A LONDON INSTITUTION SINCE THE 1850S, THIS LEGACY HOTEL PAINTS THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH DIAMONDS AND DAZZLE

BY AMANDA McCOY

Few hotels can boast the kind of storied pedigree of Claridge’s in London. The longstanding Mayfair institution has hosted legions of the world’s elite, from silver screen sweethearts like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe to stage titans like Frank Sinatra and Mick Jagger, plus a stacked roster of royals, fashion designers, and heads of state. It was a key fixture during the Jazz Age phenomenon and even served as a safe haven for exiled dignitaries during World War II. (In fact, legend has it that in 1947, a diplomat phoned the hotel to ask to speak to the king. The operator replied, “Certainly sir, but which one?”) But over a century of history hasn’t robbed the five-star hotel of its power or prestige, and today it remains one of the most coveted overnight addresses in London’s haute hospitality scene.

Claridge’s story began in 1856, when William and Marianna Claridge, who operated a single house inn on Brook Street, purchased the five adjoining buildings to create one lavish hotel (Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited only four years later.) The Claridges maintained ownership until the late 1890s, when prominent hotelier Richard D’Oyly Carte acquired the property and promptly employed a sweeping redesign led by C. W. Stephens, the British architect behind London’s famed Harrods department store on Brompton. The reimagined Claridge’s opened as an Art Deco showpiece, a masterstroke in glitz and grandeur. In the 1920s, the black-and-white checked floor echoed with the steps of the Charleston by sequin-clad flappers, and cigar smoke billowed from the dark wooden Fumoir bar.

In many ways, entering Claridge’s feels like walking through a time portal. Cheery bellmen donning top hats welcome guests into the lobby, accented with turn-of-thecentury mirrors, a stone fireplace, and a massive overhead crystal chandelier. A world-famous afternoon tea is served in the nearby Foyer, boasting a traditional English spread of dainty finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones, and elaborate pastries while a pianist strums classical tunes.

Rooms and suites are considered among the most spacious in the city, ranging from 377 square feet for the entry-level superior room to a sprawling 11,840 square feet for the four-bedroom penthouse. Large floor-to-ceiling windows welcome pillows of natural light, while plush, comfy beds invite dreamers into a deep, delicious sleep. All rooms feature marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs, and many include open-air terraces and in-room fireplaces. The hotel’s signature suites are particularly ornate, dressed by design luminaries like Pierre-Yves Rochon or Michelle Wu. The 2,400-square-foot Royal Suite is a showpiece of Victorian heritage, boasting monochrome stone flooring with intricate floral motifs, hand-painted wall murals, a restored mahogany dining table, and an original Gilbert and Sullivan grand piano.

But Claridge’s didn’t cement its legacy on Art Deco treasures and high-thread count sheets. Over the past 150 years, the hotel’s built a name for its break-themold service and experiences, even once installing a Jacuzzi in a suite at the request of a guest. Thoughtful touches include personalized monogrammed bathrobes, welcome bottles of Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle served chilled in-room, and private mini pastry masterclasses. Many suites also include 24/7 dedicated butler service.

The hotel turns up the haute during the holiday season, famed worldwide for its dazzling display of Christmas-themed lore. Every November, in an always hotly anticipated announcement, Claridge’s reveals the designer of this season’s centerpiece: the Christmas tree. But forget needles and tinsel; each tree, imagined by a leading fashion designer, is a bespoke work of art, a visual treat while sipping warm cocoa or mulled wine. The tradition began in 2009 with Dior’s John Galliano’s depiction of a twisting tropical

tree that appears frozen, inlaid with snow leopards, dragon flies, and parrots. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, Karl Lagerfeld, Diane von Furstenberg, and others have all taken part in one of London’s most luxurious holiday scenes. Some years yielded tree-like sculptures made from reflective mirrors, while others saw traditional silhouettes dressed in fairy lights and gingerbread stilettos.

The hotel also rolls out a festive menu for the season, served in both the signature Claridge’s Restaurant and the Foyer and Reading Room. For Thanksgiving, the Foyer’s prix-fixe spreads span butternut squash soup topped with pumpkin seeds, roasted Norfolk turkey with chestnuts and cranberry sauce, and decadent pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream. For a more formal offering, Claridge’s Restaurant pumps up the panache with maple-glazed ham hock, roasted halibut, roasted Brussels sprouts for the table, and truffled brie, blueberry tart, and pumpkin pie for dessert. December brings plates of duck confit and foie gras terrine, Burrata di Puglia, aged Herefordshire beef filet, and Jerusalem artichoke risotto. Be sure to save room for the famed Christmas pudding at the end.

Holiday season rooms begin around $1,700 per night.

Claridge’s

Brook Street, London / claridges.co.uk