Entertaining hotel elevators

Hotel Palomar Philadelphia: For many of the aforementioned elevators, the highlight of their ride is the fancy façade, which often allows passengers to peep outdoors. For the elevator pod at Hotel Palomar in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square, though, it’s what’s on the inside (hint: a sense of humor) that counts. Once the doors open, quirky mustached portraits keep guests company as they ascend to and descend from their stylish rooms, which are outfitted in 1960s-inspired furniture.

Mariott Marquis New York: Stepping inside the space-age elevator at this Times Square hotel is the closest you’ll get to time traveling to the future — or at the very least starring in an episode of "The Jetsons." The glass-enclosed, neon-glowing pod launches from the hotel’s atrium lobby and zips up 49 floors at 1,000 feet per minute. The journey to the top brings great views of the expansive lobby, but watching the futuristic car rise and fall from the ground floor is just as mesmerizing.

Hotel del Coronado, San Diego: The elevator at the historic, red-roofed Hotel del Coronado in San Diego is as much about function as it is about form. Take a moment to admire the ornate design adorning the exterior of the elevator, which also happens to be the original from when the hotel first swung its doors open in 1888. Formerly powered by steam hydraulics, the now electric-powered elevator goes by the name of Otis No. 61. Step inside and let the elevator operator take you on a trip to yesteryear.

Borghese Palace Art Hotel, Florence: Gone are the days of awkwardly standing still and staring at the button panel as the floors ding by. When guests board the elevator at this upscale Florentine hotel, they’ll be embarking on an exciting ride. Surrounded by a winding set of steel stairs, the circular glass enclosure offers 360-degree views, including some of the outdoors, as it ascends.

Luxor Las Vegas: The elevator inside Sin City’s pyramid-shaped Luxor hotel might not be the flashiest or fastest of the bunch, but it still stands out. The car, which is outfitted in hieroglyphics, careens up 30 floors at a 39-degree angle, offering passengers a unique vantage point of the hotel’s atrium. Tip: Hop aboard after dark when the lights and decor of the ancient Egyptian-themed lobby dazzle below.

Pera Palace Hotel, Jumeirah, Istanbul: From the Belle Epoque décor to the sedan chair that once transported guests from the Orient Express stop at Sirkeci Train Station, everything about this 121-year-old luxury hotel harkens back to its glory days. The historic touches even extend to the hotel’s elevator, which just so happens to be the OG electric elevator in Turkey. The cast iron and wood contraption still shuttles guests from the lobby to their rooms and suites, many of which are named after famous former guests, including Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemingway and Greta Garbo.