Hotels & accommodation

The Savoy

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts · Grand hotel on the Strand, opened in 1889 between Covent Garden and the Thames

The Savoy stands on the Strand between Covent Garden and the River Thames, on the site of the medieval Savoy Palace. It was built by theatre impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with the profits of his Gilbert and Sullivan operas and opened in 1889, the first London hotel with electric lighting throughout, lifts and en-suite bathrooms as standard — a template the rest of the industry followed.

The hotel's rooms and suites are split between Edwardian and Art Deco styles, reflecting the two eras of its architecture. River-facing rooms look straight across the Thames to the London Eye, Hungerford Bridge and the South Bank, while rooms at the front face the Strand and the theatres of the West End, a few minutes' walk away.

Dining and drinking are part of the hotel's fabric. The American Bar has served cocktails since the 1890s and is among the oldest surviving cocktail bars in the world; the Savoy Grill and the fine-dining Restaurant 1890 are both run by Gordon Ramsay Restaurants; the Beaufort Bar occupies the former cabaret stage, and afternoon tea is served in the central lounge beneath its glass dome.

There is an indoor pool, gym and treatment rooms on the hotel's Beauty & Fitness floor, and a florist and valet tradition that still runs to a dedicated Savoy butler service for suites. As a scouting base it sits between the City and Westminster, with Embankment, Charing Cross and Covent Garden stations all within a short walk — most of the neighbourhoods new arrivals consider are one direct Tube ride away.

• Opened in 1889 on the Strand, built by Richard D'Oyly Carte from the Savoy Theatre's opera profits
• Managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts; river-facing rooms overlook the Thames, the London Eye and the South Bank
• Home to the American Bar, serving cocktails since the 1890s
• The Savoy Grill and Restaurant 1890 are operated by Gordon Ramsay Restaurants
• Indoor swimming pool, gym and treatment rooms on the Beauty & Fitness floor

Visit the property — The Savoy thesavoylondon.com

This featured showcase is an editorial selection by our editors. We have not stayed at this property and it is not a paid placement; no rating is implied. Paid placements never influence the United Kingdom liveability score, safety rating or warnings.