The 2026 Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide® Most Magnificent Hotels List Is Announced

WASHINGTON, D.C. — May 4, 2026 — Historic Hotels Worldwide® is pleased to announce The 2026 Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide Most Magnificent Gardens list. This listing is a guide to where and how travelers can experience the finest gardens at the world’s finest historic hotels and resorts.

Representing four continents and 13 nations, the legendary hotels selected for this year’s list feature many diverse gardens from around the world. The list includes sprawling estate gardens of medieval Irish castles and Mexican haciendas, and lush UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China, France, Canada, and Italy. These historic destinations are guaranteed to delight the senses, from the soft rustling of centennial trees and explosions of colorful flowers in springtime, to aromas of jasmine or roses and the fresh flavor of just-picked herbs. Travelers are invited to explore these tranquil spaces and make lifelong memories during romantic getaways and proposals, honeymoons, weddings and anniversary celebrations, solo adventures, or family vacations.

This list is an invitation to discover the bounty of travel in the beautiful gardens of Historic Hotels Worldwide, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation (USA) for recognizing and celebrating the world’s finest historic hotels. To be selected for membership and inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide, a hotel must be at least 75 years old and recognized for its historic significance. Many members of the program are on local official lists of historic landmarks in their own regions and close to, or within, UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Visit HistoricHotelsWorldwide.com to learn more and sign up to receive Discover & Explore to stay up to date on news and special offers from Historic Hotels Worldwide.

View The 2026 Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide Most Magnificent Gardens Hotels List Press Release here. The 2026 Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide Most Magnificent Gardens, listed in order of date established:

Built as a castle fortress by the Visconti family in the 11th century, Castello Dal Pozzo Resort Lago Maggiore today is a luxurious destination with an original castle, restored stables, and an 18th-century manor. The castle is set within a vast English-style garden that was designed to create the illusion of a wild and spontaneous space. As visitors explore the grounds, they will discover grottoes, streams, ancient trees, pergolas, small temples, ruins, and a glass greenhouse that dates to 1881. There is even a man-made pond, complete with a boathouse and waterfall. The park is home to a wide range of species of trees, including chestnut trees, oaks, Scots and Swiss stone pines, beeches, birches, sycamores, magnolias, and ginkgo biloba. Many varieties of plantings were chosen in the late 19th century as ornamental elements to reflect the Enlightenment conception of nature and the castle’s Neo-Gothic style. The garden was originally designed by Antonio Capello, an esteemed garden decorator who had previously worked for the Dukes of Genoa in Agliè. It was built between 1878 and 1882, when Marchese Claudio Dal Pozzo wanted to completely transform the family's country villa into an English Neo-Gothic castle, which required surrounding it with a majestic English park. Hotel guests receive a beautiful guide featuring images, maps, and descriptions of the grounds to assist in their exploration, and the resort offers guided tours and open days for visitors to explore. Castello Dal Pozzo Resort Lago Maggiore was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2024.

No small part of the magic at the ancient Dromoland Castle are the over 450 acres of magnificent, landscaped gardens. Dating to 1014 and inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2011, Dromoland Castle has been welcoming guests for centuries. The gardens that visitors see today are based on designs by André Le Nôtre, who planned the Gardens of Versailles. Dromoland Castle’s gardens feature a picture-perfect lily pond, beautiful walled gardens and sundial, and a dramatic yew tree gallery that dates to 1740. In the early 1990s, Head Gardener Dorothea Madden restored the walled gardens, which had become overgrown. At the same time, the lawns had fallen into grassland and the pathways were barely visible. The roses were in situ but needed attention. The lawns and rose gardens were also brought back to their former glory by Madden. To preserve the walled gardens’ stone arches and keep the walls intact, the only machinery that could be used within the gardens was a small tractor. Much of the hard labor was done by hand, pulling and digging out briars and other pernicious weeds. The brick for the repairs to the outer walls came from a demolished Georgian-style house in the city of Limerick. Repairs took two years to complete. The beauty and fortitude of the walled gardens in the 21st century is very much a testament to the careful work by the gardening team, supported by hotel management, and a testament to the previous generations of designers and gardeners whose hard work and creativity shaped the gardens at Dromoland Castle.

Kilkea Castle (1180)
Castledermot, County Kildare, Ireland

Kilkea Castle in Castledermot, County Kildare, Ireland, is set on 180 acres of its own woodlands, gardens, and golf course. With a history dating to the 12th century, Kilkea Castle captures the mystical charm of a 12th-century majestic castle and combines it with the overwhelming allure of timeless sophistication and style. The castle’s beautiful architecture is matched by its lovely gardens, lawns, and wildlife. The castle's rose garden dots the 12th-century castle with red and pink blossoms in the spring. Geometrically exact, manicured topiary shrubs and rose bushes create a European-style garden right off the main keep of the castle. A square, impeccably maintained, grassy lawn lies below it. Parallel to the lawn, hidden by shrubs and trimmed topiaries, is a vegetable garden. Around all these gardens is a historic stone wall, naturally covered by Ireland’s iconic lichens, mosses, and vines. Guests can enjoy a view of the castle gardens from the dining room of Kilkea Castle or the outdoor patio, a favorite choice of event planners. Walking through the paths throughout the estate, guests can discover the joy of the abundant springtime bluebells. Trees on the grounds are a mixture of native oak, ash, holly, and elder. There are also buttercups, ground ivy, lords-and-ladies, and ferns carpeting the grounds of the estate. Kilkea Castle dates to 1180 and was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2020.

Hotel Hacienda de Abajo (1493)
Tazacorte, La Palma, Spain

Inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2021, Hotel Hacienda de Abajo on the isle of La Palma in the Canary Islands is rich in both history and agriculture. The estate dates to the founding of the town of Tazacorte in 1493, and Hotel Hacienda de Abajo’s landscaped, European-style gardens date to the 1500s. It was during this early era that the Spanish estate in the Canary Islands grew into a successful sugarcane plantation. The first cultivated gardens—other than the sugarcane fields—were located at the center of the plantation and contained mostly fruit trees. The first banana trees to arrive at the island were cultivated at Hacienda de Abajo around the start of the 16th century. The descendants of those first trees still exist at the hotel today, residing in the estate’s walled garden. The hotel restored the nearly 500-year-old garden in 2012, updating it with new pathways and a traditional pond featuring a 19th-century French fountain. The garden that guests see today has an untamed atmosphere, full of rare botanical specimens both from all over the world and unique to the archipelago. Guests are encouraged to linger in the gardens and relax, and the hotel can provide a tour of the gardens upon request. Many of the guestrooms feature a garden view, some with a terrace overlooking the gardens.

Hotel Villa Cipriani (1550s)
Asolo, Italy

Located in the rustic town of Asolo, Italy, this magnificent historic hotel first opened as a beautiful Italian villa during the Renaissance. Hotel Villa Cipriani and its first formal gardens were designed by Italian architects of Andrea Palladio’s school of architecture in the 16th century. Palladian villas were originally built as second homes, where wealthy Venetians would spend summers away from the heat of the lagoon. The idea of an English-style garden (as opposed to Palladian) was conceived and established in the 1960s, when Rupert Guiness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh, acquired the villa and preserved it as a country house. The garden’s current plantings date to the time when the villa was the home of British poet Robert Browning. He introduced tulips, roses, cypresses, laurels, maple trees, and oleander to the estate in the late 19th century, and guests can still see these throughout the estate today. The stunning terraced garden overlooks the surrounding woods and the mountains, the "hundred horizons" for which the town of Asolo is famous. Visitors walking the grounds will come across persimmons, cypresses, laurels, maple trees, and many flowering bushes. Fragrances to note include tulips and roses in the springtime, and fruits from the pomegranate tree in autumn. Famous figures who have enjoyed the beauty of the garden include actors, such as Marcello Mastroianni, Vittorio De Sica, and Orson Welles, as well as royal families and tycoons. Converted into a luxury hotel in the early 1970s and named Villa Cipriani, Hotel Villa Cipriani was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2016.

Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam (1578)
Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Garden Terrace is the gem of Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam, a beautiful garden of a luxury hotel inside a building dating to the early 1400s. Before the historic structure was transformed into a hotel in 1578, it consisted of two convents for the orders of St. Catherine and St. Cecilia. The religious sisters founded the first garden, and it was kept throughout the centuries as the building evolved around it. Renovated and restored significantly in the centuries since, the garden today owes its beauty and architecture to Marion Faver, a well-known French garden architect, who updated the garden in 2016. The Garden Terrace features plantings that offer color and beauty year-round, including cherry trees, yew trees, camellias, rhododendrons, thyme, and fragrant boxwood. The terrace is surrounded by historic red brick walls and retains many of its authentic Amsterdam School-style architectural features. The location lends itself perfectly for a relaxing drink, a fresh cup of coffee, a business lunch, an intimate dinner, and even The Grand Afternoon Tea. Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam also keeps a rooftop garden to supply its restaurants with fresh vegetables and herbs. Furthermore, in partnership with De Mokumse Stadsimkerij, the hotel keeps 30,000 honeybees in their own five-star luxury accommodations. The bees produce The Grand Honey, lightly colored and strongly aromatic in flavor due to the linden trees that line Amsterdam’s streets and canals. Guests can enjoy the honey in the hotel’s dining service and even purchase a jar to take home. Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2018.

Sopwell House (1603)
St Albans, England, United Kingdom

Located in the peaceful countryside of Hertfordshire, England, Sopwell House was originally a single-story Tudor-style structure that once served as the home for Prince Louis of Battenberg and is, today, a boutique hotel. The gardens at Sopwell House surround the hotel’s historic 18th-century Georgian-style manor and create a tranquil, parkland-style setting just moments from St Albans. The grounds feature manicured lawns, mature trees, and seasonal flowerbeds with plantings like impatiens in summer and tulips in spring, offering year round color and texture. A Japanese inspired lily pond, ornamental bridges, and quiet pathways encourage leisurely strolls, while terraces and outdoor seating areas provide views across the gardens for dining, Afternoon Tea, or relaxation. The plantings are not only maintained for their beauty; a kitchen garden supplies the hotel’s restaurants and bar with fresh herbs, and a wildflower meadow was intentionally developed to ensure pollinating insects have sustenance as well. Carefully maintained by an in house gardening team, the gardens balance formal elegance with natural softness. Sopwell House was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2015.

Walaker Hotell (1640)
Solvorn, Norway

One of the most historic hotels in Norway, the Walaker Hotell was founded in 1640 and has been managed by the same family for more than 330 years in the storybook setting of Lustrafjord, the innermost tributary of Sognefjord, Norway's longest and deepest fjord. The hotel is only steps from the water’s edge in the quaint village of Solvorn, and the main building is surrounded by beautiful historic gardens, which encompass 4–5 acres of verdant grounds. The most historic part of the gardens is a cottage-style garden, with a border of lilacs and hawthorn. Many different types of perennials and berry-producing plants surround the main hotel building. There are also fruit trees, which date to 1926, close to the hotel. The most striking feature seen when approaching Walaker Hotell is a large, historic ash tree that dates to 1880. There is also an over-100-year-old Bryonia alba plant growing by the main building and gallery. The original rose garden was designed around 1930 by the seventh generation of Walaker Hotell’s family of hoteliers. The other parts of the gardens were designed by today's hostess over the past 15 years. Today, the hotel’s ninth-generation hostess oversees the gardens. In addition to being decorative, the gardens provide the kitchen with edible flowers and herbs, as well as fruit and berries, and guests are invited to enjoy meals or libations outside during warmer months. Both the current monarchs of Norway, King Harald and Queen Sonja, have stayed at the hotel and eaten lunch in the garden on several occasions. The gardens can be reserved for weddings and other celebrations. The hotel gardener is also available during the day to talk to guests and answer any questions. Walaker Hotell was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2023.

Hacienda de los Santos (1710)
Alamos, Sonora, Mexico

Discover the luxurious Hacienda de los Santos in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Set in the foothills of the western Sierra Madre, this unique boutique hotel is situated within the charming city of Alamos, which was designated as a National Historic Monument of Mexico. Family-owned and operated, the "House of the Saints" is comprised of three Colonial-style mansions that date to the early 18th century. In 1989, the new owners began a project to redesign the gardens. In previous centuries, there was a large, formal European-style geometric garden as the focal point. These gardens were unsustainable for environmentally conscious management, and the new garden was designed and constructed with plantings that would do well in the desert or tropical zone of Mexico. Today, the estate features an extensive collection of various palms, succulents, at least ten types of cacti, bougainvillea, plumeria, fruit trees including mango, tangerine, papaya, banana, and Mexican lime, and important deciduous trees, including eucalyptus, nacapul, and camochi (similar to Banyan or strangler fig). The hotel plants flowering or seasonal plantings throughout the year to add color. Walkways, lined with grasses, flowers, and art, meander through the estate and lead guests on a tour of the region’s horticultural diversity. Every summer, the kitchen staff prepares enough marmalade to take care of the hotel's needs for a year. The homemade mango marmalade is served with every breakfast and also sold by the jar. Hacienda de los Santos was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2015.

Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel (1739)
Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland

Established as a private country estate in 1739, Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel, is set on 1,100 acres of parkland in the heart of County Kildare, Ireland, with many gardens and woodlands for visitors to explore amidst stunning scenery. In the mid-eighteenth century, Lady Emily FitzGerald directed many improvements to the manor and the grounds, including the creation of many manicured gardens throughout the estate, such as the rose garden. Other portions of the estate were more recently designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), where the estate has been able to protect non-native or otherwise exotic flora brought to Carton House throughout the centuries by adventurous botanists. Non-native plantings include Oriental planes, Persian ironwoods, tiger spruce, and yellow oak. The groundskeepers have also planted acres of native Irish species such as beech, oak, and ash trees. Around 100,000 trees were planted as part of the estate’s woodland regeneration project. Each season brings its own beauty to the woodland and glades, with carpets and scatterings of snowdrops, crocuses, bluebells, and pungent wild garlic. The resort also keeps an herb garden and apiary to support food and beverage service with fresh ingredients. Visitors are welcome to meet with the beekeeper to learn about the Carton House beehives and to sample Carton House honey. Famous historical figures have also visited the estate’s gardens: Queen Victoria knew them well. Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier came for a holiday. Stanley Kubrick filmed portions of Barry Lyndon (1975) here. Now, one of Ireland’s most historic resorts is open to the public to stay and enjoy. Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel, was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2023.

Hacienda Xcanatún (1789)
Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico

A short drive from the charming historic city of Mérida and the beautiful sandy beaches of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, Hacienda Xcanatún is a vibrant escape where 18th century grandeur meets contemporary luxury. A former Spanish Colonial-era estate, the resort offers curated cultural immersions and heritage experiences, intimate dining, tranquil spa days, and the opportunity to meander through lush tropical gardens. The gardens at Hacienda Xcanatún authentically reflect the estate's origins as well as its rebirth as a luxury destination. When it was converted into a luxury boutique hotel in the late-20th century, the new owner reestablished the historic gardens with palm trees, fruit trees, and other native flora. Spanning approximately four acres, the grounds feature layered landscapes of native Yucatán vegetation, tropical flowers, palms, and mature shade trees that complement the hacienda’s golden limestone façade. Stone pathways, quiet courtyards, and lily pad ponds attract birds, butterflies, and roaming coatis, reinforcing a strong connection to nature. The gardens frame veranda dining at Casa de Piedra, secluded terraces, and multiple pools, creating a serene retreat where Spanish heritage, Mayan traditions, and tropical biodiversity converge. Rich in beauty and heritage, Hacienda Xcanatún dates to 1789 and was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2015.

The K Club (1832)
Straffan, County Kildare, Ireland

Located in the pastoral countryside of County Kildare, Ireland, and only 30 minutes from Dublin, The K Club is a perfect retreat for guests seeking a rural and luxurious stay. The resort offers award-winning dining, a spa, golf, and beautiful formal gardens. Shrubs and flowers grow in abundance here, including the Straffan snowdrop, a white spring flowering bulb first tended to in the 1880s by the head gardener, Frederick Bedford. The K Club’s contemporary gardens are similar to the ones that were laid out upon the completion of the main house in the 1830s. The main gardens, located behind the hotel, overlook the River Liffey. The formal flower garden at the base of the steps leading from the hotel is surrounded by a 200-year-old yew hedge, and the path leading from the hotel to the river is lined by 10 Irish yew trees of a similar age. A stone path through the manicured lawn and gardens ends at a pool featuring a fountain dating to 1853, created by the French cast-iron fountain makers, Val d'Osne. There are several trees recorded in the Tree Register of Ireland in the arboretum: a cedar tree that is an Irish champion for girth, as well as two County Kildare champions for height—a tulip tree and a magnolia tree. Under the parkland trees, the gardeners plant anemones, snowdrops, crocuses, and daffodils in the springtime. The landscape of the gardens has continued to evolve under the different owners throughout the years, but always following the original landscaping style that was laid out at the beginning. Garden tours with the head gardener are available and can be booked through the hotel’s reception. A pamphlet guide to the walks and flora of note in the vicinity of the hotel is available for self-guided tours. The K Club dates to 1832 and was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2014.

Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor (1886)
Luxor, Egypt

The story of the gardens at Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor begins in 1886, when the hotel was built by British explorers. Perched on the Nile River amid luxuriant tropical gardens and ancient temples, the hotel in its early days was supplied with vegetables and fruits from its own gardens. Ducks and chickens, bound for the kitchens, could also be seen meandering in the gardens. Guests throughout its history include illustrious figures, such as Winston Churchill, Agatha Christie, and King Albert I of Belgium. Today, this 10-acre garden is kept for its beauty as well as its fruit, and features over 50 species of trees, some of which are over 100 years old. The trees in the gardens have been documented, and each tree is tagged, stating its species and the year it was planted. An ished tree, a sacred Egyptian tree, was planted close to the Pavillon entrance in the summer of 2009. According to some myths, the end of the winter solstice rituals included the splitting of the ished tree. Walking through the hotel grounds, guests will also encounter banana, orange, and lime trees, as well as a variety of exotic flowers. This vast variety of flora attracts many species of birds, and there is even a family of eagles that delight guests. The garden invites guests to relax and explore the rich culture and lush, natural beauty of the Nile. Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2014.

Fairmont Banff Springs (1888)
Banff, Alberta, Canada

Fairmont Banff Springs is a luxury destination located within the awe-inspiring Banff National Park, part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site, and nicknamed the castle in the Rockies. This grand hotel has provided guests with incomparable access to the beauty of the Canadian Rockies and all it has to offer since it opened in 1888. On the majestic garden terrace, the verdant flora of this magnificent space radiates through the bucolic majesty of the surrounding Banff National Park. Guests will adore the fresh mountain air that wafts throughout the terrace grounds, as they stroll amongst the colorful flowers. Countless weddings are frequently held within the gardens, for its picturesque setting is nothing short of spectacular. Its inherent natural beauty has even inspired the Canadian Directory of Federal Heritage Designations to recognize it as a character-defining element of Fairmont Banff Springs. Beyond the hotel, guests can look for wildflowers, including the prairie crocus, western wood lily, yellow lady's slipper, Indian paintbrush, and wild rose. Fairmont Banff Springs was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2018.

Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese (1890)
Rome, Italy

Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese in the historic center of Rome—a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes Vatican City and the Colosseum—derives its name from the historic public park that is located just steps away. Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese was constructed in 1890. The magnificent Villa Borghese gardens are located just across the street, and extend for 198 acres. The history of this magnificent garden dates to the early 1600s, when Cardinal Scipione Borghese of the powerful Borghese dynasty wanted to construct an impressive manor and landscaped estate atop the famed Pincian Hill. The nobleman specifically hoped that the villa’s grand architectural appearance would emphasize the family’s prestige. After hiring leading architects to design the palazzo, the cardinal partnered with a renowned landscaper named Domenico Savino da Montepulciano to transform the surrounding grounds into a gorgeous series of lavish gardens. At first, Borghese had operated the site as his own private vineyard, but he envisioned its future as a tranquil nature preserve where he could both hunt and relax. Montepulciano, the landscape architect, manifested the cardinal’s vision magnificently, installing a series of extravagant fountains, sculptures, and hedges around the palazzo. Today, Villa Borghese is a spectacular park that is open to the public and is only a short walk from the historic Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese. Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2018.

Alsisar Haveli (1892)
Jaipur, India

The gardens of Alsisar Haveli, in the heart of northern India’s historic Pink City of Jaipur, offer a tranquil oasis shaped by traditional Rajput architectural design. Rather than expansive Mughal-style grounds, the hotel's gardens are intimate, designed to create cooling microclimates within a bustling urban setting. These courtyards are bursting with flowering plants, palms, potted shrubs, and climbing greenery, and enlivened by marble fountains. Framed by arched colonnades, carved balconies, and shaded verandas, these refined garden spaces once served as the private quarters for a Rajput noble family and, today, invite quiet reflection and relaxation, preserving the spirit of a 19th-century royal residence. Tiled walkways and stone steps encourage leisurely movement between garden spaces. Built in 1892 as a traditional Rajasthani-style haveli (manor house), Alsisar Haveli was originally a residence for the Thakur (lord) of Alsisar when visiting the bustling city of Jaipur. Fully restored and expanded, Alsisar Haveli was converted into a historic hotel in 1994 and has established itself as a magical retreat, exuding decadence and luxury fit for royalty. With its lush romantic courtyards, serene alcoves, and colorful gardens, Alsisar Haveli represents the grandeur of traditional Rajput-style architecture and was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2012.

Haaheim Gaard (1907)
Uggdal, Norway

On the island of Tysnes along Norway’s west coast, the gardens at Haaheim Gaard are part of a landscape shaped by centuries of stewardship, surrounded by fjords and mountains. Sheltered by a mild coastal climate, the historic estate supports extensive collections of rhododendrons, historic roses, heirloom Norwegian perennials, and locally adapted species. In the late 1800s, Kari and Kristoffer Haaheim laid out a fruit and berries garden and a vegetable garden. The bounty of the garden they designed still provides fresh produce for the hotel kitchen today, and many of the current plantings are descended from the original seeds. The contemporary garden at Haaheim Gaard was designed by garden designer Ingrid Lunde in close collaboration with the hotel owner, Torstein Hatlevik. Together, they envisioned more than a traditional hotel garden and set out to create a living, artistic landscape that would unite organic horticulture, culture, and hospitality. Actively woven into the guest experience, the garden also serves as the setting for guided tours, tastings, and educational programming. The Prime Minister of Norway has visited the garden on several occasions, recognizing its importance as a cultural and horticultural landmark. The grounds around the garden include a small chapel that is a popular wedding venue, and a greenhouse. The hotel offers daily garden walks on the grounds during the summer. Haaheim Gaard was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2013.

Fairmont Empress (1908)
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Fairmont Empress sits on nearly five acres of beautifully manicured lawns and gardens, located on Victoria’s Inner Harbour. The hotel is well-known for its vibrant blooms and lush greenery, which provide a sprawling oasis in British Columbia’s capital city, which boasts the nickname of “City of Gardens.” The stunning hotel gardens were developed soon after the hotel opened in 1908, and are reminiscent of the grounds of an English country estate, with climbing wisteria and pergolas entwined with perfumed roses. Every season, six full-time gardeners rejuvenate the grounds with new blooms and foliage. Over 30,000 tulips blossom in the spring, adding a burst of vibrant colors across the grounds. During the summer until the end of fall, hydrangeas, dahlias, and geraniums overflow the planters and flowerbeds. More than 30 varieties of roses are on display from April to the end of November in the Rose Garden. In the winter, twinkling white lights provide an extra layer of magic amidst the winter greenery. The plantings were carefully chosen for their presentation, fragrance, and ability to attract pollinators. In fact, the hotel’s own honeybee apiary produces 700 pounds of honey annually, which can be sampled onsite at the hotel’s restaurants and bar. The historic gardens have witnessed significant moments in history and hosted many special guests, including royalty, adding to its allure and charm. Many garden and tea parties, croquet tournaments, and weddings have taken place in the gardens. Fairmont Empress was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1981 and was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2017.

Grand Hotel Tremezzo (1910)
Tremezzina, Italy

Immersed in the beauty of Italy’s idyllic Lake Como and offering a spectacular view of the surrounding Alps, the historic Grand Hotel Tremezzo is a treasured example of the finest authentic Italian palazzos. The original building was established in 1910 as a private home. The hotel is located inside a beautiful park that was developed a century ago. The nearly five-acre park features many footpaths and steps that wind gently up the hill to the Belvedere, where it adjoins the neighboring gardens of Villa Carlotta. In the past, part of the garden belonged to Villa Carlotta’s botanical garden. Rare ancient magnolias stand among a profusion of palms in the Riviera-like climate. Blankets of azaleas, tulips, and geraniums, hedges of rhododendron and beds of hydrangeas, provide an alternating color palette, with expanses of pinks and reds, and purples and blues that accent breathtaking glimpses of the lake below. There are hundreds of ornamental plantings, such as the creeping fig, covering the palace’s façade. A few centennial trees tower majestically. The abundance of fragrant flowers inspired the hotel to design and market a fragrance through its Sense of Lake boutique: Aqua Como. It is the signature scent of the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, which blends the floral fragrance of its lush gardens with the fresh notes of the Lake Como breeze. The flowers can also be found indoors, decorating guestrooms and lounges, and guests are welcome to wander in the garden and pick flowers to create their own bouquets. Grand Hotel Tremezzo was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2012.

Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace (1910)
Versailles, France

Bordering the royal domain of the Château de Versailles, and steps away from an entry to its parkland, the gardens of Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace offer an elegant and tranquil extension of one of the world’s most famous gardens. Set within a manicured three hectare park, the hotel’s gardens reflect the principles of classical French design through orderly lawns, clipped hedges, seasonal flowerbeds, and stately tree lined allées, including a majestic cedar path linking the historic palace to the Pavillon du Trianon. With sweeping views that appear to merge seamlessly into the Parc de Versailles, the gardens provide guests with a rare experience of refined seclusion amid unparalleled historic grandeur. Many accommodations offer sweeping views of the neighboring Versailles gardens. The Gardens of Versailles, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were created in the 17th century for King Louis XIV by landscape architect André Le Nôtre. They were designed to be a powerful expression of order, symmetry, and royal authority, thereby extending the grandeur of the Palace of Versailles into the surrounding landscape. The Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace stands currently not merely as a hotel, but as a living monument to the very essence of French heritage. Its evolution from prewar luxury retreat to modern five star landmark reflects the resilience and elegance that have since defined it. The Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace dates to 1910 and was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2026.

Garden Hotel Suzhou (1930s)
Suzhou, China

Located mere minutes away from the renowned Master of the Nets Garden, recognized with the other Classical Gardens of Suzhou as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Suzhou, China, Garden Hotel Suzhou has its own fascinating history and magnificent gardens. The main building of the hotel was originally developed during the early 1930s as the personal residence for Chiang Kai-shek’s second wife, Yao Yecheng. Garden Hotel Suzhou features a traditional Chinese garden, installed in 1952. That year, Garden Hotel Suzhou became an official state guesthouse for Communist Party leaders, foreign dignitaries, and privileged travelers. The garden is an example of treasured, ancient Chinese garden architecture; a kind of environmental art, which combines artificial mountains, rivers, plants, and structures with the natural landscape. Traditional plantings include maples, laurel trees, camphor trees, pines, lotuses, and plum blossoms. The flora changes continually with the seasons and provides a sensory experience for visitors. Guests can take a stroll around the gardens and appreciate the delicately sculpted ponds and rockeries, elegant beams and pillars, and carefully organized trees and flowers. Within this magical garden setting, the heritage villas feature classic Suzhou-style architecture and elegantly designed guestrooms equipped with the latest contemporary comforts. For a classic Suzhou experience, this tranquil retreat is truly set apart. Garden Hotel Suzhou was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2022.

Fairmont Le Château Montebello (1930)
Montebello, Québec, Canada

Situated on the Ottawa River in Québec, Canada, the grand cedar structure of Fairmont Le Château Montebello has greeted guests for nearly a century since it opened its doors in 1930. Though surrounded by nature, there are intentional gardens throughout the resort for guests to enjoy as well. Located between two wings of the grand log cabin (the largest of its kind), the resort’s intimate butterfly garden is a thoughtfully designed space dedicated to sustainability, education, and remembrance. Certified by Monarch Watch, the garden features milkweed supplied by the David Suzuki Foundation, providing an essential habitat for the declining monarch butterfly population, and offering guests insight into its life cycle through interpretive signage. Milkweed is the only plant on which monarch butterflies lay their eggs, and it serves as the sole food source for their caterpillars. Its presence is therefore critical to supporting the reproduction and survival of this declining species. A section of the garden is dedicated to the cultivation of aromatic herbs used in the hotel’s food and beverage offerings. Varieties such as basil, thyme, rosemary, and mint are carefully grown and harvested to enhance the freshness and quality of the cocktails served at the lobby bar, Bar Le Foyer. Inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2017, this outstanding historic destination is an escape into nature that will not require guests to give up their creature comforts.

Sofitel Legend People’s Grand Hotel Xian (1953)
Xian, China

Sofitel Legend People’s Grand Hotel Xian and its gardens are located in the ancient city of Xian, China. The beautiful hotel grounds feature 40,000 sq m of lush gardens, with over 10,000 trees and plants and 4,000 birds—an oasis within Xian’s urban center. Water features include sparkling clear streams and formal fountains. Guests can enjoy walking through the gardens or sitting in them. The swimming pool and fitness center feature lush, colorful views of these garden settings as well. Among the thousands of plants are 18 olive trees that were grown from the seeds that were presented to the first Premier Zhou Enlai during an official government visit to Albania. The hotel and its magnificent garden date to 1951, when the land upon which the current hotel stands was designated for the state guesthouse of Xian. Construction commenced immediately thereafter and lasted for two years. Designed by the Chief Architect of the Northwest Institute of Architectural Design, Hong Qing, the hotel’s iconic building was influenced by French, Sino-Russian, and Art Deco architectural styles. Ever since, the stunning hotel and gardens have been enjoyed by leaders from around the world. As the only licensed state guesthouse in Xian, this hotel has hosted visiting dignitaries and heads of state such as Chinese Marshal Chen Yi, United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, French President François Mitterrand, and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Sofitel Legend People’s Grand Hotel Xian was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2018.

Half Moon (1954)
Montego Bay, Jamaica

Located along the tranquil coastline of Jamaica’s picturesque North Coast, Half Moon resort on Montego Bay is among the most exciting places to visit on the island. The entire Half Moon resort is essentially a magnificent garden, spanning 400 acres of exquisitely manicured grounds and two miles of private beachfront, with the Caribbean Sea to the north and lush hillsides to the south. The accommodations and event spaces blend seamlessly with the natural beauty of the tropical gardens, creating a sense of serene luxury. Jamaica is home to a wide variety of native plants and herbs, and many can be found on the resort’s grounds, including royal palms, coconut trees, heliconias, bamboo, and other indigenous species and medical herbs. In the spa garden, the resort cultivates several herbs that are deeply rooted in Jamaican culture and used in treatments, such as hemp, lemongrass, aloe vera, and cerasee. The onsite gardens provide at least 20 percent of the resort’s herbs, vegetables, and fruits. On the resort’s guided botanical tours, visitors can learn about local flora and its significance in Jamaica’s traditions, medicines, cuisine, and sustainability practices. The resort also keeps bees, as part of its sustainability and education initiatives, and visitors can purchase honey at the resort’s gift shop. Half Moon dates to 1954 and was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2023, and received the program’s prestigious Historic Hotels Worldwide Sustainability Champion Award for the 2025 Historic Hotels Worldwide Annual Awards of Excellence.

El Fuerte Marbella (1954)
Marbella, Spain

Perfectly positioned on Marbella’s seafront promenade, El Fuerte Marbella offers sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea, and is just a five-minute stroll from Plaza de los Naranjos in the historic Old Town. Designed to reflect Andalusia’s coastal environment, the gardens feature mature palms, citrus trees, flowering shrubs, and native Mediterranean plants, all arranged in relaxed terraces that guide guests toward the sea. Shaded pathways and sparkling pools create a tranquil transition between the Old Town and the shoreline, offering moments of calm amid Marbella’s vibrant energy. One of the hotel’s most cherished love stories blossomed in the gardens. During the 1960s, the legendary Spanish artist Lola Flores and her husband, Antonio González, found privacy and creative inspiration in the hotel gardens. Today, the hotel recommends the historic gardens for guests planning a romantic proposal. This space features a 16th-century bastion, a remnant of the fort that once stood where the hotel stands today, and offers a beautiful setting, where the weight of history meets the infinite horizon of the Mediterranean Sea. El Fuerte Marbella dates to 1954 and was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2025.

“Discovering, exploring, and experiencing the gardens of Historic Hotels Worldwide should be on everyone’s bucket list,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Vice President, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “Whether a guest wants to walk alone, take a romantic stroll with a loved one, enjoy a perfect setting for uninterrupted conversations, or just take a restful quiet stroll, these historic gardens are truly magnificent and create wonderful long-lasting memories that guests will want to share.”

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