venice ►
The Gritti Palace, Venice
Named for its most illustrious occupant, the 14th-century Gritti Palace on the Grand Canal housed one of the city’s most powerful potentates, Andrea Gritti, the doge of Venice from 1523 to 1538. As stunning as the gems he wore on his fingers, this Venetian Gothic palazzo with its gilded detailing, priceless art, scarlet, velvet and brocade upholstery, marble floors and staircases is a reminder of this lagoon city-state and empire’s past. Recently the palace underwent a comprehensive renovation, and the magnificent Redentore Terrazza Suite has a roof-top balcony with a private pool and views across the city. But any room will make you feel like a true principessa. Room rates start at $466 a night
What to Do: Indulge your inner tourist and board a gondola, poled by a singing gondolier, or take a water taxi to Murano, the island known for its glassmaking and artisans, where you can take home stemware etched with your initials. Or just get lost together in Venice and wander the car-free narrow streets and bridges. Finish the day with a glass of prosecco at an outdoor café in Piazza San Marco, before dining at A Beccafico for a taste of northern and southern Italian cuisine.
Photo Credit: The Luxury Collection
Next: Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur ►
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
Nothing can prepare you for the sight of this Art Deco sandstone palace glowing atop a hill outside one of Rajasthan’s most beautiful cities. The Maharaja of Jodhpur and his family still reside in the opulent palace, set on 26 acres of manicured gardens, and a stay here will bring out the maharaja and maharani in anyone. The 63 rooms and suites are filled with Indian and Rajasthani art and antiques, and the deluxe Maharani Suite has gleaming details in black and pink, including a rose-hued, Italian marble bathtub. Have one of the palace butlers draw you a fragrant bath — a true delight. Room rates start at $390 a night.
What to Do: You’ll want to shop for color-saturated saris and bangles in Jodhpur, where the streets teem with open-air bazaars and stalls. Known as the “Blue City,” most of the buildings are painted celestial shades of cerulean and cobalt. Perched 400 feet above it all is the immense 17th-century Mehrangarh Fort that houses a collection of royal palaces and museums. Dinners don’t get any more romantic than at the fort’s Chokelao Mahal restaurant, where you’ll dine on a wide terrace overlooking the city’s twinkling lights at a table illuminated only by candles.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces
Next: Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna ►
Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna
This butter-yellow, neo-rococo palace was the summer home of the Imperial Court of the Hapsburgs, built by Empress Maria Theresa in the 1750s, and surrounded by acres of gardens and a park. While most visitors are only able to tour the castle’s nearly 1,500 rooms, lucky honeymooners can spend the night by booking the Emperor’s Suite, where you’ll lay your heads in royal splendor. Located in the East Wing of the palace with views of the Privy Garden and Gloriette folly, the suite has four-poster beds, elaborate plaster details and walls covered in the famous court damask, a red silk fabric with a pineapple pattern. Room rates start at $750 a night.
What to Do: With leafy parks, cobblestone streets, horsedrawn carriages and opera wafting through the windows, Vienna can seem like a true fairy tale. Cozy up with your love on a boat ride down the majestic River Danube, and enjoy dinner for two in a wagon of the Weiner Reisenrad, Vienna’s giant ferris wheel, where the table is set with Swarovski crystal and the views of the city are for you alone.
Photo Credit: Austria Trend Hotels/Jürg Christandl
Photo Credit: Österreich Werbung/Trumler
Next: Çiragan Palace Kempinski, Istambul ►
Çiragan Palace Kempinski, Istambul
Once the domicile of a 19th-century Turkish sultan, the 313-room Çiragan Palace on the banks of the Bosphorus River conjures up all the exotic enchantments of the ancient Ottoman Empire, but with modern luxuries like a heated infinity pool and a large spa. Enter through a massive set of doors to be immersed in resplendent fabrics, Moorish-inspired furnishings and lamps, gleaming marble floors and elaborate carpets. Stay in one of the classically furnished rooms with a view of the wide river and the Asian side of the city, and you’ll feel like all of Istanbul is yours to command. Room rates start at $700 a night.
What to Do: Book a guide to help haggle your way through the unforgettable bedlam of the famous Grand Bazaar. (Be sure to bring along an empty suitcase for your purchases.) And don’t leave town without visiting the Hagia Sophia and the immense domes of Blue Mosque, and be sure to cruise the Bosphorus aboard a private yacht, striking a queenly pose.
Photo Credit: The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey
Photo Credit: Çhigran Palace Kempinski
Photo Credit: Çhigran Palace Kempinski
Next: Hotel Du Palais, Biarritz ►
Hotel Du Palais, Biarritz
Built in the 19th century to please the beautiful Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, who yearned for her native Spain, Hotel du Palais lies on the Bay of Biscay, just a stone’s throw from the Spanish border. A jewel-box chateau, the rose-and-cream structure attracted the queens and kings of Europe and Victorian aristocracy, who promenaded in hoop skirts and parasols along the seaside Promenade. After WWII, jet-setting celebrities like Frank Sinatra met in the hotel to see and be seen. Today, couples can play Belle Monde visitor ensconced in their suites filled with twinkling chandeliers and Old World art and old-school manners. The hotel still requires gentlemen to wear jackets when dining at Michelin-starred La Villa Eugenie. Room rates start at $318 a night.
<strong">What to Do: Zip into Biarritz and sample some of its bars, cafés and shops or just dig your toes into the Atlantic beaches or cross into Spain’s Basque country for a meal in epicurean hot spot San Sebastian. Oenophiles should head to Bordeaux for the day and lunch at one of the region’s many chateaux. At night, put it on the table at the casino — fun is just a roll of the dice away.
Photo Credit: Hotel Du Palais, A Member of Leading Hotels in the World