As we celebrate English actress, singer, and author and timeless style icon Joan Collins's 81st birthday today, let us check our the Royal Suite in Claridge's, her favourite London hotel, where fashion illustrator David Downton drew her portrait back in 2011.
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Right in the heart of Mayfair, this luxury art deco hotel with bags of history offers. breathtaking suites, grand event spaces, exquisite cuisine and much more. Designed to perfection in the 1920s, many of its original features remain impeccably in place. While art deco inspired features have been added and renovated through the 20th century, it wasn’t until 1996 Claridge’s had a major facelift. Inspired by archive photographs from the 1930s, New York-based designer Thierry Despont made over the Foyer area in modern art deco style. The centrepiece of the space is a stunning, up-to-the minute Dale Chihuly chandelier. David Collins was invited to create the new Claridge’s Bar, while Thierry Despont went on to create Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s, both ensuring Claridge’s entered the 21st century in a dramatically modern art deco style.
While all the designer rooms and luxury suites offer an exceptional standard of comfort and glamour at Claridge’s, if you like your room with some history, then the Royal Suite is bound to offer you just a little bit of the glamour of its world famous guest, royal dame Joan Collins.
Walk into a world of timeless elegance and age-old grandeur through the Royal Suite’s dramatic red reception hall. Magnificent double doors lead to the dining room decorated with captivating 19th Century French architectural prints. For guests of a musical persuasion, the final exquisite touch to this exclusive suite is the grand piano, formerly owned by Richard D’Oyly Carte, which stands proud in the drawing room.
If you’d like to indulge further nowhere is better than the health club and spa located on the top floor of the hotel, offering a tranquil and peaceful environment with stunning views to match. Incorporating massage rituals from around the world, Sisley treatments transport the individual into a sensual world where the body and mind is reunified. Sisley products are also perfectly adaptable to male skin.
And what better way to carry on with the spirit of indulgence with an afternoon tea, a tradition that has been observed at Claridge’s for the best part of 150 years. In the splendour of Thierry Despont’s magnificent foyer, you can sample the delicious finger sandwiches, scones served warm, sweet pastries and of course the tea. Claridge’s tea connoisseur, Henrietta Lovell, has scoured the world to bring us delicious tea from small, little known producers from the four corners of the world. Working hand in hand with our Executive Chef, Martyn Nail, they have carefully selected teas that will complement the food perfectly.
There is far more to the culinary experience at Claridge’s than dining on sumptious delicacies; with Master Classes, the hotel chefs invite you into their magical realm to share the expertise and experience, the secrets and skills and learn insider tricks from the best in the business. Claridge’s Master classes showcases sessions such as Carving, Sunday Roast, Fish, Afternoon Tea and British Pudding. All master classes start with a talk by the Claridge’s expert, followed by the making of the dishes or puddings. During each master class guests may be invited to participate in some of the culinary tasks being prepared. Depending on the master class, the day is completed with either lunch in the Kitchen or Afternoon Tea in The Foyer.
No wonder this London gem is a firm favourite of Joan Collins who once called it “one of the most elegant and beautifully run hotels in the world.”
Check out the video below to take a virtual tour of Claridge's Royal Suite. And why not check out what guests staying at Claridge's had to say about this London gem?
