The Savoy is one of the world’s most famous and iconic hotels. Originally opened in 1889, it closed in 2007 for refurbishment, and opened three years later restored to its former glory and ready to celebrate its 125th anniversary.
Throughout the years it has played host to some of the most famous and glamourous guests in the world, including Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, and Coco Chanel, even the Queen herself has visited.
As we approached The Savoy we couldn’t help but feel excited. Even the exterior promised glamour and luxury, and from the very first moment we were not disappointed. The doormen greeted us warmly, asked our names, and without hesitating, offered to take our luggage. We passed through the revolving doors and were surprised to see there was already someone there waiting to meet us on the other side. We were even more surprised when he greeted us by name. How the doormen had passed that information on so quickly we didn’t know, but this level of service certainly set the scene for the rest of our stay. We were led to check in, and instead of standing around, filling in forms, we sat comfortably at our very own table in the Edwardian style suite. With check in complete, and our luggage taken care of by the helpful staff, we were left free to head straight out to explore London.
We returned later to pick up our keys and were welcomed by the friendly Kate, who kindly offered to escort us to our rooms. On our way Kate explained to us that The Savoy’s décor reflects the two different styles of the hotel, Edwardian and Art Deco, and although rather different in design they blend perfectly together. Our junior suite was located in the Edwardian part of the hotel and was of course beautiful, even more so when Kate opened the curtains for us to reveal the stunning view of London. The room was huge, with large, feather soft beds and decadently ornate furniture. The bathroom’s deep roll top bath, fluffy towels and robes, and toiletries from Le Labo meant it was the perfect place to pamper ourselves before we headed downstairs for our reservations at The Savoy’s Kaspar’s restaurant.
The next morning we woke up to our amazing view of the city, which looked incredible even on a grey, London morning. We called room service to order our morning tea, and The Savoy managed to surprise us again with their attention to detail, when we were told that our tea would arrive no more than 15 minutes later, even giving us a time of arrival. A few minutes later the doorbell rang and there was our tea, delivered to us on a silver tray by our impeccably attired butler; the most luxurious cup of tea my mum had ever drank on Mother’s Day.
After drinking our tea on our Edwardian sofa, we headed downstairs for breakfast in the Thames Foyer. Originally the location for The Savoy’s dinner dances, with its pretty stained glass ceiling and impressive gazebo centrepiece, it’s now the perfect place to spend a morning or afternoon enjoying breakfast or high tea. The breakfast menu, as we were starting to expect from The Savoy, had everything you could want. We ordered a traditional English breakfast with freshly squeezed orange juice and fresh coffee, and like the tea in our room, everything was perfectly cooked and perfectly served. In fact, everything throughout our stay had been perfect, and although the reputation of The Savoy may precede it, nothing can prepare you for the reality, and we simply didn’t want to leave. Our stay was not only a memorable treat, but an experience not to be missed, and one you will definitely want to repeat; it’s impossible to resist the charm and glamour of The Savoy.
Need to Know:
Rooms and suites: The Savoy offers a choice of 195 guestrooms and 73 suites, decorated in The Savoy’s elegant Edwardian or Art Deco style. No two rooms are the same, but all have been designed to offer you ultimate luxury and comfort during your stay, and many rooms boast original features from the hotel and stunning river views of the Thames. Nine Personality Suites have been inspired by some of the hotel’s high profile guests, and the two-bedroom Royal Suite is spread over the entire 5th floor. Head to the website to find out more about the variety of the rooms that The Savoy offers.
Rates: The website gives further information on room rates and any current special offers.
Check-In Time: 2pm
Check-Out Time: 12pm
Facilities: Beauty and Fitness at The Savoy is a private facility for members and hotel guests to enjoy, which includes a 10m swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness equipment, and a full range of beauty treatments to indulge and pamper. For shopping, The Shop at The Savoy is located in the Upper Thames Foyer offering Savoy teas, gifts, Savoy accessories, and handmade jams, biscuits and cakes so you can enjoy a little of The Savoy at home. Fine jewellers Boodles are also located downstairs in the Front Hall of The Savoy. There is also of course some of London’s best bars and restaurants located at The Savoy, including Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill, Simpson’s-In-The-Strand, the world-famous American Bar, and Kaspar’s Seafood Bar and Grill.
How to get there: London is served by 5 airports, all of which provide easy access to the hotel by express train, taxi, or the London Underground. The nearest Underground station is Covent Garden. The Savoy also offers valet parking, with parking charges available on request.
The Savoy, Strand, London, WC2R 0EU