We've been waiting for an update on the famous Savoy in London, which now belongs to the Fairmont Group who are sinking loads of cash into the place. They closed up back in December and auctioned off most of the furniture, ready to make way for the new look.
Until now we haven't heard much about the new look, but the bosses have just released some more info about what they're doing to the Savoy. They've launched a Savoy 2009 website which includes all the latest news on progress as well as providing a really interesting look back on the Savoy's life so far.
The new Savoy, they say, will be a combination of 1930s art deco and a classic late 1800s look. It will include a £2.5 million Royal Suite (that's a huge amount of money for one suite--we can't imagine what they'll be doing in there) and they will also be reintroducing the historical glass roof over the Thames foyer. It sounds like they're still on track for a spring 2009 reopening, but it'll be a while before there's a more accurate guess of opening day.
Perhaps the most famous of all the hotels in London, the The Savoy, a Fairmont Hotel, closed its doors for 16 months on Saturday to undergo some major renovations.
Folks flocked to the hotel over the weekend to sip their last martinis at the bar and nibble on some cucumber sandwiches before the closing. For hotel furniture geeks, furniture from the Savoy is to be auctioned this week during a three-day sale that's expected to bring in anywhere from USD $1,215,000 to $2,020,150.
But despite the massive renovations, hotel manager Kiaran MacDonald has said that the renovation will be one that very much respects the hotel's rich history.
The hotel is a long-time favourite of the rich and famous. Claude Monet painted over seventy works of art whilst staying at the Savoy, many of which were considered his masterpieces. Marilyn Monroe, Sir Richard Harris, Winston Churchill, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and James Whistler are just some of the other luminaries to have stayed or resided in the hotel over the years.
And it seems not everything will go. The hotel is said to be keeping items that are intrinsic to the its history, to be restored and replaced when the hotel reopens in 2009.
Just a bit ago, we looked at what was happening renovations-wise with LA hotels and now we learn across the pond the famous Savoy Hotel is also closing for massive renovations.
After months of speculation, London's Savoy hotel has confirmed it is to close in December for 16 months to undergo a £100m-plus refurbishment.
The hotel's general manager Kiaran MacDonald told Caterer the restoration would be "the most significant and extensive renovation in the hotel's history".
He added the changes would still "honour the integrity of the hotel's art deco heritage and traditional English design".
Initially owner Fairmont Hotels was going to sink around £60 million into the hotel but just recently decided to double it up and put designer Pierre-Yves Rochon to the task.
The hotel will close in December of 2007 and is expected to re-open not until 2009. Apparently, the place is getting a top-to-bottom reno of all rooms and public spaces which would take too long to do if the hotel remained opened to guests. We wonder, will the meat trolley make a comeback?
Those Brits can be quite settled in their ways. A writer for the London Times is still not used to the idea that the Savoy Hotel was sold to Fairmont of Canada, and apparently still grieves for the loss of the "beloved meat trolley".
On a mission to find out what other changes took place, the writer checked out the new Savoy. Immediate first impressions were that the once plain concierge outfits have been replaced with "sexy airline stewardess gear".
That's not too bad, but with this pricey a hotel (upward toward 500 pounds per night), what are the rooms like? Canadian and American styles in-your-face?
Once past the marvellous Art Deco panelling, portholes and curvy walls in the public areas, our generous-sized room with long windows that opened (on to an office block no less) was pure executive let. There were no chemical pongs, just two ample single beds (as requested) in crisp white linen, two armchairs with reading light, a big desk and a beautiful marble bathroom in 1930s style. Intelligent extras included electronic weighing scales, a proper hairdryer and removeable clothes hangers, both wooden and silk.
The rooms sound nice to us, but then again, we're stupid Americans. The writer also enjoyed the "American Bar" which ironically didn't reek of corporate take-over. But disappointment came again at breakfast which served "America favorites" such as blueberries and bagels.
We doubt the writer will ever be happy about the hotel again, unless they bring back a meat trolley. Still, we can't help but think that the hotel's new Canadian owners are trying to shift the blame for anything that goes wrong at the place by Americanizing everything.
Monet's Thame's skyline series was inspired by the view from his room at the Savoy. In total, the impressionist master painted over 70 canvases while visiting London between 1899 and 1901; always staying in fifth or sixth-floor rooms. (Rooms with a view above the tree line comes in handy if you intend to paint from it.)
Which is why the hotel is offering Monet fans the Cultural Package that includes two nights at the Savoy for £2,600 ($4,500), which will include art supplies and impressionist painting lessons from an art teacher.
You will also get a tour of London's National Gallery check out the Monet paintings. In their words, "it's a mini-painting holiday."
Is Monet merely a notch on the Savoy's bedpost? Other famous painter guests include Andy Warhol and James McNeill Whistler who painted the scaffolding as the hotel was being built and stayed there when it opened in 1898.
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by amandak
Those Brits can be quite settled in their ways. A writer for the London 
