London's Savoy hotel's £220 million makeover

The Savoy Hotel in London has reopened following the completion of an ambitious restoration programme to restore it to its original Edwardian and art deco glory. Begun in 2007, the restoration work has transformed the entire building, including the 268 guest rooms. The designer tasked with overseeing the transformation was Pierre-Yves Rochon, who has worked on luxury hotels and high-end restaurants around the world, including L’Hermitage in Monaco.

The Savoy first opened its doors in 1889, when guests were obliged to wear full evening dress in its riverfront restaurant. Famous guests have included Monet, who painted a scene of the Thames from the hotel, Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe. It was the Savoy’s chef who created Melba Toast and Peach Melba in honour of Dame Nellie Melba who stayed at the hotel in 1919, while its American Bar was reputedly the birthplace of the dry Martini.

Highlights of the new look include the addition of a luxurious Royal Suite and the relaunch of 38 River Suites and guestrooms with views over the River Thames. There will also be a new, glamorous art deco bar, a bijou teashop and the reintroduction of a winter garden gazebo beneath an ornate glass dome in the Thames Foyer. See www.the-savoy.com