Whether these hotels have created culinary staples, witnessed historical change or inspired the world"s greatest minds, they all have one thing in common -- they have irreversibly changed the way the world perceives hospitality and they have become proud emblems of the cities they"re located in:

　　A hotel often proves to be a vital part of the travel experience. In fact, there"s a handful of truly remarkable properties around the world that are so iconic they are experiences unto themselves.

　　Whether these hotels have created culinary staples, witnessed historical change or inspired the world"s greatest minds, they all have one thing in common -- they have irreversibly changed the way the world perceives hospitality and they have become proud emblems of the cities they"re located in:

　　The World"s Most Iconic Hotels

　　The Ritz Paris

　　Coco Chanel had her own suite here, Ernest Hemingway became a constant fixture thanks to his friend F. Scott Fitzgerald (and consequently had the hotel’s bar named after him) and the Duke of Windsor wrote his memoirs within the confines of his favourite guest room facing the Place Vendome. Indeed, there’s no denying that the Ritz Paris was the hub of the city’s famed golden age of art and culture. Due to a major restoration project, the hotel recently closed its doors for the first time in its 114-year history – but you can bet that the property’s curious sightseers and loyal patrons are anxiously chomping at the bit for its re-opening in the summer of 2014.

　　The Waldorf Astoria, New York City

　　Occupying an entire Manhattan city block, theWaldorf Astoria was the first hotel to offer room service – an innovative concept at the time that forever changed the accommodation industry. Known for its creation of the Waldorf salad and for housing the likes of Cole Porter, gangster “Lucky” Luciano and U.S General Douglas MacArthur, the hotel has been the setting for innumerable historical events; it served as the headquarters for the investigation into the sinking of the Titanic and its grand ballroom was where NBC broadcast its inaugural radio program in 1926.

　　The Beverly Hills Hotel, Los Angeles

　　Having just celebrated its 100th birthday, this famous home-away-from home to the stars is brimming with Hollywood history at every corner – Marilyn Monroe checked into a bungalow here while filming Let’s Make Love, Elizabeth Taylor’s father had an art gallery in the hotel’s lower level, John Lennon and Yoko Ono hid out here for a week, the Rat Pack engaged in drinking bouts in the Polo Lounge…and so on and so on. Today, celebrities keep up the tradition by continuing to flock here in droves to either lounge by the legendary pool or lunch with their agents.

　　Raffles Hotel, Singapor

　　eHaving celebrated its 125th birthday this year, thecelebrated white colonial estate is perhaps best known as the birthplace of the Singapore Sling cocktail. However, it’s important to note that Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling were both early guests (Kipling even wrote about his experience at the hotel) and that the property was the very first to offer electric lights and fans in Singapore.