Top 10 Bond lairs featured in Spectre and other James Bond film classics

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This was published 8 years ago

Top 10 Bond lairs featured in Spectre and other James Bond film classics

By Rob McFarland
Updated
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Put the action back into your life with a visit to one of these swanky Bond lairs.

1) Das Central, Sölden, Austria

Not only did Bond director Sam Mendes stay in this luxurious alpine retreat during the filming of Spectre, but several scenes were shot in the property's gourmet mountain restaurant, Ice Q. Located in a dramatic 65-kilometre-long valley lined with soaring 3000-metre peaks, the resort provides access to some of the finest skiing in Austria. See central-soelden.com.

2) Peninsula, Hong Kong

Hong Kong's oldest hotel made an appearance in the 1974 Bond classic The Man with the Golden Gun when Scaramanga's mistress, Andrea Anders, was collected by one of its trademark 'Peninsula Green' Rolls-Royce Phantoms. Still the benchmark for Hong Kong luxury digs, this legendary property has seven restaurants, two bars and a lavish 1100-square-metre spa. See hongkong.peninsula.com.

3) Four Seasons Canary Wharf, London

Stay at the Four Seasons Canary Wharf and you'll have access to the same 20-metre rooftop infinity pool that Daniel Craig swam in during Skyfall. The luxury 10-storey property offers panoramic views of the Thames from its riverside location in Canary Wharf plus convenient access to London's hip and happening East End. See fourseasons.com/canarywharf/

4) Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire, UK

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The normally low-risk game of golf took on a new edge when Sean Connery played Auric Goldfinger and his deadly bowler hat-throwing caddy Oddjob. The match took place on the 27-hole championship golf course at Stoke Park, a five-star hotel and country club near Windsor, England. Don't worry if you're not a golfer, the property also boasts three restaurants, 13 tennis courts and a decadent spa. See stokepark.com.

5) Spitbank Fort, The Solent, UK

A truly Bond-worthy lair, this island fort near Portsmouth was built to protect the harbour from attack from Napoleon III. Now transformed into a luxury hotel, the property has everything an aspiring secret agent could desire, including nine bedrooms, a hot tub, a wine cave and a rooftop fire pit. After being transferred to the island by speed boat, guests are welcomed with a glass of champagne and enjoy sumptuous meals in the fort's a la carte restaurant. See amazingvenues.co.uk/venue/spitbank-fort.

6) One&Only Ocean Club, Bahamas

This exclusive ocean-front resort featured heavily in the 2006 movie Casino Royale. Bond relieves villain Alex Dimitrios of an Aston Martin during a game of poker in the hotel's library and then – just to really rub it in - lures his girlfriend, Solange, back to his villa. Once a private estate, this elegant colonial retreat features an 18-hole golf course, a Balinese-style spa and cuisine overseen by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. See oceanclub.oneandonlyresorts.com.

7) Hotel Cipriani, Venice, Italy

Precisely four minutes by private launch from St Mark's Square, this stunning luxury hotel enjoys unrivalled views of the lagoon and Doge's Palace from its location on the tip of Giudecca Island. Bond fans will recognise it as the place Daniel Craig moored his yacht before embarking on a high-speed chase through the city in Casino Royale. You may prefer to relax with a cocktail around the hotel's Olympic-sized swimming pool – it's the only one in Venice. See belmond.com/hotel-cipriani-venice.

8) The Fleming Villa, Jamaica

Ian Fleming wrote all the James Bond novels at this idyllic Jamaican hideaway. Now part of the exclusive GoldenEye resort, the three-bedroom villa has its own private beach, pool and gardens plus two self-contained cottages. Ideal for budding novelists, it comes with a dedicated butler, housekeeper and cook, so there's no excuse for not finishing that best-seller. See theflemingvilla.com.

9) Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India

This spectacular resort, located on an island in Lake Pichola, doubled as Octopussy's impenetrable 'floating palace' in the eponymous 1983 Bond movie starring Roger Moore. While Moore had to swim over disguised as a crocodile, access nowadays is a little easier with a dedicated luxury transfer. Originally built as an 18th-century pleasure palace for Maharana Jagat Singh II, this decadent retreat is now one of India's finest hotels – a lavish montage of marble columns, domed turrets and delicate fretwork screens. See tajhotels.com.

10) Fontainebleau, Miami Beach, USA

Designed by acclaimed architect Morris Lapidus, this iconic 1950s beachfront resort played a starring role in the 1963 classic Goldfinger. Not only does Bond receive a poolside massage in the film's opening scene, but it's where Jill Masterton meets an expensive demise after being painted entirely in gold by Goldfinger's henchman Oddjob. Today, the nine-hectare resort remains one of Miami's finest, with four signature restaurants, a two-storey spa and direct access to a pristine section of beach. See fontainebleau.com.

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