A trip to Europe is always full of substance and can be a trip back through time, with so many well-preserved heritage buildings giving a glimpse into life long ago. Many hotels in Europe are steeped in a history of their own, intertwined with the major events of the world and stories ranging from the merely interesting to the notorious. If a normal, modern, well-appointed hotel room simply won’t do for the history buff or culture vultures in you, checking in to one of these hotels might be just what you need to complete your blast into the past in Europe.
Centuries of conquering empires, enduring royal families, artists, traders, celebrities and political activists have left their mark on these special locations. Embark on a voyage to discover fascinating tales of the past and present.
Which of these will you visit first?
The Gritti Palace, Venice, Italy
Built in Venetian-Gothic style in 1475 (not a typo!), the hotel still retains its original wooden ceiling, oil paintings, entrance flooring, dressing-table mirrors and Murano wall lamps made in the 18th century. As you step in, soak up the luxury and grandeur it has embodied as the residence of 16th-century duke Andrea Gritti, and later, Vatican ambassadors to Venice.
Upon check in, you will receive an actual key with tassels that are hung on a hook at the concierge’s desk. The hotel restaurant The Gritti Terrace overlooks the Venice Grand Canal, with the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute in full view, while rooms overlook either the canal, the Santa Maria del Giglio Campo church, or the city rooftops, reminiscent of the busy Venetian life of yesteryear. The hotel boasts a host of illustrious guests who have previously stayed such as Ernest Hemingway, Humphrey Bogart, and Elizabeth Taylor, some of whom have suites named after them.
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Corinthia Hotel, London, United Kingdom
Spies, royalty, cowboys and UFO-chasers. What do they have in common? They have all been patrons of the storied Corinthia Hotel, London. First opened in 1885 by Queen Victoria, when it was known as Hotel Metropole, the hotel was one of London’s biggest at the time of its opening, and hosted dignitaries and celebrities such as Edward VII and Buffalo Bill Cody.
However, due to its central location in London, the hotel was taken over by the British government in 1916 to be used as a base during World War I. Winston Churchill even worked there in his younger days. Then during World War II, it housed the British Secret Service. Many secret passages and tunnels were said to be built during this time, one of them leading to Whitehall, the street and general area where many government departments and ministries are located. Rumour has it that later on, up until 2006, an office in the building was a post and depository for UFO sightings.
The hotel has, of course, been extensively renovated since its war-time days, but there are still some original features visible, including the Grand Ballroom ceiling and the ornate details of its Northumberland Avenue entrance.
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The Gainsborough Bath Spa, Bath, United Kingdom
Bath is known as the town where the first ever spa was said to be invented – according to the stories, Prince Bladud was banished here in 863 B.C. as a leprosy sufferer, but managed to cure himself thanks to the town’s thermal waters. So any hotel in this setting has not just its history going for it, but also easy access to the all-natural, mineral-rich hot springs with their therapeutic waters. Leprosy, begone!
The actual buildings the hotel is housed in are Grade II Listed buildings, designed by John Pinch the Elder during the Georgian period. Newer wings added on still keep to the aesthetics of the original structure, which also used to be part of the City of Bath College.
Replica Roman mosaics decorate the establishment, but these were not added on willy-nilly. The hotel actually lies on the remains of a 4th-century Roman empire outpost, just one more element factoring into the area’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A hoard of 17,000 Roman coins was actually found here during an archaeological dig, some of which can be seen on display at the hotel’s lobby. How’s that for history?
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Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin, Germany
The Hotel Adlon, as it was known when it opened in 1907 by Loren Adlon, was built so that Berlin could have a hotel of its own to rival the grand hotels of Paris, London and other European cities. Just across from the Brandenburg Gate, the Adlon was the hotel of choice for Kaiser Wilhelm II, who played a great role in its planning, and paid a retainer for his guests to stay there. Notable historical personalities who have stayed here include Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, the Maharaja of Patiala, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller, Franklin Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, Josephine Baker and Marlene Dietrich.
Though mainly destroyed in the closing days of World War II, and demolished during the Communist period, when it was on the East Berlin side of the wall, a new hotel, inspired by the original was opened on the same location in 1997 as part of the Kempinski hotel chain. It gained notoriety in 2002 when Michael Jackson dangled his infant son Blanket from the hotel balcony. Wunderbar!
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Hotel Holiday, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sometimes a hotel becomes symbolic not only for its location or age but also due to the actions of the people who stay or work there. The Hotel Holiday in Sarajevo is one example of this. Originally known as the Holiday Inn Sarajevo, this hotel was built for the 1984 Winter Olympics, in the former state of Yugoslavia. The Olympics were a success, but Yugoslavia’s political condition started to crumble soon after. In the lead up to the Yugoslav conflict and Bosnian war, many political parties held meetings at the hotel.
In 1992, demonstrators were marching outside the hotel when shots were fired, allegedly by Radovan Karadzic loyalists, of the Serb Democratic party, thus starting what is known as the siege of Sarajevo. The hotel soon became the base for reporters from various news agencies and media outlets around the world, making up the hotel’s largest clientele for the next three years.
What was commendable during this time was the dedication of the hotel’s staff, who tried their best to keep up the appearance of “business as usual” while developing their “survival strategies.” Food was cooked on open fire, oil for the hotel’s electricity generator bought on the black market to ensure operations ran as smoothly as possible, and bed linens were always changed regularly, even though water was often scarce.
Now, after a brief closure in 2014, the hotel has been revived, complete with its original bright yellow façade, as the Olympic Hotel Holiday Sarajevo, albeit with a more modern update to its interiors, naturally.
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*The hotel prices (including taxes and fees) are per night per room for double occupancy for the above and were found on nz.KAYAK.com on 3 August 2017 for travel in October 2017, for the respective hotels mentioned in the release. Prices are in NZD, may be subject to change and offers may no longer be available.
**The flight price (including taxes and fees, excluding baggage fees) for one return economy seat and was collated on 3 August 2017 for travel in October 2017 from New Zealand to the destination listed, unless specified otherwise. Prices are in NZD, may be subject to change and offers may no longer be available.
