Books, much like travel, make my soul sing. Let me loose in a book store and you’ll lose me for hours. Give me a stack of books, an endless supply of good coffee and a snuggly sofa, and I’ll be happy for months – and I’ll only come up for air once I’ve run out of reading material and need to get a new load. Now imagine combining these two great passions – travel AND books. That’s how my train of thought ran the other day and I started looking into hotel for book lovers; I found that there are surprisingly many. Whether that be ones that have a bookish theme or ones that have hosted many literary greats over the years and have dedicated rooms or suites to them, there seems to be many all over the world. I’ve put together a collection of some of the most interesting-looking ones as inspiration for you all, and have marked the ones that I’m adding to my hotel bucket list (it didn’t exist until today).
So, here’s my collection of hotels for book lovers (warning: you’ll have a strong urge to book yourself into at least one of these after reading this).
The Library Hotel, New York City
I cannot believe I had never heard of this hotel until now! The hotel’s concept is inspired by the Dewey Decimal system (a library classification system) and each floor honours one of its categories. All of the rooms have a collection of books (I mean, how brilliant is that?!) that explore the topic of the category it belongs to.
Omergod a hotel room with books…
The hotel also looks so incredibly cosy that I can imagine it’s hard to peel yourself away and do any sight seeing when you’re staying there.
There’s also a library that is open 24 hours a day and not only features loads of books, but also offers guests a selection of drinks and snacks (food, travel, books – heaven!) to keep you fuelled as you read into the night. And every evening you can also enjoy a complimentary wine and cheese night, during which they serve you with wine, Prosecco, cheese and other snacks. They’ve thrown booze into the equation, too – I’m moving in.
Just how much would you love to be snuggled up in front of that fire?
This is now on my new hotel bucket list. I’m not going to New York City unless I’m staying here.
Click here for the hotel’s website.
Photos are taken from the hotel’s website.
Raffles Hotel, Singapore
It pains me to know that I was here a few years back and I didn’t realise how much the hotel has been shaped by famous writers over the years. I was more concerned with consuming their Singapore Slings (the city’s signature cocktail originated here) and eyeing up the cute bartender. Stop judging – I was young and hormonal.
Stunning colonial architecture of Raffles Singapore
Having opened in 1887, the hotel harks back to the city’s colonial roots, and the architecture has been preserved incredibly well, so when you walk inside it’s like stepping back in time. Some of the hotel’s suites are adorned with memorabilia and décor that reflects different authors that have some connection to the property – there are tributes to French novelist André Malraux, Welsh travel writer Gavin Young, renowned traveller Rudyard Kipling and playwright Noel Coward.
For example, an original Rudyard Kipling autograph sits in the suite dedicated to him – how cool is that?
The Rudyard Kipling suite
The suites aside, what a better place for a writer and book lover to stay in. Throughout the hotel, there are plenty of spaces in which to curl up and read or let your writer’s imagination run wild in.
If you cannot afford a stay at Raffles, you can drown your sorrows in the Writer’s Bar, which is named for the literary luminaries who have written about or resided at the hotel.
Click here for the hotel’s website.
Photos were provided by Raffles.
The Library, Koh Samui
I visited Koh Samui way back in 2011, and while I had a great time, I didn’t really have any intentions of returning; there are far too many other Thai islands to justify going back to ones I’ve already been to. That was until I read about The Library. This minimalist property is a design ode to the written word; in other words, it’s a boutique hotel for book lovers. Cue heart eyes.
Someday I will also have a library like this in my home
One of the highlights of the hotel is The Lib, which has an impressive collection of books to leaf through; it’s a great spot in which to get some reading done in while admiring the blood-red pool through the windows. Yes, that’s right – a blood-red swimming pool. That within itself is impressive, and not something I’ve seen anywhere else.
A blood-red pool is a first for me
The rooms are styled in a very minimalist way, and come complete with Internet-ready iMacs and coffee machines (let’s face it, most writers and bibliophiles love their java).
Click here for the hotel’s website.
Photos are taken from the hotel’s website.
Book and Bed, Tokyo
Book and Bed is billed as an ‘accommodation bookshop’ where basically you sleep in bunk beds among thousands of books. The books are, thankfully for us, both in English and Japanese, and the space looks so incredibly inviting:
Sleeping among books – every bibliophile’s dream
I’m not big on hostels, but I’d certainly stay in this one. I mean, this is like my biggest book dream come true – I get to hide in a little cubby hole and read until I pass out head first into my book.
Cubby hole made in heaven
I’ll be in Tokyo later this year, so I’ll certainly be looking this place up closer to the time!
Click here for the hotel’s website.
Photos are taken from the hotel’s press kit.
Pera Palace, Istanbul
The Pera Palace in Istanbul opened back in 1892 during the last years of the Ottoman Empire, and is now restored as a museum hotel – that’s right, so much of its contents is so historical that it’s fully catalogued. Old world charm aside, there’s another reason why I’m including this striking property in my post, and that’s the hotel’s Ernest Hemingway suites.
The stunning foyer
Yes, the hotel has five Ernest Hemingway suites, no less. The writer was a denizen of the hotel post World War One, and in 1922 he stayed in a suite (pictured below) where he’d spy on the military while they were moving their troops.
The Ernest Hemingway suite – another one on the wish list!
As if that’s not enough, there’s also an Agatha Christie room! Agatha stayed in Room 411 as she passed through the city on her visits to excavations in Iraq with her archeologist husband. Legend has it that she also wrote some of Murder on the Orient Express in that very room.
This must be the very ultimate of the hotels for book lovers! Plus, it’s absolutely stunning – the feature image of this post depicts the hotel’s library.
Another one for the bucket list!
Click here for the hotel’s website.
Photos are taken from the hotel’s press kit.
Le Pavillon des Lettres, Paris
Pavillon des Lettres is billed as Paris’ original literary hotel. Each room and suite is dedicated to a different letter of the alphabet, and, in turn, to a great writer from European history. So S is for Shakespeare, Z for Zola and so on.
I like the decor of this place
Words from each writer are stencilled onto the walls of each room, which is a really nice touch. There’s also, of course, a library.
Cosy hangout areas are a prerequisite in a hotel for book lovers
I’ve never been to Paris before, but this hotel is making me think that it’s about time I get myself there.
Click here for the hotel’s website.
Photos are taken from the hotel’s press kit.
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