Great stories do more than just entertain us. They imprint places on our imagination long before we ever pack a suitcase.
This World Book Day, we invite you to step off the page and into the world with holidays that mirror the journeys of literary characters you love. Each of the below pairs a beloved figure with a destination and a hotel that captures the spirit of their tale, offering experiences that feel like chapters of your own story while honouring the original narrative.
Whether it is the sparkling streets of New York in The Great Gatsby, the sun drenched plazas of Spain in The Sun Also Rises or the timeless moors of Jane Austen’s England, we’ve reimagined these beloved tales and the journeys within them as real world holidays, giving you the chance to walk through landscapes that once lived only in fiction.
Paddington in London and Paris
From A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
Paddington may have arrived in London with a label around his neck, a battered suitcase and a fondness for marmalade, but his ideal holiday would be a little more refined.
Begin at The Ritz London, where impeccable manners are encouraged, afternoon tea is a revered ritual and the setting feels perfectly in step with Paddington’s polite sensibilities. With its grand interiors, white gloved service and rich sense of tradition, The Ritz offers a glimpse of old-world London – one where even the marmalade sandwiches would be served with silver tongs. It is also just a short walk from Green Park and nearby bookshops, allowing for a little leisurely exploration of the capital’s grandest areas before the next leg of your journey.
From here, take the Eurostar to Paris for an option that’s swift, civilised and wonderfully free of delays. Once in the ‘City of Light’, check into La Réserve Paris Hotel and Spa, an elegant townhouse retreat with Eiffel Tower views and a wonderfully homely feel, perfectly suited to a bear who values comfort and discretion. Spacious rooms and refined dining offer calm between outings, while mornings in the Jardin des Tuileries and patisserie stops nearby bring plenty of chance for story-worthy moments (and sweet treats that Britain’s favourite bear would approve of). Explore the Left Bank’s bookshops and quieter streets, or head to Montmartre where winding lanes, artists’ corners and village like charm feel straight out of a storybook.
Paddington in Peru
From A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
While Paddington’s story famously begins on a London station platform, clutching a battered suitcase and a note asking someone to look after him, his origins lie far from the capital. In Michael Bond’s A Bear Called Paddington, we learn that Paddington has travelled from “deepest, darkest Peru”, sent to England by his beloved Aunt Lucy. The books themselves remain rooted in London life, but Peru exists as the emotional starting point of Paddington’s journey – and if you’re looking for somewhere slightly more exotic to honour the story of the beloved bear, then the ancient heart of the Incan empire offers a colourful, culturally dynamic alternative. More recently, the Paddington films have brought this backstory to life on screen, giving shape to the landscapes that formed him long before he found the Browns.
For travellers inspired by that sense of origin, a journey to Peru feels like a meaningful next chapter after London and Paris. In Cusco, Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel offers a refined base steeped in history. Set within a beautifully restored 16th century monastery near the Plaza de Armas, the hotel blends colonial architecture, cloistered courtyards and contemporary comfort to create a calm sanctuary at altitude. From here, wander Cusco’s cobbled streets, explore vibrant local markets and sample traditional local delights that could easily rival even Paddington’s love of marmalade – all while surrounded by layers of local and colonial history.
From Cusco, continue deeper into the Sacred Valley to Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel at Machu Picchu. As the only hotel located adjacent to the ancient citadel, it offers a rare opportunity to experience this iconic site at its quietest, with early morning visits that allow you to wander as the mist lifts slowly from the stone ruins just beyond your door. Waking to mountain views and stepping straight into one of the world’s most extraordinary landscapes feels like a fitting way to connect with the sense of adventure and heart that sits at the centre of Paddington’s story – not necessarily as it was written on the page, but as it lives in our collective imagination.
Lin in Mumbai
From Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
Set in the bustling streets and back-alleys of 1980s Mumbai, Shantaram is a sweeping story of reinvention, resilience and redemption – along with a generous helping of romance which seems to flow between the characters and into the very city itself. Gregory David Roberts paints a vivid picture of a metropolis full of contradictions – where chaos meets kindness and danger walks hand in hand with unexpected beauty. Mumbai is a living, breathing character in the novel, and for travellers keen to experience the heartbeat of the city in all its vibrancy, a stay at The Oberoi, Mumbai offers both immersion and calm.
Overlooking Marine Drive and the Arabian Sea, this five-star property provides a serene contrast to the noise and colour outside. Interiors are elegant and light-filled, the spa is a welcome refuge and service is flawlessly attentive. From here, it’s easy to explore Colaba’s markets, Gateway of India and the winding lanes where the novel’s twisting paths cross with your own.
Discover more of our favourite luxury hotels in India.
Jay Gatsby in New York City
From The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Few characters embody the spirit of a place quite like Jay Gatsby does with 1920s New York – a world of champagne glamour, restless ambition and the glittering promise of reinvention that still shimmers with every turn of the page. Gatsby’s world is one of penthouse parties, jazz age sparkle and romantic dreams played out against the Manhattan skyline. To channel that spirit today, check in at The Plaza, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, a Central Park icon and enduring symbol of timeless elegance.
Rich with history and theatrical style, its suites and salons have long attracted the city’s boldest characters, including F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, who were devoted patrons during the 20s. They often dined at the hotel's Grill Room and were known for their wild behaviour there. With this inimitable address as your base, step into your own New York story – whether that’s rooftop cocktails above Fifth Avenue, Broadway lights, gallery afternoons in Chelsea or quiet strolls through Central Park. In a city that rewards those who dare to dream big, every moment has the potential to feel like a scene worth remembering.
For inspiration on more books that capture the spirit of destination, explore our suggestions of the top 13 books to pack in your suitcase.
Phileas Fogg in Singapore
From Around The World In 80 Days by Jules Verne
In this famed story, Phileas Fogg makes a brief but precise stop in Singapore – one of many waypoints on his race around the globe. Back then, it was a key British trading post, orderly and exotic in equal measure. Today, that same blend of structure and sparkle lives on. For a stay that Fogg himself would admire, Raffles Singapore delivers heritage and efficiency wrapped in colonial elegance.
Behind its white shutters and palm-lined courtyards, the hotel offers polished service, beautifully restored suites and a sense of timeless calm in the heart of the city. Spend your time sampling local favourites at the hawker centres, cruising along the Singapore River at dusk, or sipping a Singapore Sling in the hotel’s iconic Long Bar – invented here, and still served with ceremony.
Just as Verne’s novel opened up the world to many young readers, Raffles Singapore redefined what a hotel could be. Discover more properties that changed the way we travel in this article: Five hotels that changed the way we travel.
Elizabeth Bennet in the English countryside
From Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
If Elizabeth Bennet were planning a holiday, it wouldn’t involve flash or fuss – just elegant surroundings, good conversation and the occasional long walk to clear one’s thoughts. The English countryside delivers on all fronts, and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, A Belmond Hotel, in Oxfordshire is exactly the kind of place where Austen’s sharpest heroine might find herself at ease. A country house hotel with storybook gardens and two Michelin stars to its name, it’s the sort of setting where time slows down just enough.
Mornings might be spent exploring the herb gardens or sipping tea beneath climbing roses, while relaxed lunches give way to lazy strolls through the neighbouring villages and flowering lanes. For families, there’s space to roam. For romantics, plenty of spots to linger. It’s structured without being stuffy – and just the kind of refined escape Miss Bennet would recommend, preferably with a book in hand and no Mr Collins in sight.
And while Elizabeth may claim she’s not looking for romance, we all know how that story ends. For more inspiration on escapes made for two – from countryside retreats to sun-drenched coastal hideaways – explore our guide to hotels made for a romantic getaway.
Jake Barnes in Spain’s Basque Country
From The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
A portrait of post-war disillusionment wrapped in the rituals of travel – The Sun Also Rises is a story of American and British expats drinking, drifting and searching for meaning across 1920s Europe. At its heart is Jake Barnes, a war-scarred journalist whose quiet observations shape the novel’s smoky bars, slow afternoons and late-night conversations. Nowhere does the story feel more alive than in San Sebastian, where the narrative breathes amid sea air and long days that unfold by the shore.
To feel immersed in the San Sebastian of Hemingway’s imagination, check in at Hotel Maria Cristina, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Sebastian – a grand Belle Époque landmark with sweeping views over La Concha Bay. Inside, high ceilings, soft chandeliers and elegant interiors nod to the glamour of the 1920s, while service is warm and discreet. Step outside and the city delivers everything Jake Barnes would have loved: sunlit strolls along the promenade, late lunches of pintxos and seafood, and long afternoons that slip easily into evening. It’s the kind of place where not much needs to happen for it to feel like a holiday – just good company, a well-mixed drink and time to watch the world go by.
Bilbo Baggins in New Zealand
From The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Jagged mountain peaks, emerald forests and mirror-like lakes - there are corners of the South Island that feel uncannily like the Misty Mountains or the rolling expanse of Rohan. For a base that captures both the spirit of adventure and refined comfort, Eichardt’s Private Hotel, Queenstown, is a superb choice. The historic lakeside hotel dates back to the 1860s and has been transformed into a luxury boutique retreat with 15 elegant suites and apartments, two excellent restaurants and a soothing spa – all within walking distance of Queenstown’s lively cafés and shops.
From your window, Lake Wakatipu stretches out like a deep, glassy plain beneath the rugged ridges that rise around it, and on clear days the Remarkables mountain range provides a dramatic backdrop that feels as though Tolkien might have borrowed it for his world. Setting off from Queenstown, you can venture into landscapes that truly feel transported from a fantasy realm, hiking ancient forests, cruising on the lake’s glassy surface, or taking a scenic drive into alpine valleys that seem as remote and beautiful as any page in Tolkien’s tale. In a place where nature feels mythic and the world feels wide open, it’s easy to imagine you’re following in Bilbo’s own footsteps.
Our Senior Marketing Executive, Jadeene, recently visited New Zealand on a month-long odyssey to rival Tolkien’s epic. See what she had to say about her experience, and other suggestions for adventures of four weeks or more in our favourite selection of month-long escapes.
Sherlock Holmes in central London
From Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Few characters are as deeply tied to London as Sherlock Holmes. Fog on the Thames, footsteps on cobbled streets, the quiet creak of a black cab turning onto Baker Street – it’s a city of secrets and sharp observation, where every corner seems to hold a clue (if you’re as eagle-eyed as Mr. Holmes, that is).
For a stay that captures that same refined, quietly intriguing atmosphere, The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel offers timeless elegance just steps from Covent Garden. With grand suites, polished service and sweeping views over the river, it’s a hotel that feels rooted in the city’s past while delivering all the comforts of the present and remains one of the capital’s most enduring icons. Whether you're wandering nearby museums, exploring shopping arcades or simply watching the world go by from a velvet armchair, this is a place where mystery, history and style meet. Explore other luxury hotels in London.
Daisy Miller in Rome
From Daisy Miller by Henry James
In Daisy Miller, Henry James introduces us to a young American travelling through Europe with charm, curiosity and a talent for ruffling feathers. When Daisy arrives in Rome, she turns heads not just for what she does, but for how freely she does it – seeing the sights on her own terms and challenging the social rules of the day with a sunny sort of confidence.
That same spirit suits a stay at The St. Regis Rome, a grand hotel that blends old-world glamour with warm, modern style. From its sweeping marble interiors to its relaxed, attentive service, it feels like the kind of place where Daisy might linger over a cappuccino or lose an afternoon in conversation. Rome’s historic streets and glittering fountains are right outside, but it’s the easy elegance of the setting – not just the sights – that makes it unforgettable.
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