How to Holiday like Royalty
Well, I’ve rounded up the hotels that will treat you like a king...because they’re used to hosting the real thing. From the former Queen’s kiwi bolthole to the Prince of Wales’ proposal spot and a few ritzy stays featured in The Crown, here’s a rundown of some of the hotels in the world, all given the regal stamp of approval.
The Mark Hotel, New York City is a bit of an outsider in royal terms, being most closely connected with Princess Margaret’s former husband, Lord Snowden (as seen in The Crown), and the Duchess of Sussex, whose first baby shower was held here. Other celebrity guests (Oprah, Marc Jacobs, Russell Crowe, Novak Djokovic and the Beckhams) adore this famously discreet 1920s townhouse hotel. The good news is you don’t have to stump up a small fortune for the Penthouse, you can also stay in a more modest guest room. The real joy of this hotel is its 24-hour services, including Michelin-rated room service from Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
The Goring, London is the only hotel with a Royal Warrant from Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and just a ten-minute walk from Buckingham Palace; The Goring is the epitome of refreshed Edwardian elegance. Its Michelin-starred Coronation tasting and à la carte menus bring together Welsh specialities and foraged ingredients, making for tasty dishes such as buttered morel and wild mushroom vol au vent, and organic new season lamb. Don’t have a big sweet tooth but still love afternoon tea? Delight in delicious sarnies and desserts like the bittersweet chocolate macaroons at The Veranda overlooking the garden.
The Prince of Wales Guesthouse, Romania. Romania’s Carpathian mountains aren’t the first place you might expect to meet King Charles, but the new monarch is full of surprises. In fact, he doesn’t just visit the Zalán Valley in Transylvania each year, but he actually owns a hotel and nature retreat there. Enjoy an off-grid existence in this beautifully, traditionally restored guesthouse, where an all-inclusive room rates include communal meals, wine and activities like horse riding, hot tubs and sleigh rides.
Half Moon, in Jamaica’s Montego Bay was said to capture the heart of Queen Elizabeth on her last state visit to the island in 2002, and has hosted some of her children and grandchildren practically every year since. The colonial-style Caribbean resort blends typical Jamaican charm, white sands, rum punch, laidback hospitality, with exhaustive activities over 400 acres, eight bars, six restaurants, golf, tennis, squash and a swimming lagoon. The hotel loves horses and has its own equestrian centre on site. Among the many excursions, you can ride along the beach for a swim with the horses at sunrise. The spa here takes next level to an entirely next level with its own waterfall, meditation labyrinth and over-ocean treatment rooms. Pure bliss!
Huka Lodge, New Zealand. As we saw from The Crown series one, the first years as Queen were hard for young Elizabeth II, but she was helped by the warm welcome she received on her Commonwealth trips. On one of these in 1953, she stayed at this remote lodge on the Waikato River in New Zealand’s North Island, and her visit helped turn this former fishing camp into one of the country’s top luxury resorts. Today, as well as angling, it’s known for its wine cellar, golfing and helicopter rides over the Huka Falls, and has been voted the most romantic hotel in the country.
La Residencia, Mallorca. Series five of Netflix’s The Crown featured Mallorca’s San Telmo region as a stand-in for the Italian coastline around Naples, where Charles and Diana took a “second honeymoon” trip in 1991. Diana did visit again in 1996, staying at this hilltop retreat in Deià, owned by her friend Richard Branson, it’s now a Belmond, with all the five-star swank you’d expect from that brand. Filled with art, surrounded by olive groves and backdropped by the Tramuntana Mountains, be massaged like a princess in an open-air treatment room, with local olive and citrus oils.
Rajmahal Palace, India. The former Maharajah’s palace in Jaipur, now a boutique hotel, hosted the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh on a state visit in 1961, when the former rode out on a jewel-encrusted elephant. Built in 1729, the palace was home to the Rajasthani royal family for decades. Many of its heirlooms are still on display, preserved alongside an immaculate Art Deco restoration. Other good reasons to book include stunning gardens, where you can opt to dine where you like, and a pose-perfect swimming pool. For a real taste of majesty, opt for the Queen Elizabeth suite, where Her Majesty stayed in 1961. The hotel can also organise a right royal selection of activities, too (but no more jewelled elephants I’m afraid).
Fingal, Edinburgh, originally built in 1963 as a vessel for the Northern Lighthouse Board, this floating luxury hotel and sister ship to the Royal Yacht Britannia has hosted the royal family on more than one occasion. Every detail mirrors its life as a once working vessel, from the seafoam-shaded, leather-clad wardrobes in the cabins to the three-prong trident-like forks in its restaurant and bar, where executive chef Mark Alston (who also runs Britannia’s kitchen) serves up seasonal dishes, including Fingal’s own hot smoked salmon. Did you know, this spring and summer, you can experience Fingal's Coronation package, which includes a bottle of Moët to toast the new monarch.
Hotel Walserhof, Switzerland. It’s fair to say that Charles III is devoted to skiing in Klosters, Switzerland; this is the first year in 45 that he hasn’t been for his usual winter holiday (no one wants a broken leg at their coronation). He’s a repeat visitor to this classic Swiss chalet hotel, as are both his boys. The rooms are spacious, with fires and their own bars, the service is old-school and the breakfasts are lavish. Best of all, stays come with the use of a neighbouring spa with thermal and Himalayan salt rooms.
If you’re thinking of jetting off and spending your next holiday in the lap of pure luxury with A-Grade service, and someone to take the top off your boiled egg for you, why not get in touch to discuss where you can holiday like Royalty.
