Movie Hotels

The Plaza
New York City
Not only does The Plaza enjoy an enviable location right on Central Park, but it has served as the setting for a number of films. Making an appearance in everything from North by Northwest to Crocodile Dundee to Home Alone II to The Sopranos, The Plaza recently underwent a $400 million facelift and now looks more glamorous than ever. Today's well-heeled guests will feel Almost Famous reminiscing about The Way We Were when we went Barefoot in the Park. When you tire of quoting movies, however, wander down Fifth Avenue to shop at Bergdorf Goodman's, Bloomingdale's, H&M, Henri Bendel or Sak's Fifth Avenue – icons in their own right.

Millennium Biltmore Hotel
Los Angeles
The Biltmore has quite a list of credits to its name, even hosting the Oscars in the 1930s and ’40s. Alfred Hitchcock used it in Vertigo; and Robert Redford and Paul Newman checked in for The Sting, Eddie Murphy for Beverly Hills Cop, and Bill Murray for Ghostbusters. The Biltmore also appears in The Fabulous Baker Boys, Independence Day and Wedding Crashers. Because the hotel frequently allows filming, you might get to see a Splash, House of Sand and Fog or Pretty in Pink in the making. To see stars of another sort, you can head to the Staples Center and catch some sports action, attend a performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, or check out artists of today at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel
Beverly Hills
Even now, nearly 20 years later, the Beverly Wilshire remains best known for one film: Pretty Woman. Julia Roberts' career exploded after her stay as Richard Gere's "guest," and requests to stay in their suite started rolling in. The problem? Only the Beverly Wilshire's facade was used in filming; all the interior scenes were shot elsewhere. Like Julia, however, guests can spend time on Rodeo Drive, which is just a few minutes' walk away. Also nearby are the Beverly Hills Farmers Market, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Tolerance.

Bellagio
Las Vegas
Sophisticated, cool and suave describe both the setting (The Bellagio) and the stars (George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and more) of Ocean's Eleven. Director Steven Soderbergh made the most of his ample access to the hotel, and the resulting film proved that in movies, as in real estate, it's location, location, location. While you're there, be sure to check out the fountain show in front and, if you're lucky, Cirque du Soleil's production O. Also enjoy the Gallery of Fine Art, Botanical Garden, and many restaurants and shops – and that's all before you even step out of the hotel!

Timberline Lodge
Mount Hood Wilderness, Oregon
A world away from Vegas in the Oregon wilderness lies the Timberline Lodge, perhaps most recognized as the place Jack Nicholson went crazy in The Shining. Skiers, snowboarders and other active guests will appreciate the year-round outdoor pursuits. Others will enjoy the heated swimming pool and the rustic surroundings – which do NOT include a maze. Don't be surprised, though, that the interior differs from the film. Those were sets created in England; the Timberline's interior reflects its construction as a WPA project during the Depression. King's novel actually was inspired by a stay in The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.

Cardozo Hotel
Miami Beach
The art-deco architecture in Miami’s South Beach makes a perfect backdrop, and the Cardozo Hotel has shown up in everything from Frank Capra’s A Hole in the Head (starring Frank Sinatra) to There’s Something About Mary, Any Given Sunday and The Birdcage. Also, the owners are singer Gloria Estefan and her husband, making for double the star power. Pretend you're in your own movie as you stroll through the Art Deco District of South Beach's Ocean Drive. Watch for celebrities and stars in the chic nightclubs (Mango's Tropical Cafe and Hotel puts on a nightly cabaret show) or out on the beach. People-watch wherever you go.

Hotel del Coronado
San Diego
It’s hard to imagine a more picturesque backdrop than “The Del”: Pacific views, palm trees and white Victorian buildings. Hollywood has thought so, using it for such films as Some Like It Hot (with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon), The Stunt Man (Peter O’Toole, Barbara Hershey) and My Blue Heaven (Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Joan Cusack). Enjoy the amenities at the hotel (spa, beach, shopping) or make the 10-minute drive into San Diego to see the famous San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, the San Diego Museum of Art or any of the other sights in town. Sports fans can check out the San Diego Padres or San Diego Chargers.

The Fairmont San Francisco
San Francisco
The 1996 film The Rock (Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery, Ed Wood) not only shot scenes at the Fairmont Hotel, but Connery’s character even asked for the hotel by name. Even before then, many stars have used the Fairmont as home away from home, including Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Joan Crawford and Helen Hayes, among others. Sitting on the crest of Nob Hill, The Fairmont occupies a prime spot for guests to get around this picturesque city. Catch one of the city's famous cable cars and head to Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square, or wander through Chinatown or Union Square. End the evening back at the hotel in the Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar.

The Fairmont Royal York
Toronto
Toronto’s burgeoning film industry means the other Fairmont – The Fairmont Royal York – has seen its share of screen time, too. Credits and starring roles include Cinderella Man (Russell Crowe, Renee Zellwegger), Serendipity (John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale), The Tuxedo (Jackie Chan), Between Strangers (Sophia Loren) and Take the Lead (Antonio Banderas). A variety of diversions await those who stay at this hotel. A short distance away lie the CN Tower (one of the world's tallest buildings), the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts (formerly the Hummingbird Centre), St. Lawrence Market, shopping on Front Street between Yonge and Jarvis streets, the Rogers Centre (baseball's Blue Jays) and Air Canada Centre (NBA's Raptors or NHL's Maple Leafs) – just to name a few!

Hotel Chelsea
New York City
Love, violence and life in New York … The Hotel Chelsea has hosted it all: From Sid and Nancy (the Sex Pistols’ Sid Vicious) and The Professional (marking Natalie Portman’s film debut) to 9 ½ Weeks (Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke’s erotic affair) to Manhattan Murder Mystery (classic Woody Allen, starring Diane Keaton, Alan Alda and Angelica Huston). It's New York, so the entertainment and sightseeing options are boundless. A couple of blocks away, at the intersection of 23rd and Fifth Avenue is the Flatiron Building, and Gramercy Park lies not too far beyond that. And of course, the subway can take you just about anywhere in the city.