Oscar Party

02/03/2025 - 21:00 | 03/03/2025 - 06:00

110 Years of Cinema at the Grand Hotel Majestic “già Baglioni”

For more than a century—110 years, to be exact—the Grand Hotel Majestic “già Baglioni” has been the “home” of celebrities visiting Bologna

Press release

Sophia Loren at Grand Hotel Majestic "già Baglioni" - Breviglieri Historical Archive (Minerva Ed.)

Grand Hotel Majestic “già Baglioni”

This 5-star luxury hotel in Bologna has always welcomed movie stars past and present: we can read their names in the pages of the guest book, and admire their portraits on the walls of Café Marinetti and on the hotel’s social media channels, in a never-ending parade of celebrities. This landmark of the city’s hospitality has always been closely linked to institutions and major events dedicated to the seventh art and, when needed, serves as a set for major productions.

The “home” of celebrities

For over a century—110 years, to be exact—the Grand Hotel Majestic “formerly Baglioni” has been the “home” of celebrities visiting Bologna. Here, Clark Gable’s mustache, Humphrey Bogart’s trench coat, and the statuesque beauty of Ava Gardner, arm in arm with her husband Frank Sinatra, have all been spotted. The hotel, like a red carpet, has seen a parade of movie stars of the caliber of Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Federico Fellini, Woody Allen, Spike Lee, Hayao Miyazaki, Martin Scorsese, Matt Dillon, Roger Moore, Sean Connery, Emir Kusturica, Giuseppe Tornatore, Gérard Depardieu, Philippe Noiret, Wim Wenders, Roman Polanski, Roberto Benigni, Giuseppe Tornatore, Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, and many others. The world of Italian and international cinema, then, but also many pop culture figures who have shaped our collective imagination, from Lady Diana to Paul McCartney, from Maria Callas to the Dalai Lama.

Marilyn Monroe at Grand Hotel Majestic "già Baglioni" - Breviglieri Historical Archive (Minerva Ed.)

Memories at the Hotel

Each of them has left a memento at the hotel. As you flip through the pages of the guest book, you’ll find the signatures of these icons from the past and present. Their portraits can also be admired on the walls of Café Marinetti, amid designer armchairs, Carrara marble, and trompe l’oeil paintings. More recently, the hotel’s social media channels have also been filled with today’s stars, often linked to the world of cinema, such as the ever-elegant Fanny Ardant, Keanu Reeves, Edward Norton, and—among Italian actors—Miriam Leone, Pierfrancesco Favino, Monica Bellucci, Stefano Accorsi, Luigi Lo Cascio, and Riccardo Scamarcio.

Rediscovering Cinema

The fact that the building hosts so many celebrities is also thanks to the many events that enliven the city’s cultural life: the hotel has forged a strong relationship with the Cineteca di Bologna, one of Europe’s most important film archives, which organizes the “Il Cinema Ritrovato” and “Sotto le stelle del cinema” film festivals in nearby Piazza Maggiore, which every summer becomes the world’s largest open-air cinema. The hotel also collaborates with the Biografilm Festival and has established partnerships with other major players in the industry, such as IWonder Pictures and the International Filmmaking Academy. It is within this context that the hotel has welcomed two giants of filmmaking—Jane Campion in 2021 and John Landis in 2022—hosting their film classes and workshops for young cinematic talents.

The Majestic as a Film Set

The Majestic has also recently been transformed into a film set. The Giuseppe Verdi Presidential Suite and the Art Deco Terrace Suite served as the backdrop for several scenes in the fourth season of the series Gomorra, while the Giambologna Presidential Suite was the setting for the night of passion between Diabolik, played by Luca Marinelli, and his accomplice Eva Kant, portrayed by Miriam Leone, in the Manetti Bros. film.

The Director says...

Director Tiberio Biondi shares the favorite spots of the famous guests who have stayed at the Grand Hotel Majestic "già Baglioni"—guests who have gone down in history.