Why book?
For a headlong dive into a headier, more hedonistic era where everything feels possible, everyone looks fabulous, and the whole of London is at your fingertips.
Set the scene
First opening over 135 years ago, this is London's first luxury hotel and still one of its most illustrious, welcoming in countless greats through its paneled revolving doors. Day-to-day, impeccably dressed types on business—lots of smart Americans, especially—and chic tourists waft about the space, soaking up the fabulousness from an Art Deco bar stool or chatting over scones in the marble-clad lobby.
The backstory
Anyone who’s anyone has stayed at the Savoy. Christian Dior debuted his iconic “New Look” here in 1957, Monet painted his “Views of the Thames” series from one of its suites, and Oscar Wilde used it as his base for secret romantic trysts. It’s been the chosen London crash pad for everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Bob Dylan and a laundry list of royals. It's home to the first electric lift, previously known as “the ascending room,” and still in use, albeit without the smelling salts once necessary to revive those who braved the trip to the top floor. We could go on. Now owned by the Fairmont Group, the hotel retains all the glitz and glamour of yore, featuring the city’s oldest surviving cocktail bar, four restaurants, including one with a Michelin star, a maze of Edwardian and Art Deco rooms to gallivant about in your fancy clothes, and unflappable best of British service.
The rooms
The hotel is currently renovating all bedrooms, with plans for completion by 2027. Design studio G.A Group has taken on the task of celebrating the Savoy’s history in a way befitting the current times, and the newly scrubbed-up Edwardian rooms, first introduced at the turn of the 20th century, are now ready for guests. Great lengths have been taken to hang onto as many original features as possible, with 50 chandeliers precariously wrapped up and remaining in situ as builders worked below. British manufacturers have been prioritized to keep the emphasis on local craftsmanship, and enough plush carpet has been rolled out to cover the whole of Covent Garden piazza.
The result is an opulent pearly-grey cocoon, featuring ivory silks, marble, and antique brass finishes, wrapped up in thick triple-height velvet curtains. Bathroom surfaces are resplendent in Savoy’s signature green marble, and existing fireplaces and cornice details have been zhuzhed, buffed, and shined into a new era. It feels fresh, with glitzy touches like light-up brass vanity mirrors and colossal televisions demonstrating that for all the reverence paid to times gone by—over 500 paintings celebrating iconic Savoy Theatre productions were hung during the revamp—the hotel has no intention of becoming a dusty relic. Later this year will see the opening of the River View suites, which have window seats framing the capital’s most beloved sights, with the London Eye so close you can almost touch it.
Food and drink
You're spoiled with three Gordon Ramsay outposts, the recently-renovated Gallery, opulent inky-hued Beaufort Bar and London’s oldest surviving cocktail joint, the American Bar, which has counted Winston Churchill and Ernest Hemingway among other starry names as patrons. In line with the renovations, its current menu pays homage to stories past (I recommend Moon Landing, a rehash of a Savoy classic that was dutifully sent to NASA for the astronauts to enjoy upon their return to earth; you’ll see Neil Armstrong’s framed thank-you letter on a shelf).
At Savoy Grill, I sat in Grace Kelly’s favorite seat for fluffy cheese soufflé and Ramsay's famous beef Wellington—out of 160-odd orders taken on an average evening, 140 will be for this dish—and enjoyed bumps of caviar off the back of my hand with a Martini chaser in the vampish Beaufort bar.
You’ll spend most of your time in Gallery, which was refreshed in November 2024 in a peachy pink, gold, and warm marble palette with a few palm trees for good measure. Getting them in place while the Savoy’s Christmas tree was being dressed simultaneously was, one waiter told us with a sigh, quite the endeavor. Opinion is split on the removal of the giant birdcage that formerly hung beneath the giant ceiling atrium, but the new shadowy dancer motifs that spin across the walls are a lovely nod to Savoy’s first formal dinner dances, where the rich and famous came to see and be seen. The afternoon tea is very popular, and there’s a crowd-pleasing menu of salads, steaks, burgers, and fish dishes.
The spa
A twinkling pool basks under the light of its pretty atrium roof, there's steam, sauna, and a gym, plus a rotating series of wellness experts each quarter (next up: ‘face-tapping’ expert Poppy Delbridge, who's ready to bestow guests with relief from stress, freedom from emotional blocks, and techniques to develop new high-performance habits). You must book the Savoy Signature treatment. This luxurious 100-minute pamper session begins with a sleep-inducing full-body massage infused with lashings of essential oil and concludes with an equally relaxing multi-step facial that leaves you glowing. Float out and finish with a sweat session in the sauna.
The neighborhood
Set just off the bustling Strand, The Savoy occupies one of London's most impressive riverside locations. Its position right on the Waterloo Bridge bend gives it unobstructed views down both arms of the river, from the London Eye to Big Ben. It's walking distance to Covent Garden, Soho's buzzing bars and restaurants, St James’s and Green Park's wide-open spaces, and the West End theaters.
The service
Everyone who works at the Savoy is thrilled to be at the Savoy. Service is warm, charming, and knowledgeable. During dinner one night at Gallery, waiter Dylan provided numerous tea pairing recommendations for my afternoon tea booked for the next day, then tracked me down to find out whether I’d enjoyed them the morning after. American Bar bartender Angelo took me through every cocktail on the menu before retrieving his last remaining bottle of vintage Sazerac, made with now-extinct grapes, for me to inspect. When I locked myself out of my room, the affable front desk staff member remembered my room number off the top of his head. Upon leaving, it was the characters we met and the stories they shared that lingered in my mind the longest.
For families
Little ones have their own check-in process, complete with homemade cookies and milk. There are multiple spacious family rooms and suites, some of which can be adjoined for additional space, with more coming in the next phase of renovations. Children will find a cuddly toy next to mini fluffy slippers and bathrobes, there are kids’ menus in the restaurants, a babysitting service, and the concierge can book families for anything from a private tour of London’s most famous sights to a treasure hunt around the hotel.
Eco effort
The Savoy has been audited by various independent accreditation bodies to ensure it meets global benchmarks, currently holding certifications by FuturePlus, Green Key UK, and Forbes Travel Guide. It operates a range of initiatives aimed at reducing waste, conserving energy and water, and promoting circular practices. It has its own on-site water bottling plant, has eliminated single-use plastics, and runs a food waste recycling program. A new management system has been installed as part of the renovations to turn off lights automatically after 30 minutes with no movement, and new pipework contributes to overall lower water consumption.
Accessibility
There are six accessible guest rooms, three of which have a wheel-in shower. All restaurants are wheelchair-accessible, and there is a dedicated disabled lift for access to the Beaufort Bar, Gallery, and River Restaurant. Staff are trained to offer assistance for all routes.
Anything left to mention?
You won’t regret picking up one of the glorious scones from on-site bakery Scoff, which opened late last year. And for heaven’s sake, whatever you do, ask each and every staff member you happen across about the history of the Savoy. They’ll all have a different story to share, and will do so with genuine joy. Learning workers once flooded the central courtyard—now the Lancaster Ballroom—with four feet of water to allow for a wedding to be held on a bespoke-made gondola at the behest of American millionaire George Kesler (the cake was brought in on the back of a baby elephant), or that a teenage Guccio Gucci used to be a bellboy, made fun tidbits that leave you feeling privileged to be a part of the hotel’s story, if only for a night.
This review was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller UK.
The Strand, London WC2R 0EZ
United Kingdom
https://www.fairmont.com/savoy-london/
+44 20 7836 4343