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One of my favourite things in life is travel. I caught the travel bug at university and I've always been into hospitality. I've been fortunate enough to stay in some of the best hotels in the world over the last few years and I guess I've always appreciated little touches and good service when it comes to the hospitality industry. I find it fascinating. A while ago some of you may have seen that I was invited as a guest to attend a press event at the Savoy Hotel in London for the Karen Tran Gala. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the experience at The Savoy and talked a lot about it to my family who decided that it would be the perfect place to arrange a family stay over to celebrate a 50th birthday that was imminent. I was delighted when my Mum decided to book it. I've now stayed at the Savoy 3x and thought this was the perfect time to write a review of one of the best hotels not just in London but in the world. Maybe you want to stay there for a special occasion or maybe you just want to dine at The Savoy, hopefully this will help you.
For those of you who have grown up with me over the years I’m sure it’s pretty obvious to you that I love anything remotely princessy (hence Cliveden House being one of my favourite places I've ever stayed in the UK) and I think that’s probably the overriding thing I love about the The Savoy, within seconds of walking over the threshold, you are drawn in to an elegant, stylish, peaceful and happy place fit for a princess.
Our 24 hours of feeling like princes and princesses on this occasion started outside a London tube station. Having had a wonderful weekend doing all sorts of things in London, including a visit to the Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street, we had a final lunch before walking my mum and special birthday boy to Charing Cross pretending that we were saying farewell and despatching them to our family home in Yorkshire. I then announced that I had forgotten to give said birthday boy an extra card and told him he needed to open it before he got on the tube. He dutifully opened the card, read the message that told him he wasn’t heading back to Yorkshire that night at all and that he was in-fact spending a last birthday night in the Savoy Hotel (at this point you need to picture a lot of very emotional hugging going on outside the tube station on a very crowded street but if you missed it, you can catch it on my London vlog). It was from that moment we were transported to my happy place for 24 hours.
The check in at The Savoy:
We took the short walk back to The Savoy where, after a moment of taking in the glamour and style of the entrance hall, we were immediately greeted by a member of the Savoy team who was expecting us and took us to a very pleasant check in area with sumptuous furniture and wonderful service. I'm fortunate to have visited the Savoy many times but there's something way more special about it when I get to experience these things with my family rather than by myself. We were sat down, checked in, told about our rooms and then given a brief overview of various parts of the hotel before being shown to our rooms. The team member who handled our check in was wonderful, so polite and enthusiastic about the hotel and such a good ambassador for the Savoy as first impressions really count. She set the standard of service in the hotel which continued consistently throughout our entire stay. I've always had impeccable check in experiences at The Savoy, nothing is too much for them. You will receive an email a few days before your stay where you can let the hotel know of any special requests (eg, birthday) and what time you will be arriving, this is really handy as it means check in will be smooth and efficient. I hate nothing more than a long check in at a hotel.
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The Savoy As A Hotel:
As much as I love all things modern, there's something incredibly special about old school, historical luxury, imagine Gatbsy. The Savoy is the absolute definition of an old style luxury hotel and that becomes obvious the minute you arrive in the entrance hall. It was first opened in 1889 and actually has within it the first ever electric lift in Great Britain. I am not a fan of lifts because I have been stuck in them many times but I wasn’t going to miss out on a ride in this one because it is absolutely beautiful and has so much history to it. The style of the hotel is mixed - part Art Deco and part Edwardian and every part of it is beautiful.
The Rooms At The Savoy:
We had booked three bedrooms and each visited each others excited at what we would find. Each one was perfect and had panoramic views of the Thames and a great view of so many of the City’s great landmarks. The hotel throughout has been tastefully and sympathetically restored and refurbished to maintain its originality which also giving it a while also having a very fresh, light and airy feel to it. Rooms are very spacious and tastefully decorated with all necessities catered for. The hotel is utterly spotless throughout and every single member of the team we came across was polite, engaging and endearing - everyone understands the rich history of this hotel and enthusiastically share interesting gems of information about it as part of their service. Needless to say, we were all completely blown away by all aspects of our stay. I have stayed in a few different rooms in The Savoy now and have to say, they're all incredible. From the 'lowest' class to one of the highest. It goes without saying that the room with the balcony in The Savoy is spectacular and it's actually the only room in the Savoy with a balcony. The suites are exceptional too as you have so much living space, a roll top bath (my favourite) and views of the whole of London.
While the weather hasn’t been the best just recently, this actually worked to our advantage because the Savoy is not a place you want to leave once inside. We spent some time wandering around the hotel’s front hall looking at some of the amazing furniture and paintings. It's like a museum. There is a huge drawing depicting the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant which was painted by British artist David Downes and has so much detail on it and another one of Queen Elizabeth amongst many others. Now I know I need to bring my Grandparents back here to explore. Together with Boodles jewellers, a small on site bakery (you must visit and get some treats, they're divine) and a museum which houses pictures of some of the many famous names who have visited the Savoy, this is not just a hotel that you just sleep in - there is just too much to miss.
Savoy Location:
It goes without saying that The Savoy hotel is located right in the heart of London, with a quick walk to Covent Garden or out the other side of the hotel onto Embankment and the river. Every shop you can imagine is within walking distance but honestly, once inside you'll have to drag me outside. Once when I stayed at The Savoy I reluctantly left for some lunch and walked across the bridge to Borough Market, it really is in such a prime location for sight seeing the best of London. Had we wished to step outside the doors of our 24 hour castle, we would have found easy access to all theatres, Soho restaurants and nearby historical attractions. Not only is the Savoy amazing in its own right but it’s also in a fantastic location for getting about.
Food At The Savoy:
Dining and drinking choices are just as extensive and exciting as the rest of the hotel too. We chose to dine at Simpsons in the Strand, situated in a grade II listed building just outside the hotel doors. This restaurant has a really extensive traditional British menu and is particularly famous for the most amazing Sunday roast with meat being brought to the table and carved in front of guests. Of course, this was my first choice particularly as it came with a giant sized Yorkshire pudding. I’m a Yorkshire girl through and through and I am a Yorkshire pudding so how could I refuse. I'm pleased to say the Yorkshire pudding was cooked to perfection (almost as good as Mama Sheldons) and this is hands down one of my favourite restaurants now for luxurious, British cuisine. The service was incredible and every dish was phenomenal. I will most definitely be back.
Gordon Ramsay has a fine dining restaurant in the Savoy called the Savoy Grill and Kaspars at the Savoy is another choice with seasonal dishes of both fish and meat. Meanwhile the stunning Thames foyer in the centre of the hotel is available for afternoon and high teas all eaten under a glass domed atrium with a pianist playing. Put it this way, I need to book a stay again purely so I can try out the other restaurants. If you want to experience the hospitality of The Savoy but wont be staying there, you can feel the glamour and luxury just by going to one of the restaurants and you don't have to be a hotel guest.
Drinking is just as varied with Knight’s bar on the first floor of the Simpsons at the Stand restaurant. Many of the cocktails in this bar feature gin and have been specially developed for this bar. The American bar on the other had is the oldest surviving cocktail bar in Britain and and makes the most amazing cocktails all themed on song titles of legendary musicians and song writers. For wine and champagne lovers there is the Beaufort bar too. One of the bars in The Savoy has been voted best in the world, I haven't yet had the chance to have a drink there but any excuse to head back.
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Facilities At The Savoy:
If all this isn’t enough, there is also a lovely small but perfectly designed swimming pool and gym on the third floor all in a beautiful, light, airy and traditional setting. There is a treatment menu available too for that extra special luxury, they use Natura Bisse which is one of the best luxurious treatment brands available. Again, another excuse to go back and have one of their facials. I used the pool and the gym while here and would recommend both. It feels like a quaint, tropical sanctuary tucked away on the busiest London street and I feel so relaxed after putting my gown on and enjoying the pool and sauna.
I always judge a hotel by how well equipped it's gym is and the Savoy gym has everything you could need in it. The Savoy staff will cater for your every need though, whether it's a one to one pilates class in your room, personal training or a proposal on the balcony. These are the kind of staff that go above and beyond. On two of my stays I was given a butler plus a phone number to text if I needed anything during my stay, including the time I locked myself out of the room and someone came running immediately to let me back in.
Sleep At The Savoy:
So, after a wonderful afternoon and evening wandering around and taking in the beautiful luxury of this wonderful hotel, gymming and swimming and dining and having drinks it was time for the princes and princesses to jump in to their beds. Believe me when I say our rooms had the best beds we had ever slept in and we all had the most amazing night’s sleep. I don’t know how they achieve it but things happen in this hotel but with no noise whatsoever and no disturbance to any guests. It is the most peaceful place I have every stayed. The beds are absolutely cloud-like.
Breakfast At The Savoy:
When our check out day arrived Matt and I chose the ‘dine in room’ option because we were up early but also, who doesn't want to have breakfast looking out onto London? This was exceptional with the most amazing fresh food choices. I always opt for the healthy breakfast (Avo on toast, egg white omelette with a side of fruit and papaya). I always say one of the best breakfasts you can have in London is breakfast at The Savoy hotel. The rest of my family had a lie in and having admired the views from their beds dined in the restaurant overlooking the Thames. Here they had everything from full English with the most amazing black pudding to fresh papaya with lime all washed down with the freshest of juices and most luxurious coffee. All delivered of course with fantastic service. I've personally dined in The Savoy Thames Foyer restaurant before and the service was incredible, I highly recommend going there even if you're not a stay over guest at The Savoy.
So, after a wonderful afternoon and evening wandering around and taking in the beautiful luxury of this wonderful hotel, gymming and swimming and dining and having drinks it was time for the princes and princesses to jump in to their beds. Believe me when I say our rooms had the best beds we had ever slept in and we all had the most amazing night’s sleep. I don’t know how they achieve it but things happen in this hotel but with no noise whatsoever and no disturbance to any guests. It is the most peaceful place I have every stayed. The beds are absolutely cloud-like.
Breakfast At The Savoy:
When our check out day arrived Matt and I chose the ‘dine in room’ option because we were up early but also, who doesn't want to have breakfast looking out onto London? This was exceptional with the most amazing fresh food choices. I always opt for the healthy breakfast (Avo on toast, egg white omelette with a side of fruit and papaya). I always say one of the best breakfasts you can have in London is breakfast at The Savoy hotel. The rest of my family had a lie in and having admired the views from their beds dined in the restaurant overlooking the Thames. Here they had everything from full English with the most amazing black pudding to fresh papaya with lime all washed down with the freshest of juices and most luxurious coffee. All delivered of course with fantastic service. I've personally dined in The Savoy Thames Foyer restaurant before and the service was incredible, I highly recommend going there even if you're not a stay over guest at The Savoy.
I know for my birthday this year I definitely want to head back to The Savoy, even if it is just for dinner and breakfast or you know what, maybe I'll have to get the suite again!
For our time at The Savoy, we chose to stay indoors and savour 24 hours in the most luxurious, princessy, dreamy, peaceful haven attended to by the most wonderful Savoy team and the tastiest food ever before heading back in to the real world, more refreshed and ready. I’m very happy to say that the Savoy London is now on our list of family favourites and we will be back very soon I am sure. It's always good to be able to experience some of my favourite things in the world with my favourite people in the world. The Savoy is part of the Fairmont group and I've stayed at Fairmont hotels around America and always been blown away by the standard of food, beds and service so it's safe to say it's definitely a company wide thing. I highly recommend The Savoy for breakfast, dinner and a special staycation or stay over if you are visiting London. It's a once in a lifetime experience you wont ever forget and the closest you'll feel to a real life queen that's for sure.
Book The Savoy.
You might also like:
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For our time at The Savoy, we chose to stay indoors and savour 24 hours in the most luxurious, princessy, dreamy, peaceful haven attended to by the most wonderful Savoy team and the tastiest food ever before heading back in to the real world, more refreshed and ready. I’m very happy to say that the Savoy London is now on our list of family favourites and we will be back very soon I am sure. It's always good to be able to experience some of my favourite things in the world with my favourite people in the world. The Savoy is part of the Fairmont group and I've stayed at Fairmont hotels around America and always been blown away by the standard of food, beds and service so it's safe to say it's definitely a company wide thing. I highly recommend The Savoy for breakfast, dinner and a special staycation or stay over if you are visiting London. It's a once in a lifetime experience you wont ever forget and the closest you'll feel to a real life queen that's for sure.
Book The Savoy.
You might also like:
Where To Get The Best Pizza In New York
Huge New York city travel guide
How to plan the best USA roadtrip
Barcelona travel guide
Miami Beach travel guide
Lots of love, Em x
Lots of love, Em x
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