Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Des Indes

What was once a 19th-century mansion is one of the world's premier hotels, with a harmonious blend of fluted marble columns, brocaded walls, and gilding, as well as ample bedrooms with all the best facilities. Stay here and you'll be following in the footsteps of Empress Josephine of France, Theodore Roosevelt, and the legendary ballerina Anna Pavlova (who, sorry to note, died here after contracting pneumonia on her travels). Des Indes sits on one of the city's most prestigious squares, in the heart of The Hague, surrounded by all the important buildings: the Parliament, embassies, ministries, and the best shops. The inner courtyard is now a towering domed lounge leading to the superb formal dining room—all crystal and linen. The lounge serves high tea every day (2–5 pm); it's a city institution that's as big a hit with locals as it is with hotel guests.