Claridge's
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Claridge's is a luxury hotel in Mayfair, central London.
[edit] History
Claridge's is a traditional grand hotel which is said to have an aristocratic ambience. Its extensive and old connections with royalty have led to it being referred to as an "extension to Buckingham Palace". It was founded in 1812 as Mivart's Hotel, located in a conventional London terraced house and grew by expanding into neighbouring houses. In 1854, the founder sold the hotel to a Mr and Mrs Claridge who owned a smaller hotel next door. They combined the two operations, and after trading for a time as "Mivart's at Claridge's", they settled on the current name. The reputation of the hotel was confirmed in 1860 when Empress Eugenie made an extended visit and entertained Queen Victoria at the hotel. Richard D'Oyly Carte, the theatrical impressario and founder of the rival Savoy Hotel, purchased Claridge's in 1894 and shortly afterwards demolished the old buildings and replaced them with the present ones. This was prompted by the need to install modern facilities such as lifts and en suite bathrooms. The new Claridge's opened in 1898.
After the First World War, Claridge's flourished due to demand from aristocrats who no longer maintained a London house, and an extension was built in the 1920s. Peter II of Yugoslavia spent much of the Second World War at Claridge's, and his heir, Aleksandar Karađorđević, was born in the hotel.
Well-known actors have often favoured the hotel and past guests include: U2, Mariah Carey, Mick Jagger, Brad Pitt to name a few. Claridge's also hold junkets.
Claridge's has two hundred and three rooms and suites. The main restaurant is currently (2006) run by the celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. Michelin starred Northern Irish chef Michael Deane started his career at the restaurant.
Claridge's is managed by the Maybourne Hotel Group, which also includes two other five-star deluxe hotels, The Berkeley and the The Connaught.
