Grande Dames

At DNA Hotels, we have a particular weakness for a Grande Dame. These are the legendary hotels that have shaped hospitality for generations, from magnificent city landmarks and glamorous seaside palaces to celebrated mountain resorts and grand country retreats. Places where architecture, history, service and social life have come together to create something far more enduring than simply a luxurious place to stay. Some have welcomed royalty, artists, writers and Hollywood stars. Others have quietly witnessed the changing fortunes of their cities and destinations. All have earned their place in hotel history.

The architecture alone can be extraordinary. Belle Époque palaces, imposing neoclassical façades, Art Nouveau masterpieces and magnificent Art Deco interiors recall an era when hotels were designed to impress. Grand staircases, marble lobbies, glittering chandeliers, spectacular ballrooms and legendary bars were often as important as the guest rooms themselves. These hotels weren’t simply places for travellers to sleep. They were social institutions, where people gathered to dine, celebrate, conduct business, exchange gossip and occasionally make history.

But a Grande Dame isn’t defined by architectural grandeur alone. Personality, reputation and a remarkable history of hospitality matter just as much. Some have preserved their original splendour with extraordinary care, while others have been reinvented by contemporary designers, introducing fresh energy without losing their identity. A new restaurant, a daring interior or a younger generation of guests can give an old institution an entirely new chapter. The challenge is knowing what to change and what should remain gloriously untouched.

For DNA Hotels, heritage alone isn’t enough to earn Grande Dame status. A beautiful historic building may qualify for our Heritage collection, but a true Grande Dame has something more: a legacy, a distinctive personality and a lasting place in the cultural and social history of its destination. Nor does it necessarily need five stars or the most expensive suites in town. What matters is that unmistakable sense of occasion, the feeling that you’re staying somewhere with a reputation built over decades, sometimes centuries. And while impeccable service and polished interiors are always welcome, a little eccentricity only adds to the charm.

Discover the Grande Dames

From legendary city hotels and glamorous coastal resorts to mountain palaces and historic institutions that have found a new lease of life, our Grande Dames collection celebrates hotels that continue to make history rather than simply live off it.

Explore the complete collection in the carousel below and discover some of the world’s most remarkable grand hotels, each with its own architecture, personality and stories to tell.

Because a true Grande Dame never really goes out of fashion. She simply knows how to make an entrance.