Holiday like the A-list

For the ultimate glitterati getaway, Jill Starley-Grainger discovers the capital hotels celebs loveThe Greenwich Hotel, New YorkGwyneth Paltrow’s pretty head has yet to rest at this Tribeca boutique hotel, but she’s already raving about it on her blog. Part-owned by Robert de Niro, it’s been an A-list hotspot since it opened last year. Expect to see the likes of Anne Hathaway, Winona Ryder and Madonna, who was spotted here canoodling with her ex, Sean Penn, mere seconds after her divorce from Guy. Each of the 88 guest rooms has been individually designed to give a home-away-from home feel, but our favourite is the new two-bedroom North Moore Duplex, with soaring 30-foot skylight, two fireplaces, private Turkish steam room and sauna. The hotel’s piece de resistance is the heavenly new Shibui spa, especially its pool and lounge surrounded by a reconstructed 250-year-old Japanese farmhouse.Nearby: Hip boutiques abound – hit Edon Manor for shoes - and don’t miss David Bouley’s trendy new restaurant Secession.Doubles from $542The Greenwich Hotel, +1 212 941 8900, www.TheGreenwichHotel.comThe Peninsula TokyoTowering over the Imperial Palace and just a stone’s throw from the posh shopping streets of Ginza, The Peninsula has been a hit with the glitterati since it opened in 2007. Rooms are decked out in modern Japanese chic and feature all the high-tech gadgetry you might expect of this futuristic city – sound systems in the bathbtub, mood lighting, mirror-embedded TVs and more. For the best celeb-spotting, head to the ground-floor lounge for the hugely popular afternoon tea. Then hop in the private disco lift to the 27th floor for drinks, dinner and breathtaking Tokyo views from Peter restaurant. You’ll take centre stage – literally – as you enter, and once seated, you’ll be able to gawp at each new arrival as they walk along the catwalk, too. With the unavoidable grand entrance, you’ll be sure to spot the likes of Nicole Kidman, Mariah Carey, Giorgio Armani and Daniel Craig as they arrive to dine on the exquisite gourmet European fare.Nearby: Shop til you drop at venerable Mitsukoshi department store (don’t miss the food halls), pick up stunning kimono at Ginza Motoji and stock up on exclusive accessories available only in Japan at Armani’s nearby flagship store.Doubles from JPY60,000The Peninsula Tokyo, +81 3 6270 2888, www.peninsula.comHotel le Bristol, ParisSince 1925, the world’s elite have made this grand dame their hotel of choice in Paris. But it hasn’t rested on its laurels. Sure, the décor is old-world glam, but an extension opening later this year will feature more modern stylings, while the rooftop pool and the gardens are a slice of Parisian heaven. Better still, the newly revamped bar hosts fashion teas every Saturday, with models parading the latest looks from the likes of Versace and Lacroix while you nibble on macaroons. What’s really hotting up the celeb hotline is the revamped Anne Semonin spa, with amazing aromatherapy and herbal therapies. Recent hotel guests Mischa Barton, Brad Pitt, Natalia Vodianova, George Clooney, Christian Lacrois, Leonardo diCaprio and Carla Sarkozy are sure to be queuing up for treatments.Nearby: With a fashionable location on the Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honore, the couturiers of the Champs-Elysees and the rest of the 8th arrondisement are all around, and guests of the hotel get an exclusive discount pass for many of them.Doubles from 750 eurosHotel le Bristol, +33 1 5343 4325, www.hotel-bristol.com