These grand hotels have legendary cellars—and centuries of history

Some of Europe’s most captivating stories can be found in cellars beneath the floors of its grandest hotels. Concealing secret walls and carved into primordial rock, these famed vaults contain coveted vintages and epic histories of intrigue, war, and survival.

During World War II, renowned hotels in Monte Carlo and Paris covertly saved thousands of their rarest bottles from occupying forces. In London, a boutique hotel favored by royalty quietly converted its cellar into an air raid shelter during the war. At a stylish resort in Tuscany, a labyrinth of ancient tunnels remains intact despite Blitz bombings. And at a geothermal retreat in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, an exceptional cellar sits in a cave formed by a 13th-century lava flow from a still-active volcano.

Hôtel de Paris (Monte Carlo, Monaco)

The largest hotel wine cellars in the world belong to Monaco’s Hôtel de Paris. Built into the rock and debuted with the legendary hotel in 1874, the cellars span 16,000 square feet and house 350,000 vintages. During the Second World War, hotel staff stashed guests’ jewels in a hidden cellar cave and stowed precious vintages behind a fake wall of empty bottles, saving thousands from occupying forces. The cellar is also famous for royal celebrations, notably for Princess Grace.

When I visited the cellars on a guided tour while in town for the Forbes Travel Guide Summit in Monaco this February, I was wowed by the still-intact, original vaults filled with historic relics that seamlessly blended with a design-forward restoration, which debuted last year for the cellars' 150th anniversary. Soft, warm lighting, light woods, and local stone enhance the reconfigured entrance and tasting rooms. Also new: an immersive film that brings founders François and Marie Blanc virtually to life, sharing the cellars' history with guests. Another highlight was walking into the Marie Blanc Reserve, a tribute to the visionary female founder of the cellars.

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“One of our oldest bottles was acquired during the belle époque, when Hôtel de Paris was already the epicenter of European high society,” says chef sommelier Patrice Frank. “Knowing it still rests here, perfectly preserved, is a reminder that great wine is perhaps the most patient form of history.” 

Visitors can reserve private tastings and tours, and collectors may be invited to join its exclusive member club, Le Cercle des Caves. 

The Stafford (London, England)

A significant cellar dates back to the 17th century at The Stafford in London. Built for Lord Francis Godolphin, its tunnels once connected to St. James' Palace, and Queen Victoria is said to have passed discreetly through this underground route. Later, during World War II, the cellar secretly served as an air-raid shelter for American and Canadian officers stationed nearby. During my visit on a private tour in May, I saw soldiers' messages etched into the brickwork, along with other relics like wartime ration notices and gas masks.

Housing 8,000 bottles and rare vintages, the cellar offers curated tours, private tastings, and five-course wine dinners in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines, namesake of the hotel’s flagship restaurant. “This cellar has quietly safeguarded wines across centuries, bearing witness to changing tastes, traditions, and eras, all while continuing to do exactly what it was built for—storing wines patiently until the moment they are meant to be enjoyed,” says head sommelier Nuno Pereira.

Four Seasons Hotel George V (Paris, France)

In Paris, the exquisite Four Seasons Hotel George V’s famed cellar was founded with the hotel in 1928. The cavernous cellar was carved 46 feet into the rock of a quarry whose limestone helped build the Arc de Triomphe. During the Occupation, the cellar was entirely sealed behind a brick wall to protect its treasures. Later, during the Liberation of Paris in 1944, the hotel was headquarters for Dwight Eisenhower. When it closed for renovation in 1997, the cellar narrowly escaped destruction and left with only 100 bottles. Over the course of more than 20 years, celebrated sommelier Éric Beaumard meticulously built the collection to 50,000 bottles, which now serves the hotel’s three Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Cinq; two Michelin-starred L’Orangerie; and Michelin-starred Le George. “If I had to choose one bottle that moves me, it would be a Madeira from 1794,” says head sommelier David Piquet. “This very bottle traveled in the hull of the ship that carried Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on the island of Saint Helena. A seemingly small detail in history and yet an extraordinary one.” Today, cellar tours, tastings, and masterclasses are reserved for hotel guests. 

Il Borro Toscana (San Giustino Valdarno, Italy)

Luxury resort Il Borro Toscana rests atop a medieval estate and village, fully restored by its current owners, the Ferragamo family. Though bombed and almost leveled in 1944 during the Blitz, the ancient villa’s cellar tunnels held firm. “These cellars served as a refuge for the village during incredibly difficult times in Italian history,” says Salvatore Ferragamo Jr., named after his iconic fashion designer grandfather and vice president of Il Borro and Il Borro Wines. Today, the cellar serves as a bridge between Roman antiquity and the modern revival of the Valdarno wine region. Considered the ground zero of viticulture in Tuscany, the cellar held the first barrel of wine produced in this corner of the region, marking the birth of a winemaking tradition. Eventually, this lead to Valdarno's status as one of the four original wine territories protected by the 1716 Bando. “Taking stewardship of the cellar meant I became a guardian of a 1,000-year-old story,” notes Ferragamo. Visitors can book cellar wine tastings and tours, and view artifacts in the hotel museum, including original barrels and wine-themed works by Rembrant, Picasso, Andy Warhol, and other artists from the Ferragamos’ collection.

The Apartment at Tour d’Argent (Paris, France)

The Apartment at Tour d’Argent is a chic, one-bedroom micro-hotel overlooking the Seine, Notre Dame, and the Paris skyline. It is located on the fifth floor of the Haussman-style townhome that has one of the world’s most historical restaurants, Tour d’Argent, which opened in 1582 to serve King Henry III’s nobility. Its 12,000-square-foot cellar debuted in 1914. Known as La Cave, it holds 300,000 rare spirits and vintages. During World War II, owner Claude Terrail protected most beloved bottles by concealing them behind a false wall in the cellar. “It was a courageous decision that still allows us today to admire mythical bottles such as Clos de Griffier 1788, Château Citran 1858, or the Musigny Tour d’Argent 1904,” says chef sommelier executive David González. During its recent renovation, more than 80 bottles worth $1.63 million were pilfered. Today, visitors can book cellar tastings, tours, and masterclasses, as well as view wine labels and other treasured relics, including a massive catalog of the collection so big it must be carted to restaurant patrons.

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The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, (Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland)

The geothermal cellar at The Retreat at Blue Lagoon in Iceland is set in a cavern formed by a 1226 flow from a still-active volcano. Discovered during construction of the hotel, which opened in 2018, the cellar lava cave houses more than 5,000 bottles that serve the retreat’s Michelin-starred Moss restaurant. Visitors to the cellar for tastings and wine pairings descend into a chamber of multicolored frozen magma. “What amazes me is how connected the cellar feels to the natural environment around it,” says head sommelier Lorenzo Vecce, sharing that during Iceland’s winters, water often emerges from the basaltic rock and flows down parts of the cellar walls. “The sound of the wind combined with the gentle movement of the water creates a multisensory experience that reminds me that this is not just a wine cellar, but a living part of the volcanic landscape.”

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