Exclusive Hotels Of The World - The Ritz, London

10 November 2009

London, England is home to many of the world's finest attractions, including, among other things, historical museums, grand concert halls, astonishing clocks that have stood the test of time, and lavish hotels that provide guests with both a reason to travel to London and a place to stay in comfort when they arrive.

The Ritz in London meets and exceeds the needs of both inquisitive first-time travelers and regulars alike, and for over 100 years, it has been one of the finest hotels in not only England, but the entire world.

Ritz Hotels are known around the globe for their amenities and luxurious settings, and this was the goal of the famous hotelier Cesar Ritz when he first opened his London location in 1906. It was built to resemble a Parisian-style block of flats at the height of the Belle Epoque, and architects Charles Mewes and Arthur Davis gave London its first large steel-frame-constructed building.

Mewes was responsible for designing the Ritz Paris, a famous hotel in its own right, and Davis was one of the premier building designers of the day. The duo also collaborated with famed Swedish engineer Sven Bylander to complete the Ritz London. The result speaks loudly, as the Ritz is still admired over a century later.

In the beginning, the Ritz wasn't necessarily a landmark of historic London. Instead, it was merely a high-end hotel that Cesar Ritz managed himself. To increase its profile, Ritz hired the world renowned chef Auguste Escoffier to match the hotel's lavish decorations with five-star cuisine. This was a move that paid off immediately, and the Ritz quickly became the most popular hotel in London.

Throughout the years, the Ritz was a favorite location of royalty, and Cesar installed a special bell in the entryway so that the staff would always be notified of their arrival. Furthermore, Cesar made sure to offer all of his guests, regardless of title, the “royal” treatment; and as this was truly a foreign concept to Londoners, the Ritz stood out as a high-end establishment that treated everyone to the same decadence.

After Cesar Ritz, the hotel was then owned by the Bracewell-Smith family, but in 1976, the oil crisis had forced them to sell their stake in the business to Trafalgar House for an estimated 2.75 million.

Trafalgar owned the Ritz for nearly 20 years, when they sold it to Frederick and David Barclay for a huge return on their investment: 80 million. When the Barclay's took over, they revamped the entire hotel to the tune of 40 million over a span of 8 years.

There are many famous aspects of the Ritz and its 133 rooms. The Palm Court is among the most famous facility at the hotel, offering their famous Tea at the Ritz - frequented in the past by Sir Winston Churchill, Judy Garland, King Edward VIII, and other famous celebrities and royalty.

There's also the Art Deco-style Rivoli Bar, six grand dining rooms, and the Ritz Club, a basement casino offering up high-stakes poker games and many casino games.

Tags: bracewell-smith, charles mewes, arthur davis, cesar ritz, sven bylander, auguste escoffier, trafalgar house, david barclay, frederick barclay, art deco, rivoli bar,
Posted In: Travel, Hotels,

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