One of the most striking features of Scarborough is the number of grand hotels, including the Grand Hotel itself which stands on the site of Wood's Lodgings where Anne Brontë stayed (there is a blue plaque). When it opened in 1867 it was the largest in Europe; it is still there but its grandeur is sadly faded. No longer standing is the Pavilion Hotel (1870) which was run by the hotelier family of actor Charles Laughton (1899-1962) who was born in the Victoria Hotel (see Simon Callow's excellent biography for more).