Everything You Need to Know About 'Hotel Secrets'
If (hotel) walls could talk, they would speak with a charming British accent that sounds an awful like Richard E. Grant. The "Withnail & I" actor charts unscripted territory to explore the world's most remarkable hotels on his travel show -- fittingly titled "Hotel Secrets with Richard E. Grant" -- which makes its U.S. debut on Sept. 30 at 9 p.m. on KCET. Here's what you need to know about the new series.
What can I expect from the show?
Hotels. Humor. History. Hijinks. Grant travels the globe, profiling different cities through their hotels in each episode. He tells the untold tales behind the glamorous facades of iconic and often infamous establishments. From murders to sex scandals, from warring hotel dynasties to the extravagances of rich and famous guests, the show paints a portrait of a fascinating and mostly hidden world.
Who is Richard E. Grant?
If you're not familiar with the legendary British actor's body of work, you should get acquainted with it. Grant is best known for his titular character in the cult classic "Withnail & I" and for his role in "Bram Stoker's Dracula." He also voiced Barkis Bittern in Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride."
Grant played the Tenth Doctor on "Doctor Who" and provided the voice for an animated version of the Ninth Doctor. He's one of only three people to have played two separate incarnations of the Doctor.
Most recently, he made recurring appearances on "Girls" and "Downton Abbey," in addition to starring in the dramedy "Dom Hemingway" opposite Jude Law.
What hotels does Grant visit?
Grant checks into the George V and Bastille's L'Hotel in Paris, the Four Seasons (lodging in its $44,000-a-night Ty Warner Penthouse) and Chelsea Hotel in New York, the MGM Grand and Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the Savoy and Dorchester in London, and the Chateau Marmont and Barkley Pet Hotel (where furry friends are treated to room service and surfing lessons) in Los Angeles.
Who does he meet/interview along the way?
He talks to some of the biggest names in the luxury hotel industry, including billionaire businessman Donald Trump, renowned hotelier Ian Schrager, and Andre Balazs, whose portfolio of hugely successful hotels includes the Chateau Marmont and The Standard.
At the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles, Grant interviews a wedding planner to the stars who organized nuptials for Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani, and Nicole Richie. He also chats with KISS bassist Gene Simmons and former madam Heidi Fleiss (and her 40 macaws), who spills about sex scandals.
He also stops by Paris' Le Meurice, where Salvador Dali visited annually for three decades. He meets the surrealist artist's muse, Amanda Lear, who talks about Dali's antics, as well as how his legacy is still celebrated in the hotel today.
What does he uncover?
In addition to hearing about that time Peter O'Toole bathed in champagne, Mariah Carey demanded golden faucets, and Elizabeth Taylor had a pink marbled bathroom installed, Grant learns more about Charlie Chaplin when he sits at his favorite table at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
He visits the Chateau Marmont on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard, where Howard Hughes famously holed himself up in the penthouse, Jean Harlow and Clark Gable carried out a torrid affair, and Lindsay Lohan was temporarily banned for not paying a bill.
Grant also heads to the Dorchester in London's Mayfair, where Britt Ekland shares her memories of meeting and falling in love with Peter Sellers there in 1964.
In New York, he talks to former mobster Louis Ferrante about a robbery at the Pierre Hotel in 1972 in which $10 million worth of cash and jewelry were stolen.
When does the show air?
The show premiered on Sky Atlantic in the U.K. in 2012. KCET will air all eight episodes of season one on Tuesdays at 9 p.m., following our new Tuesday night comedy block of "Moone Boy" and "Spy." The second season premiered on Sky in August, but a date hasn't been set yet for its U.S. premiere. The second season covers Hong Kong, Tokyo, Miami, New Orleans, Venice, and Berlin.
