Champagne in the bathtub and TVs in the pool ... Rock & Roll Hotels by Greg Simmons is a new guide to the places where rock stars have made their mark ? and not just on the carpetMany of rock'n'roll's most famous decadent dalliances have taken place in hotels. Sure, some places may have had facelifts since the bad old days, but the stories of wanton mayhem hang obdurately in the air. In my book I've tried to give a taste of this spirit while also listing newer hotels, each of them with their own distinct rock'n'roll swagger. It's part whisky-soaked music history, part travel guide for those who'd be delighted to learn that Led Zeppelin once drove Harleys through their hotel lobby. You may no longer be able to throw your TV set out of the window (it's probably a flatscreen screwed to the wall) or drive your Roller into the swimming pool, but at all these places you're sure to get more than just a chocolate on your pillow ? and they don't all require a rock star's wallet to stay the night.Rising above Los Angeles' Sunset Strip like a leviathan of Gothic glamour, the infamous Chateau Marmont is part of the quintessential Hollywood experience (see longer piece here). Actors, musicians, writers and the affluent elite have all holed up in this legendary, paparazzi-free zone: James Dean hopped through a window to audition for Rebel Without a Cause; esteemed record producer Rick Rubin lived here for nine months after relocating from New York; John Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers took up residence here in 1996, only to descend into a drug hell; Anthony Kiedis, also of the Chilis, recorded his vocals for By the Way in his room ? The list goes on and on. The prices match the outrageous history though: rooms from $415 plus tax to $4,500, +1 323 656 1010, chateaumarmont.comAndaz West Hollywood, Los Angeles"I am a Golden God!" It is 1975, the height of rock's heyday, and Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin's debonair vocalist, declares his rock star status from his hotel balcony. In mid- to late-70s, Led Zeppelin and their entourage held court over as many as six floors at a time, from which TVs and bottles of Dom P�rignon were dropped from windows while motorcycles were driven down hallways, earning the hotel the name of Riot House. However, the hotel's days of attracting music's prime players are not lost to history as it continues to attract hip new disciples, from Kelly Osbourne to Slipknot's Corey Taylor.?Rooms from $225 plus tax, +1 323 656 1234, westhollywood.hyatt.comThe Portobello, LondonGeorge Michael and the gravelly-voiced Tina Turner are among the pop stars to have checked in ? Turner was so taken with The Portobello she bought the house next door ? while goths Siouxsie and the Banshees and Marc Almond maintained their ghostly pallor hiding out at the hotel bar. And, in 1988, former Britpopper Damon Albarn worked behind it. Just 24 rooms make up this exclusive retreat, and each one evinces the possibility of unbridled indulgence. Indeed, Johnny Depp and Kate Moss even felt inclined to take a champagne bath together. And who can blame them? A freestanding claw-foot bath, embellished with numerous Victorian nozzles, is surely more suited for a night of decadent trysts than a quick solitary dip.? Rooms from �234 to �378, 020-7727 2777, portobellohotel.comL'H�tel, ParisChic and decadent furnishings fit for distinguished libertines no doubt lured the likes of Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde, who both checked in here. When Wilde arrived at L'H�tel ? then known as H�tel d'Alsace ? in August 1899, it was considered to be something of a disreputable place. Finding it less than a bastion of sophistication, Wilde is said to have remarked: "Either the wallpaper goes, or I do." By the 1960s, however, this now-boutique hotel had become something of a draw for the louche upper-crust, and since then Al Pacino, Lenny Kravitz, Frank Sinatra and Quentin Tarantino have all passed through the lavish lobby.? Rooms from ?285 to ?795, +33 1 4441 9900, l-hotel.comBackstage Hotel, AmsterdamDecked out in flightcase furniture and stage spotlights, the hotel has been designed to house touring bands in familiar surroundings. The Backstage Hotel promises to remain tight-lipped about who's checking in. Those wishing to prise the coveted guestbook from the hotel's grasp will have to make do with trying to decipher the autographs scrawled on the piano which sits in the 24-hour private bar. The Fleet Foxes, TV on the Radio, The Errors and ex-Libertines frontman Carl Bar�t have all scribbled their names round the ivories. The real coup for bands here, though, is the service: extended breakfast hours, free laundry service and staff who can take on the role of roadies. There's also free air guitar rental.? Rooms from ?77.50 to ?265, +31 20 624 4044, backstagehotel.comSanctum Soho, LondonMetallica's Kirk Hammett once remarked that he wrote the classic Enter Sandman riff at 3am thrashing at his guitar in his hotel room. No doubt many a budding rock star would love to experience such a raucous antic. Well, at Sanctum Soho, you can. In fact, you don't even need to have your own guitar ? you can hire one from reception. Professing to be "London's first rock'n'roll boutique hotel", this hideaway for rock stars comprises just 30 rooms and is situated in London's West End. And, as seen on the BBC documentary Rock'n'Roll Hotel, the open-plan junior suites have been road-tested by Iron Maiden's drummer, Nicko McBrain.? Rooms from �276 to �660, 020-7292 6100, sanctumsoho.comHard Days Night Hotel, LiverpoolAs the name suggests, this hotel stands in homage to Liverpool's Fab Four. Located in the city's "Beatles Quarter", this Grade II-listed building's tribute to the city's musical heroes is evident from the off. Statues of the John, Paul, George and Ringo posing with guitars loom large on the Victorian frontage, while in the lobby you'll find a funky yellow submarine jukebox. The Lennon Suite, adorned with Lennon portraits, comes with white piano as in the Imagine video and a price that includes a champagne breakfast for two. Lennon may have sung All You Need Is Love, but for this suite you'll need �950 per night.? Rooms from �95 to �950, 0151-236 1964, harddaysnighthotel.comHeartbreak Hotel, MemphisFlaunting Elvis Presley's vivacious flair from the off, the hotel's lobby is ablaze with retina-scorching bright reds, purples and blues, topped off with a scattering of faux animal prints. In keeping with the unswervingly retro, chintzy feel, the Elvis-themed suites have all been arranged in the same gung-ho fashion. The Graceland Suite is undoubtedly the most celebrated, given that it is an imitation Graceland mansion in diminutive form. Mirroring the kitsch decor of Presley's home, the suite comes complete with replica billiard room and "jungle room". To see the genuine articles, just cross over the road to the Graceland estate in all its white-columned glory.? Rooms from $115 to $601 plus tax, +1 901 332 1000, elvis.com/epheartbreakhotelSunset Marquis, Los AngelesInside this Mediterranean-style retreat, the walls are adorned with signed photographs of rock deities, taken on site by famous rock photographer Ross Halfin. Of those grinning down on us, the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith, Slash, Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top and Jeff Beck have all recorded at the hotel's plush NightBird recording studios. Legend has it that Beck was picking his way through a few licks in his suite when the hotel's then manager, concerned about noise-levels, politely asked him to rock-out beneath the hotel in the garage. Said garage is now Studio A. Reaffirming the hotel's rock'n'roll mettle, amenities include 24-hour butler service, Jacuzzis, use of the hotel's Bentley and a "paparazzi diversion" service.? Rooms from $315 plus tax to $5,800, +1 310 657 1333, sunsetmarquis.comHard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las VegasSin City's Hard Rock Hotel is home to a stupefying amount of iconic memorabilia: Keith Richards' guitar; motorbikes that once belonged to M�tley Cr�e's Nikki Sixx and Guns N' Roses's Matt Sorum; Prince's Purple Rain suit; Aerosmith's leather jackets; and Madonna's underwear. The hotel's music venue, the Joint, frequently has its walls rattled by the classic and the contemporary: from the Rolling Stones to the Black Crowes, and from Santana to Foo Fighters. The crowning glory, however, is the penthouse suite with its private bowling alley and a hot tub that overlooks the Strip.? Rooms from $59 plus tax to $609, +1 702 693 5000, hardrockhotel.comPhoenix Hotel, San FranciscoEveryone apart from M�tley Cr�e make up the motley crew listed in this hotel's guest book. David Bowie, REM, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, the Psychedelic Furs, Norah Jones, Max�mo Park, the Killers, Bloc Party, and the Shins have all bunked down in one of the 44 rooms that make up this small but perfectly formed boutique hotel. The former motor lodge has a touch of the bizarre here and there in the form of bamboo xylophones and artwork made from dead birds. The dead-bird piece is actually a portrait of musician, actor and director Vincent Gallo. It was left outside his room by a smitten but surreptitious fan.? Rooms from $119 plus tax to $405, +1 415 776 1380, jdvhotels.com/hotelsIbiza Rocks Hotel, IbizaTell your friends that you're heading off to Ibiza to stay in a rock'n'roll hotel and you'll probably be met with bemused looks, given that this is where the DJ booth has, historically, reigned supreme. Yet, at this hotel the stage is set for indie-rock's new shining lights: Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Vampire Weekend and the Klaxons are just some of the bands to have roused the hotel's guests, proving this is not merely a novelty boutique hotel but one that is luring today's buzz bands. It holds after-show parties (incidentally, the bars never shut), boasts its own rehearsal studios and plays host to the bands who, of course, stay in the penthouse suite.? Two night minimum stay, hostel accommodation from ?19 a night, doubles from ?36. The hotel closes on 5 October and reopens on 15 May 2012, 020-8133 3930, ibizarocks.com/hotelThe Joshua Tree Inn, CaliforniaStanding in a wild, primitive landscape, Joshua Tree offered an escape for rock stars from the pressures of LA's scrutinising glare. Keith Richards, the Eagles and Steve Earle are among those to have been lured to the solitary plains. However, it is the inn's connection to Gram Parsons that links Joshua Tree irrevocably to rock'n'roll legend. In 1973, in Room 8, Gram overdosed on a heroin-and-cocaine speedball at the age of just 26. Just days later, Gram's body was already on its way to the airport to be flown to Louisiana when road manager and close friend Phil Kaufman elected to steal a hearse, take Gram's body and drive it back out to Joshua Tree to watch it burn under the desert's star-filled sky, as per Gram's final wishes.? Rooms from $85 to $155 plus tax, +1 760 366 1188, joshuatreeinn.comFairmont The Queen Elizabeth, MontrealTwo dozen roses ? half of them red, half white ? are left at the door of suite 1742 every year on the anniversary of John Lennon's death: 8 December. This act of veneration is carried out anonymously in remembrance of the Beatle who, from the bed in this suite, recorded Give Peace a Chance. Suite 1742 is now called the John Lennon and Yoko Ono Suite and features framed gold records, black-and-white photos of John and Yoko during the bed-in (taken by photographer Gerry Deiter for Life magazine) as well as other related memorabilia.? Rooms from �130 plus tax to �2,060, +1 514 861 3511, fairmont.com/queenelizabethSheraton Gunter Hotel, San Antonio, TexasIt was in this Texan hotel that blues guitarist Robert Johnson demonstrated his exemplary playing on a number of recordings. Johnson had been invited to record his lonesome blues by producer Don Law in rooms 413 and 414, where a temporary studio had been set up. Hunched over his guitar, Johnson sang into a corner of the room, unleashing his spectral voice. However, after the first day of recording, Law received a phone call ? Johnson had wound up in jail. Upon returning to the hotel to resume recording, Johnson cut only one more track: the famous Cross Road Blues. It was to be the track that perfectly captured the Delta blues spirit.? Rooms from $103 to $309 plus tax, +1 210 227 3241, gunterhotel.comComfort Inn Downtown, Cleveland, OhioIf there were an award for the Hotel That Had Been Privy to the Most Debauchery, this Comfort Inn ? formerly Swingos Celebrity Inn ? would be a contender for the gong. Swingos' notorious reputation began in earnest when Elvis sashayed into the unprepossessing hotel having booked more than 100 rooms over three floors. By the time the King checked out, with a $20,000 bill, the hotel's fate had been decided. With bated breath, the hotel later welcomed the Who's Keith Moon, who checked in dressed as a cop before handcuffing two strangers together. Of its reputation, Mott the Hoople's Ian Hunter said: "Swingos was a place you remember checking in and out of, but you can't remember anything in between."? Rooms from $130 plus tax, +1 216 861 0001, comfortinn.comStonover Farm, Lenox, MassachusettsStonover doesn't have a lurid history peppered with casualties. In fact, Stonover isn't even a hotel; it's a B&B. And yes, as with most B&Bs, once you've sleepily wended your way down to breakfast, you'll find the buoyant owner masquerading as chef and cooking your morning omelette. Only the buoyant owner in question happens to be Tom Werman ? esteemed record producer for the likes of M�tley Cr�e, Poison, Blue �yster Cult, Ted Nugent and Twisted Sister, among others. So, as you seat yourself for breakfast muffins, take the time to broach the subjects of jamming with Jimi Hendrix, working at Epic Records, overseeing the soundtrack for the film Rock Star and having 25 gold and platinum records.? Rooms from $375 to $575 plus tax, +1 413 637 9100, stonoverfarm.comMandarin Oriental, BangkokChecking into a sumptuous suite at the Mandarin Oriental ? an imposing, regal hotel perched on the banks of the Chao Phraya River ? peroxide rocker Billy Idol set about cooking up a maelstrom of debauchery with an assembly of prostitutes. Stuffed to the gills with drugs, Idol demolished furniture, reduced his TV to rubble and spilt all manner of liquids on the carpets. Unable to restrain the spiky haired libertine, the hotel was forced to call in the Thai army who resorted to shooting the unhinged Billy with tranquilliser darts after he refused to leave his suite. He was checked out of the hotel on a stretcher.? Rooms from �300, +66 2 659 9000, mandarinoriental.com/bangkokSofitel, BrisbaneA sense of buoyant calm pervades throughout this five-star luxury hotel. It is probably this aura of laid-back confidence that enabled an energetic Robbie Williams to treat guests to an impromptu performance in the piano lounge without causing too much hysteria. The same sense of benevolence and relaxed blitheness also touched Californian pop-rockers Maroon 5, as they once dished out free concert tickets to guests. Everyone's favourite Brummie, Ozzy Osbourne, has also shuffled into the Sofitel. The only animal Ozzy put inside his mouth during his stay was chicken, and he had it served up just like everybody else in the hotel: plucked and cooked.? Rooms from �134 to �357, +61 7 3835 3535, sofitelbrisbane.com.auME Barcelona, BarcelonaME Barcelona is quickly becoming the hotspot for those who want to drink, dance and stay somewhere that has glamour and the cinematic allure of LA's sun-kissed magnetism. Yet, it's not an A-lister's hideout. Instead, being an achingly hip hotel means it's the musicians at rock'n'roll's acute cutting edge that it lures. For example, Nick Cave and fellow Bad Seed Warren Ellis have been spotted eating lunch here, while noise-rocker Bradford Cox (vocalist for Deerhunter) and instrumental experimentalists Explosions in the Sky have also been seen loitering in fashionably cool repose. In other words, this is a place where it's OK to wear your shades indoors.? Rooms from ?165 to ?2,500, 0808 234 1953, me-barcelona.comHotelsLos AngelesUnited StatesLondonEuropeParisAmsterdamSan FranciscoMontrealLiverpoolLas VegasBangkokBrisbaneBarcelonaguardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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