Hollywood Roosevelt, Los Angeles, USA

Marilyn Monroe lived there, Shirley Temple learnt to tap dance on the ornate staircase and the first Academy Awards was staged in the Blossom Ballroom in record time – 13 statuettes were handed out in six minutes. The iconic 300-room Hollywood Roosevelt that’s celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, is more Hollywood than Hollywood, with its rich history and is a great place for celebrity watching. Step through the doors and you are immersed in glamour and style of Hollywood’s Golden Age, whether you take a dip in the pool where acclaimed artist David Hockney painted his last underwater mural valued at US$1 million or sip a strawberry and peanut butter salted milkshake from the 25 Degrees diner– named after the precise temperature difference between a raw and well-done hamburger.

The fabulous American brasserie helmed by chef Tim Goodell offers great dining amid Hollywood glamour with industrial chic brass chandeliers, a wall of lush greenery and historic mural. Following a US$25 million guestroom renovation from the design team at Yabu Pushelberg, the 250 Tower rooms are a haven with a mix of Spanish colonial and bohemian-inspired décor, replicated lamps and prints from the 1920s and all the comforts. Limitless credit card? Book the Gable and Lombard Penthouse Suite – a plush three level bolthole with great views over Hollywood. The hotel is a destination in itself and you leave wishing if only those walls could talk. thehollywoodroosevelt.com