Despite London’s long and colorful history, hotels are a relatively new industry. Aside from boarding houses and rental homes, London did not have formal “hotels” until the 19th Century. Before this period hotels were not needed. Those wealthy enough to travel and stay abroad rented houses or stayed with acquaintances.
The number of business travelers at the time were few and most simply stayed at lodging houses or stagecoach inns. Lodging houses were most often private homes turned into guest lodgings to accommodate visitors. These were usually ran by widows or widowers who once had large families. Stagecoach inns were equally small and were only designed to house visitors staying a night between coaches.
The Langham Hotel was built during the 1860s and was London’s first magnificent hotel. When it opened it contained an unheard-of 100 water closets. It also held 36 bathrooms and featured the first hydraulic elevators, or “lifts” in the city. The Langham was host to many famous guests including Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle. The hotel was such a success that electric lighting was installed in 1879, incredibly early for its time.
Success did not continue. The Langham was nearly bankrupt by the time of the Great Depression. The owners attempted to sell their building to the BBC, but the company constructed on the opposing roadside. During World War II the structure was used by the army. It was heavily damaged by bombing. It wasn’t until 1962 that the BBC finally purchased the building.
The Langham was restored to its former glory during the 1980s. The well-known Hilton chain purchased the building which became the Langham Hilton. A staggering $100 million dollars went into the refurbishing of the building. The hotel today is still welcoming guests. It has a five-star rating and is now a part of the Langham Hotels International group.
The Savoy Hotel remains in a class of its own. Like the Langham, the Savoy opened in the 19th Century. Today it is a five-star facility that is known for luxury facilities and opulence. The hotel closed in 2007 for a major renovation and will reopen in 2009.
Other equally marvelous hotels operating in London include: Hilton London Paddington, Great Eastern Hotel, Charing Cross Hotel and the Grosvenor Hotel.