The Accidental Princess in Monte Carlo

Opening in theaters today is this summer's teen escape movie Monte Carlo. And while it caters to a certain demographic, viewers will no doubt enjoy the scenes of Paris and Monte Carlo --  think of it as a two hour time transport without packing a single bag.

Part Roman Holiday and part How to Marry a Millionaire, Selena Gomez becomes an "accidental princess" when she travels to Paris with her family and a case of assuming another girl's identity turns into the trip of a lifetime. There are lots of great yacht parties, polo matches, eye candy, charity balls and luxurious hotels. And even though the reviews have been somewhat tepid, it's the ultimate two hour great escape.

The film also stars Leighton Meester of Gossip Girls and Katie Cassidy of Melrose Place and Nightmare on Elm Street. I love that the director wanted a "Neapolitan ice cream" effect with the casting as the women have three very distinct looks and personalities. Andie MacDowell plays Selena's mom.

Selena Gomez

Leighton Meester

The story takes place at the Hotel du Paris (can you tell I have a bad case of wanderlust this summer?) which was only used for a few days of filming due to limited access. Production designer Hugo Lucyzc-Wyhowski recreated the hotel on a soundstage in Budapest,  duplicating a convincing replica of the lobby and the Grimaldi Suite (of Prince Rainer fame). The regal Hotel du Paris was built in 1864 and showcases incredible marble pillars, Louis XVI furnishings, crystal chandeliers and tapestries in its Art Noveau structure.

Hotel du Paris in Monte Carlo

Suite of blue and white toile with view of the casino

Old world charm can be found in the famed lobby

And yes, the Texas scenes were also filmed in Budapest and often the audience is none the wiser. Filming also took place at the Stefania Palace which doubles for Monaco's Da Silva Ballroom and the Hungarian State Opera Palace. The magnificent Villa Eilenroc in Cap d'Antibes also has its moment in the spotlight. Once the property of American philanthropist Louis Beaumont and his opera singer wife, the picturesque home and gardens now belong to the city.

Eilenroc above and below

Stefania Palace

The costumes will not disappoint as couture dresses were custom made or borrowed from archives and include classics from Dior, Chanel, Oscar de la Renta and Gucci. The girls are also sporting outfits from  Zara, Theory, Miu Miu and Diane von Furstenberg.

The timing of this film could not be any more perfect with today's Prince Albert nuptials  as Monaco will be in the news all weekend. (I am thinking TBS might consider showing the "The Runaway Bride" this weekend as well but I digress...) In the meantime, you might check out Hitchcock's  To Catch a Thief which also had some memorable scenes in Monaco. Legend has it that Princess Grace died on the very same road that the famous car chase occurred in the film in another twist of timely irony.

Grace Kelly and Cary Grant on the set of To Catch a Thief

Happy July 4th holiday and speaking of holidays, many thanks to the editors of High Gloss magazine who featured Designs on Film and Cinema Style in their July/August this month. They highlighted one of my favorite holiday films....The Holiday. Enjoy!

Photo Credits: Hotel du Paris, Eilenroc, Paramount Pictures and Larry Horricks/Twentieth Century Fox.

Cinema Spotlight: Le Bristol Paris

While the proverbial City of Lights is obviously front and center in Woody Allen's romantic comedy Midnight in Paris, the scenes of Le Bristol Paris were the ones that caught my eye.

Wilson and McAdams contemplate their differences on a toile covered bed

Director Woody Allen with the film's stars at the Cannes Film Festival

Located near the Presidential Elysee Palace on Rue du Fauborg Saint Honore', the hotel has played host to the likes of Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe as well as sharing the screen with Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams. Carla Bruni (who also just happens to be the First Lady of France and a co-star in the film) holds court there regularly at the Bristol's brasserie 114 Fauborg. And in a case of " if these walls could talk," songstress Josephine Baker celebrated her career in 1975 with Mick Jagger, Princess Grace and Sofia Loren at the Bristol.

The stately exteriors of Le Bristol Paris above and below

From an interior design perspective, the well appointed rooms are spectacular thanks to a thirty million dollar renovation supervised by the owner, Mrs. Rudolph Oetker. Furnishings and draperies are decorated with the hotel's signature Toile du Jouy and color and patterns abound. The rooms are 18th century elegance (with a contemporary cutting edge) and filled with Gobelin tapestries and old master paintings. If you are lucky enough to stay in the penthouse suite like pop star Prince, expect to fall in love with the elegant yellow Empire sitting room.

History is preserved as well as the revered landmark has a restaurant that dates back to 1829 and the glass and wrought iron elevator was designed by a Jewish architect hiding out from the Nazis during World War Two. The five star hotel touts the city's largest bathrooms and the penthouse pool features a sweeping panoramic view of Paris. "Fashion High Tea" also offers haute couture showings from the latest collections. Let's face it, at eighty years young, the place is still fabulous.

High Tea

And for those of us who are animal lovers, a most unlikely ambassador in the form of a  Birmen kitten named Fa Raon has a commanding presence in the lobby.

And if you can't afford the room's luxury style rates, you can always buy a robe (as worn by McAdams in the film) at the hotel gift shop.

The gardens of Versailles also have their cinematic moment in the spotlight (actually the famed palace and environs have been featured in 165 films to date). A must see anytime you are in France.

Michael Sheen also co-stars as seen here in the gardens of Versailles

First Lady Carla Bruni plays a tour guide in the film

Photo Credits: Sony Pictures, Le Bristol Paris

Cinematic Landscapes

Since summer and travel go hand in hand, I thought I would post a series of traveling the world via the movies in the upcoming months.

Kathie Lee and Hoda reported on a list of top iconic resorts from some of our favorite movies this past week as a result from a poll of places fans would most like to visit. See if some of your favorite films made the list:

Forgetting Sarah Marshall:  Hawaii's  Turtle Bay Resort served as the idyllic backdrop for the raucous Judd Apatow comedy starring Kristen Bell, Russell Brand and Jason Segel. Located on five miles of beachfront and just 45 minutes from Honolulu, apparently tourism increased tenfold when the movie debuted. And as art often imitates life, it was also reported that many trued to flirt their way into a free room as did Mila Kunis in the film.

The lobby of Turtle Bay Resort as seen in Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Turtle Bay guest suites

Somewhere in Time: Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel in Michigan enjoyed its cinematic close-up in the 1980 fantasy romance starring Jane Seymour, Christopher Plummer and the late Christopher Reeve. The film's time/travel story and unforgettable John Barry soundtrack play out perfectly against the relaxed yet stately atmosphere of the summer hotel. And long time devotees of the film feel the same way as there is an annual Somewhere in Time weekend held at the Grand Hotel, complete with period attire.

The legendary designer Carleton Varney of Dorothy Draper, Inc.  put  his signature look of vibrant florals and stripes for the restoration of the guest rooms and the hotel boasts the world's longest front porch. I also love the fact the only transportation on the island is by horse, bicycle or foot.

Reeve and Seymour as time travel lovers in Somewhere in Time

The Grand Hotel

Varney's designs for the Masco Cottage

Carleton Varney designed guest room

The Shining: While ominous yet memorable, viewers voted Timberline Lodge as one of their top places to visit. Located in Mount Hood, Oregon, the lodge served as a third character in the Stanley Kubrick psychological horror 1980 film The Shining. Based on Stephen King's best selling novel, Jack Nicholson played a writer gone mad who eventually terrorizes his family in the process. The Timberline is actually the Overlook Hotel in the film and you won't see the famous topiary maze as seen at the end of the film as that was shot in a soundstage in England. (The labyrinth was actually a combination of matte painting techniques and artificial hedges).

Set shot for The Shining above and below

Detail shot of Timberline Lodge

Some Like It Hot: The story of cross dressing, comedy and romance shared the stage with the famed Hotel del Coronado in director Billy Wilder's 1959 comedy. Starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon as an all-girl musical band (Curtis and Lemmon were on the lam and had to pose as women), "The Del" served as Miami where much of the action takes place. Built in 1888, the Victorian beachfront hotel is located in San Diego and named one of the top ten resorts of the world by USA Today (and the number one wedding destination according to The Travel Channel).

Monroe and Curtis on Coronado Beach

"The Del"

The Victorian lobby

And while this was not named in the poll, the Esperanza from The Heartbreak Kid would make my list of places to visit. Located in Cabo San Lucas, the resort/retreat was not only the spot for the (often gross-out) comedy remake but a popular celebrity hide-out as well. While I still haven't recovered from the scene where Ben Stiller mistakes a large rodent as a puppy, the movie is a wonderful travelogue for Mexico.

Ben Stiller and Malin Ackerman in The Heartbreak Kid above and below

Entry to Esperanza

Photo Credits: Esperanza, Hotel Del Coronado, Twentieth Century Fox, Timberline Lodge, Grand Hotel, Turtle Bay Resort, MGM, Warner Brothers, Universal Pictures.