a standout diamond in the luxury hotel crown
GETAWAYS
THE SAVOY :
a standout diamond in the luxury hotel crown
IN A HOTCHPOT OF LONDON LANDMARKS AND WORLD-CLASS ICONIC HOTELS , THERE IS ONE THAT STANDS ELEGANT SHOULDERS ABOVE THE REST . WITH A HISTORY AS DAZZLING AS ITS CHANDELIERS , THIS GO-TO JET-SET HAUNT IS THE EPITOME OF SOPHISTICATION AND CHARM BUT WITH A SIDE ORDER OF GLAMOUR AND SEDUCTION . BY SAMANTHA READY
Arrival at The Savoy , a stone ’ s throw from Covent Garden on the north bank of the River Thames , is a distinctly and most suitably unsubtle affair . The iconic green-lit Savoy sign lures you in like Dorothy to the Emerald City , past the art deco gold-and-black facade and along the London road where cars drive on the right allowing the great and the good to be transported ( often by the hotel ’ s own Rolls Royce ) directly to the revolving doors . A cheeky nod and a welcome from the concierge follow , transporting guests into the double-height entrance lobby with its friezes , tall marble columns in black and gold , deep wood panelling and impressive chandeliers .
Toto , we are definitely not in Kansas anymore .
But , we are definitely in highclass London , albeit with a hint of Hollywood sparkle . Taking five years to build , the hotel , a beautiful mix of Edwardian architecture and art-deco sophistication , opened to sensational acclaim in 1889 and is renowned for its status as a hotel of firsts . The first to have electricity ; the first to install ascending rooms – or lifts to you and I – and the first to embrace en-suite bathrooms .
It was a brave , but ultimately wise decision to close the hotel in 2007 and embark on a total refurbishment project . Reopening to fanfare on 10 / 10 / 10 The Savoy was well and truly back and it is stunning .
It has , unsurprisingly , hosted a plethora of stars , dignitaries and jet setters – think Marilyn Monroe , Churchill , and Fred Astaire ; drawn , not only to the opulence , trendsetting standards and first-class service , but to the discretion and anonymity afforded not just from private entrances , private piers for river arrivals and , of course , that private Rolls Royce , but also from the staff who either remember the stories , or have heard about them , but treat every enquiry with a discreet smile never revealing any secrets .
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