The Savoy Hotel

Strand, London

Romantic gestures don’t come any more grand than this. From the über-luxury of the suites (complete with butler) to the sheer decadence of the Beaufort Bar and its £38,000 worth of gold leaf-covered arches (pictured), there are few hotels that inspire the gasp-drawing awe The Savoy demands. They’ve spent £220m restoring it over the past three years and whether you’ve been lucky enough to visit before or not, you can’t help but be impressed. It’s like a theme park based around the finer things in society life, circa 1920 – the American Bar with its in-house jazz pianist being a prime example. So many A-listed people have stayed here that it’s pointless to list them. Think all-time greats of stage, politics, screen and royalty and they’ve probably been here. As a hotel so steeped in history, the restoration has kept within The Savoy’s traditions – art deco, Edwardian elegance, all things grand. But the additions – including a tea and pastry shop – and the re-introduction of its winter gazebo under a glass dome (where one takes afternoon tea), only add to the hotel’s reputation as a place for special occasions. The River Restaurant serves up fine French cuisine and with Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill now reopened, this is a hotel that everybody must visit once. Doubles from £302.