Hotels can be more than places to sleep, they can be spaces where history, architecture, culture, and human stories converge. Some properties, through their design, atmosphere, and legendary guests, transcend mere functionality to become cultural landmarks. Prestel Publishing’s latest volume, Iconic Hotels of the World, captures this rare alchemy. This beautiful title explores how hospitality, artistry, and heritage intersect in selected locations across the globe.

Founded in 1924, Prestel has long been one of the world’s leading publishers in art, architecture, photography, and design. Headquartered in Munich with offices in London and New York, and with over 500 English-language titles in print, Prestel has built a reputation for creating books that are objects of beauty.

Iconic Hotels of the World is a richly illustrated, meticulously researched volume. It blends archival photography with contemporary imagery, capturing the glamour of past eras alongside today’s refined hospitality.

The book charts a global journey: Vienna’s Hotel Sacher, with its historical charm; Istanbul’s Çırağan Palace, radiating Ottoman grandeur on the Bosphorus; Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Palace, both sanctuary and symbol; Le Bristol in Paris, a study in timeless elegance; Atlantis The Royal in Dubai, a modern spectacle of luxury; the serenity of Soneva Fushi in the Maldives; and Zurich’s Dolder Grand, where historic grandeur meets contemporary style.

Among these illustrious properties, Hamburg’s Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten stands as a luminous example of elegance and timeless charm. Overlooking the city’s Binnenalster, the hotel exudes refinement through its grand lobby chandelier, sweeping staircases, and plush rooms.

Each chapter combines architectural context, design detail, and narrative storytelling, bringing to life the famous guests, key events, and unique atmosphere that have cemented these hotels in cultural memory. The book also highlights how leading hotels are embracing sustainable practices, from careful restoration to energy-conscious design. It shows that luxury can coexist with ecological responsibility.

Guiding this exploration is Carsten K. Rath, an international hotelier whose career spans some of the world’s most prestigious properties. Founder of his own hospitality company in Bonn and Zurich, Rath is a sought-after keynote speaker and the author of several acclaimed works on travel, design, and leadership. His perspective brings authority, insight, and intimacy, offering readers an insider’s view into the world of high-end hospitality.

Under Prestel’s expertise, Iconic Hotels of the World becomes more than a coffee-table book. It is a cultural study and a visual journey, revealing hotels as architectural icons, living repositories of history. For travellers, design enthusiasts, and lovers of visual culture, the book is both a door to extraordinary destinations and a meditation on hospitality excellence itself.

Stockists: Available from good booksellers. For stockists visit prestel.com

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