Born in Vienna, Austria, he is a global nomad, urban adventurer and international writer: Andreas Augustin is one of those lucky people whose professional and private lives blend exactly. After he has received his diploma in hotel management, he became a journalist, writer and publisher.
The passionate 'slow traveller' is considered the founder of hotel-history-archiving and -writing. Andreas Augustin is advising the most famous hotels in the world in marketing their history. To date Andreas has written over 50 books.
With THE MOST FAMOUS HOTELS IN THE WORLD he has created a global umbrella organization for all hotels of historical significance. The library of books about the history of famous hotels is the only library about this subject in the world. With over 50 books about famous hotels he has created a new approach to marketing, developing the asset "history".
Andreas Augustin
At the age of 20, after receiving his diploma from the Tourrism Academy at the Castle of Klesheim, Salzburg, he started a career in journalism, becoming a writer and radio presenter in disciplines as diverse as culture, foreign politics and travel. In 1982 he was publishing and editing his first own publication, the monthly magazine Jedermanns (Politics, Culture, Program and Society in the City of Salzburg).
In 1986 he moved to Singapore where he founded THE MOST FAMOUS HOTELS IN THE WORLD.
With the help of leading graphic designers, advised by professional artists such as Graham Byfield and authors like Raymond Flower and Russell Foreman, he developed the series of books “The Most Famous Hotels in the World”, possessed by the idea to set new standards in the field of historic research and hotel publications.
With his research work he has gained a reputation for successfully identifying, securing, and facilitating the history of famous hotels. He became the advisor in that field for Raffles Hotel, The Oriental in Bangkok and the Peninsula in Hong Kong, the Metropole in Hanoi, Strand in Yangon, the most famous Luxury Collection Hotels, hotels of the Orient Express group, Kempinksi, Hilton, Corinthia, to name but a few of his clients.
Upon invitation of the Ecole Hotelier de Lausanne (CH) and other renown tourism education institutions he has held lectures as guest professor.
The traveller and hotel book creator has written over 50 books about travel, famous hotels and legendary institutions. In Asia he has helped saving Raffles Hotel from being destroyed by discovering its long lost original building plans. He researched the first official history of The Peninsula Hong Kong, wrote the biography of the Oriental Bangkok, restored the faded history of the Hotel Metropole in Hanoi and created the history book of The Strand in Yangon. In Europe he has written the histories of the grand hotels of his home town Vienna, the Savoy in London, the Frankfurter Hof in Frankfurt/Main, the grand hotels of Rome, etc. Many books were written with the help of local writers and historians. He says: "I believe I can claim a fair share on having influenced the installation of the “History Button” on most websites of historic hotels. When I started, in 1986, hoteliers were telling legends and passed on tales. Today they distribute at least facts and know their history!”
The Most Famous Hotels in the World - today with over 400 select member hotels - has built a major value driver and image creator.
As President of the associated Club of The Friends of The Most Famous Hotels in the World Andreas Augustin also takes care of its members from all over the world.
Andreas Augustin is married and has two children.
Books by Andreas Augustin:
The Most Famous Hotels in the World®
Bristol Vienna
Excelsior Rome (2)
Frankfurter Hof Frankfurt (2013)
Goldener Hirsch Salzburg
Grand Hotel Florence (2)
Grand Hotel Kronenhof
Grand Hotel Rome
Grand Hotel Royal, Budapest (3)
Grand Hotel Europe St Petersburg (5)
Grand Hotel – Vienna
Imperial Vienna
Imperial New Delhi
Kamp Helsinki (4)
Mena House Giza
Metropole Hanoi
Park Hotel Vitznau (2013)
Pera Palace Istanbul
Premier Palace, Kiev
Raffles Singapore
Reid's Palace, Madeira
Ritz Madrid (2)
Sacher Vienna
The Caledonian, Edinburgh (1)
The Mount Nelson (2013)
The Oriental Bangkok (5)
The Peninsula Hong Kong
The Savoy London (5)
Strand Yangon
Vier Jahreszeiten Hamburg (6)
Travel
Die Oesterreichische Romantikstrasse (in cooperation with his wife Carola)
Rambles in Salzburg / Bummeln in Salzburg (in cooperation with his wife Carola)
Lifestyle and Etiquette books
Alles was Sie über Gutes Benehmen wissen müssen; Der neue Elmayer (compilation and editing, in cooperation with his wife Carola)
Der Business Elmayer (compilation and editing, in cooperation with his wife Carola) Both books are available as e-books:Amazon
Thalia
Buecher.de
Weltbild
Libreka
Treasury (paper-back) Books
I had Tea at Mount Nelson
The Raffles Treasury
The Singapore Treasury
The Peninsula Treasury
The Penang Treasury
The Sacher Treasury
Café Central Treasury – Vienna
The Mena House Treasury
I had Tea at Reid's
Falkenstein Grand
Villa Rothschild
Other books, archiving famous hotels history, include
Moments Greater Than Life – The Hilton Vienna, Austria
Meet You At Paddington, London, UK
Diana Majestic Milan, Italy
Cala di Volpe, Sardinia, Italy
Hotel Schloss Velden, Austria
Mutiara, Penang, Malaysia (7)
1: Roddy Martine;
2: Thomas Cane,
3: Noémi Saly,
4: Laura Kolbe;
5: Andrew Williamson;
6: Kurt Grobecker
7: produced by Andreas Augustin, written by Raymond Flower.
Fiction
Have You Ever Tried a Chinese Man?
(The Singapore Syndrome 1)
Lectures
'Selling the Dream' - The Power of Communication or What Your Doorman Should Have Told Me
'History Marketing" - Developing the Obvious
© The Most Famous Hotels in the World
Our Mission
Frequently Given Answers
What is “The Most Famous Hotels in the World”?
There are hotels of outstanding historic significance in the world. Since 1986 we professionally research the history of these hotels.
How do you select famous hotels?
People from all over the world tell us about them. We find them. Sometimes they are reopened after years of neglect. We present them to our independent jury. They finally select the hotels, each of which can call itself a “Select Member of The Most Famous Hotels in the World”. All select hotels can be found under ‘HOTELS’.
Has the “Famous Hotels” listing created a new historical awareness in our industry?
Since 1986, the picture has changed dramatically! The presentation of the history of a hotel has been recognized as a sustainable asset and a competitive advantage. Well researched history has become one of the most valuable tools of sales and marketing. Books and related material have created a new means of identification. A well researched and verified history is one of the corner pillars of a successful marketing strategy.
How do you make your historical research?
“The Most Famous Hotels in the World” is specialized in the global historic research and production of fine books about this subject. The team is taking care of this field since 1986, having researched and written the histories of many notable establishments. The archives of the organization in Vienna holds files of all hotels.
Production of books - How does this work?
We are invited by one of the most famous hotels in the world to undertake a complete research of its history. The result is an elegant, individual book. Since 1986, each book becomes part of a library called “The Most Famous Hotels in the World”. Since 2006 (Grand Hotel Royal, Budapest) we also build exhibitions. Since 2011 we install THE PATH OF HISTORY, a permanent history exhibition, in our partner hotels.
How does the hotel benefit from the books?
Each hotel has its own book about its past and current history. These books have become a very unique PR and sales tool. The leather bound editions, for example, are - needless to say - also a prestigious VIP give-away. This income secures the financial support of the organisation “The Most Famous Hotels in the World”.
What are The Friends of The Most Famous Hotels in the World?
A respectable number of admirers of famous, traditional hotels. We receive their applications by postcards from our books and of course here over the web. Please visit our page ‘FRIENDS’.