Oscars Style: Five Film-Inspired Destinations to Visit

22 February 2013

The Oscars ceremony is fast approaching, and plenty of great films have been nominated across the board. According to research by discount travel site Hotwire.com, many of the spectacular settings for the movies have inspired film fans to head down to check out the set locations for themselves.

To celebrate the best cinema in the past 12 months, Hotwire has compiled a list of its top five favourite flicks from the nominees.

Each of the following movies led to a rise in searches for hotels during the month they were released in the UK, suggesting that the couple of hours spent in the cinema just weren’t quite enough and film fans wanted to get closer to the locations.

It’s not too late to experience your favourite films in real life, as there are still great deals to be had on Hotwire to experience first-hand what the locations have to offer.

Les MisérablesTo the barricades! The January release of the musical saw searches for Paris rise by nearly a fifth. The film, set against the backdrop of the June Rebellion, features battles at the Place de la Bastille and Cloître Saint-Merry, a short walk from the famous Pompidou Centre.

Hotwire offers a 5-star hotel near La Défense for £86 per night, 15 - 17 March 2013.

Django UnchainedThe deep Southern states of the US, home to the action of Tarantino’s latest blockbuster, are brimming with historical interest. Candyland, the plantation belonging to Leonardo Di Caprio’s evil slaver, is actually the Evergreen Plantation in Edgard, just an hour to the west of New Orleans which also saw searches increase by close to a fifth.

Hotwire offers a 4-star hotel in the New Orleans’ French quarter for £117 per night, 13 - 17 March 2013.

SkyfallDaniel Craig jets around the world in the latest Bond installment, culminating in explosive scenes at the spy’s old family home in the Scottish Highlands. Cinema goers were treated to a spectacular bike chase opening scene through Istanbul, leading to a 50 per cent spike in searches for hotels in the city. They were also inspired by the bright lights of Shanghai, which also saw a rise.

Hotwire offers a 5-star hotel in the Laleli district of Istanbul for £85 per night, 15 - 17 March 2013.

Hotwire offers a 4½-star hotel in Shanghai city centre for £53 per night, 13 - 17 March 2013.

LincolnSpielberg’s latest masterpiece is leading the nominations at this year’s awards. His spectacular rendering of the US capital in the 19th century and compelling historical storyline has led to a 42 per cent rise in searches for Washington D.C. A visit to the political hub of the US wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Lincoln Memorial.

Hotwire offers a 4-star hotel near Tyson’s Corner for £92 per night, 13 - 17 March 2013.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneyAnd finally, December saw a whopping 129 per cent increase in searches for hotels in New Zealand. Peter Jackson’s new epic features more of the stunning scenery that blew us away in The Lord of the Rings films. You can visit the real-life Hobbiton at Matamata, which is a stunning drive north through New Zealand from Wellington.