Are you looking for a luxury hotel with a real difference for your next holiday? For those who love a sense of tradition, the idea of staying in an accommodation with a rich history can seem quite romantic. There are many luxury hotels out there that are based on sites with a glorious past; some even offer rather unusual or unique histories. Below is a list of the top 5:
A former prison – Four Seasons Sultanahmet, Istanbul
The Four Seasons Sultanahmet is located in Istanbul’s Old Town, situated next to the courthouse. It was once a Turkish prison called the Sultanahmet Jail and was built around 1918/1919. It was the first jailhouse in the capital and detained men, women as well as juveniles, with most either serving brief sentences or awaiting trial. Interestingly, the prison inmates were mostly writers, journalists, artists and political leaders. The hotel offers 65 rooms and its landscaped courtyard used to be the prisoners’ exercise yard.
A former monastery – Villa San Michele, Fiesole
Villa San Michele is a former monastery located in Fiesole. It sits on a hilltop overlooking Florence. Apart from magnificent views, the hotel offers a 15th century façade which many have attributed to Michaelangelo. So not only are you free to contemplate amongst the lush trees and terraced gardens, you can even feel inspired by the work of one of the most famous renaissance artists.
A former palace – Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
The first building of the now Rambagh Palace in Jaipur was a garden house built in 1835 for the wet nurse of Prince Ram Singh II. As the site was located amid thick forests, it was converted to a hunting lodge some fifty years later. By the early twentieth century, extensive works took place and transformed the site into a royal palace, after which it became the official residence of the Maharajah Sawai Man Singh II.
A former tobacco and bourbon warehouse – 21C Louisville, Kentucky
Fancy staying in a hotel that also doubles as a contemporary artwork museum? 21C offers their guests just that. The 90 room boutique hotel is a former tobacco and bourbon warehouse, and has décor that reflect the feel of its past, such as high ceilings, large windows, original exposed brick walls and timber trusses.
A former insurance company – Four Seasons Gresham Palace, Budapest
So this one isn’t a former monastery, mansion or palace, but the Four Seasons Gresham Palace is in Budapest is still a high end and luxury hotel with an interesting history. The building was opened by the Gresham Life Assurance Company in 1906, and was revered as the grandest building in Budapest. This landmark had been bombed during the war, and prior to being reopened by Four Seasons, it had undergone a $US110 million restoration process.
