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Join Richard E. Grant and Jules Perowne as they uncover the scandals, legends and surprising moments that turned buildings into internationally renowned landmarks.

Hotels with History, our captivating new podcast series that takes listeners behind the grand façades of the world’s most legendary hotels to discover the extraordinary stories that shaped them into cultural landmarks.

Making its debut on Tuesday 2 September, the show is hosted by acclaimed actor Richard E. Grant and travel expert Jules Perowne. Each episode unveils the hidden narratives, scandals, and remarkable moments that transformed these buildings from mere accommodation into the stuff of legend. From wartime secrets to literary inspiration, from Hollywood glamour to political intrigue, these are the stories that walls could tell – if only they could speak.

These are stories that connect hospitality to human experience. Listeners will discover how hotels became stages for world-changing events, havens for creative genius, and witnesses to the defining moments of the 20th and 21st centuries.

This podcast offers an intimate look at the intersection of travel, culture, and history, where a single night’s stay could change the course of literature, politics, or entertainment. Because these grand hotels are more than buildings – they are living museums where history was made, one guest at a time.

Launching on Tuesday 2nd September 2025, the series features eight compelling episodes, each exploring a different iconic hotel.

The 8 episode run features the following:

Episode 1: Claridge’s, London – “How one of the world’s most famous hotels came to be situated on the site of a livestock fair that was cancelled due to debauchery in the 1600s and how it became the Annex to Buckingham Palace.”

Episode 2: The Gritti Palace, Venice – “Discover how a stunning 15th-century palazzo, once the private residence of a Venetian Doge, was transformed, becoming a cherished haven and muse for literary giants from Ernest Hemingway to Somerset Maugham.”

Episode 3: Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Antibes – “Richard takes in the glittering shoreline of the French Riviera and discovers what great artists like to get up to on holiday and dives into what might just be the most legendary swimming pool ever built.”

Episode 4: Raffles Hotel, Singapore – “Discover how four visionary Armenian brothers turned a 10-room beach bungalow into a magnificent Neo-Renaissance palace, where literary giants found their muse, and some of the world’s most famous cocktails were shaken.”

Episode 5: Le Bristol, Paris – “At Le Bristol, an architect draws up plans from an unmarked hotel room during World War II, the joys of a good hotel bar, and how this particular hotel is so well known for its silence.”

Episode 6: La Mamounia, Marrakesh – “Richard is back on his home continent, exploring the isolated sultanate that became a thriving luxury travel destination, enjoying a garden designed to replicate paradise on earth, and absorbing a view that roused Winston Churchill to paint…”

Episode 7: Gleneagles, Auchterarder – “The legendary adaptability of a hotel from WW2 convalescent hospital to the host of world class golfing championships, the G8, and a rock concert that threatened to smash all of its chandeliers.”

Episode 8: The Beverly Hills Hotel, Los Angeles – “A hotel whose walls are saturated with stories of Hollywood legends. The glamour and history of film stars, rock stars and media power players, all converging at one iconic pink palace – The Beverly Hills Hotel.”

Hotels with History is brought to you by Perowne International and Intelligence Squared

To listen and subscribe please visit the following link: Hotels with History