Legendary Hotels

Grand hotels are places full of history, triumph and tragedy. During the World War II, "Le Bristol" was one of the few Paris hotels the Nazis did not take over during the occupation. That saved the life of a Jewish architect who found refuge there. "Le Bristol" lies on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, close to the presidential residence, the Elysée Palace. The first luxury hotel in Paris, it was opened in 1925 by Hippolyte Jammet. He guaranteed his guests absolute discretion right from the start. That appealed to stars like Josephine Baker, who kicked off the Charleston craze in the city’s dance halls, as well to lodgers whose very survival depended on this cloak of secrecy. Jewish architect Léo Lerman was one of them. During World War II, Jammet kept him hidden away in room 106 - under the noses of the German occupiers.

With its stunning view of Lake Geneva, the Beau-Rivage hotel has attracted actors from Roger Moore to Angelina Jolie, and played host to political luminaries like Kofi Annan, Charles de Gaulle and the Dalai Lama. Political history has been made here, too: In 1898, the Empress "Sisi" of Austria was stabbed to death by an anarchist at the Beau-Rivage. Nearly a hundred years later, in 1987, the German politician Uwe Barschel was discovered dead here, in a bathtub. Family-run for generations, the hotel is impressive not just for its size, but also for its discretion. Now, director Jacques Mayer uses interviews, archival film and rarely seen photographs to vividly chronicle some of the most fateful years of the Beau-Rivage.

Berlin’s Hotel Adlon has been one of Germany’s most renowned hotels for more than 100 years. It’s seen many a famous face walk through its doors, including Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin and Marlene Dietrich. It’s a hotel steeped in German history. Having opened in 1907, the hotel was largely destroyed in World War II and eventually closed in 1984. It’s been the subject of many legends and anecdotes - murders, affairs and scandals. The hotel reopened in its old location on Pariser Platz in 1997 with the hope of recapturing its former glory. To this day, it’s the hotel of choice for royalty, world leaders and celebrities. With rarely seen footage and photos, this documentary delves into the tumultuous history of the Adlon and peeks behind the scenes to find out what makes it such an institution. We meet the staff who strive to live up to luxury hotel’s legendary reputation.

The elegant "American Colony Hotel" in Jerusalem is an island of tranquility in a troubled city. The grand hotel has lived through all of Jerusalem’s serious crises. The name "American Colony Hotel" goes back to a group of 19th Century American pilgrims. In its early days, the grand hotel was located among olive groves outside Jerusalem’s city walls. For over a hundred years, many parties to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict have shaken hands, eaten and drunk here together. People mingle here in a way they would never do elsewhere. Behind it all is the fascinating story of Anna and Horatio Spafford, who, after several tragic events, moved from the US to the Holy Land with a community of devout Christians. With diligence, skill, and an insistence on neutrality and tolerance despite political difficulties, they created a hotel in a truly special location. Its atmosphere continues to attract illustrious guests from the worlds of politics, diplomacy, literature, art and entertainment.