These hotels set the scene

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This article was published 27/03/2010 (6020 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In some films, the location plays a starring role. What would The Shining be without the cavernous, endless Overlook Hotel? What would Pretty Woman be without the plush presidential suite in which Julia Roberts and Richard Gere fell in love?

In the Oscar-nominated Up in the Air, George Clooney’s character even based part of his life philosophy on how to most quickly check into the hundreds of hotels he visited every year.

TripAdvisor.com — a website that provides information about thousands of hotels and candid reviews by real travellers — polled its editors to come up with a list of the best hotels that have had starring roles in classic films, such as Scarface, Dirty Dancing, Vertigo and even Crocodile Dundee.

AN ICONIC LANDMARK: The Fairmont San Francisco

This grand hotel, set atop the steep incline of Nob Hill, has reached equally great heights on the silver screen. Ever since Alfred Hitchcock shot Vertigo at the Fairmont in 1958, the hotel has become an iconic part of San Francisco and many movies, including Towering Inferno, Sudden Impact, Junior and The Rock, in which Sean Connery’s character enjoys a lavish suite at the property.

There are posters hanging from the various movies that were filmed there, and lots of photos of famous guests throughout the years, notes one TripAdvisor traveller.

— Average Nightly Rate: $317

— Recommended by TripAdvisor travellers for: elegant decor, culture/sightseeing

HIGH-ROLLER: Bellagio Las Vegas

Boasting almost 4,000 guest rooms and suites, a renowned casino and world-famous dancing fountains, this hotel is no stranger to the movies. The fountains alone have made countless Hollywood cameos, and the hotel may be most famous for its parts in both Ocean’s Eleven and Ocean’s Thirteen.

"I opted to stay at the Bellagio purely because of George Clooney and Ocean’s Eleven! It proved to live up to every expectation," writes one TripAdvisor traveller.

— Average Nightly Rate: $253

— Recommended by TripAdvisor travellers for: nightlife, gambling/casinos

NEW YORK’S LEADING LADY: The Plaza

This New York landmark hotel boasts sweeping views of Central Park, as well as impressive movie credentials. The Plaza’s Oak Room was featured in Hitchcock’s classic North By Northwest (and remains unchanged to this day), and the hotel has also served as the place where Crocodile Dundee swapped the Australian outback for a luxurious room, and starred in scenes in The Way We Were, Home Alone 2, Bride Wars, and more.

As one TripAdvisor traveller writes, "No wonder it’s so famous! It’s a stunning hotel with fantastic amenities."

— Average Nightly Rate: $840

— Recommended by TripAdvisor travellers for: romantic retreat, shopping getaway

CALIFORNIA DREAM: Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles

Having been featured in more than 100 movies, the Millennium Biltmore is a true Hollywood scene-stealer. The hotel’s guest rooms have made appearances in Mission Impossible 3 and The Bodyguard, while Spider-Man, Wedding Crashers, Dreamgirls and Pretty in Pink have also brought their all-star casts into the hotel. Remarks one TripAdvisor traveller, "You really feel a part of the old Hollywood in this hotel — I was wondering who has stayed in my room!"

— Average Nightly Rate: $203

— Recommended by TripAdvisor travellers for: beautiful decor, comfortable rooms

BEVERLY HILLS BEAUTY: Beverly Wilshire Beverly Hills

Set just steps away from Rodeo Drive’s renowned boutiques, this luxurious property will thrill shopaholics and Pretty Woman fans alike; many have already seen the presidential suite in the 1990 classic film. This hotel should attract men, too, as it’s been the backdrop for scenes in Beverly Hills Cop I and III and Bulworth. There is a glorious sense of old-time Hollywood glamour about the place, notes one TripAdvisor traveller.

— Average Nightly Rate: $619

— Recommended by TripAdvisor travellers for: honeymoon, elegant decor

BEACHSIDE BLOCKBUSTER: Fontainebleau Miami Beach

The A-list status of this hotel, a former vacation spot for iconic stars such as Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Jerry Lewis, has been upheld by its many movie appearances. In The Bodyguard, Whitney Houston put the Fontainebleau on a high note, Goldfinger added the Midas touch to the property and Scarface’s famous pool scene was also shot here. According to one TripAdvisor traveller, "The lobby is great, the pools are like in the movie clips, and the (women) are like in the magazines!"

— Average Nightly Rate: $492

— Recommended by TripAdvisor travellers for: beach/sun getaway, trendy decor

CITY SCENE-STEALER: The Roosevelt Hotel, New York City

Boasting a rich history and prime location near Grand Central Station, The Roosevelt Hotel has seen its share of famous faces over the years. Jennifer Lopez’s Maid in Manhattan landed a job at this hotel, while Michael Douglas’s famous "greed is good" scene in Wall Street was also shot at The Roosevelt. "It’s got a real classy look to it and it’s absolutely spotless. Looks like something out of a really old movie," says one TripAdvisor traveller.

— Average Nightly Rate: $290

— Recommended by TripAdvisor travellers for: culture/sightseeing, shopping getaway

HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE: Mountain Lake Hotel, Pembroke, Va.

Dirty Dancing fans might just have the time of their lives at this property, which appeared as the fictitious Kellerman’s Resort in the cult classic. Nestled in the New River Valley of the Appalachian Mountains, the hotel offers stunning scenery, as well as Dirty Dancing weekends featuring karaoke, dance lessons and a film location tour. "We are not Dirty Dancing fanatics, but enjoyed seeing the locations around the property that we recognized from the movie," wrote one TripAdvisor traveller.

— Average Nightly Rate: $220

— Recommended by TripAdvisor travellers for: families, outdoor/adventure

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY: Timberline Lodge, Ore.

Standing at an elevation of almost 6,000 feet within the Mount Hood National Forest, Timberline Lodge is a popular ski retreat,

which, famously, provided chills in The Shining as the exterior of the fictional Overlook Hotel. While the interior scenes were

shot on a movie set, and Stephen King’s inspiration for the nerve-jangling tale came from a trip to the Stanley Hotel in

Colorado, it’s Timberline Lodge’s looming presence that remains a true scene-stealer. "You cannot miss with Timberline.

Setting, charm, history, food, service, hotel, all are outstanding, " wrote one TripAdvisor traveller.

— Average Nightly Rate: $152

— Recommended by TripAdvisor travellers for: cozy retreat, romantic getaway

— Canwest News Service