London Forum: Savoy London or Mandarin Oriental?

Another vote for the Savoy.

Call it quintessential.

Savoy "essence" long since gone as yet unretrieved - not even the "eau de toilette" retrieved.. Approx background from memory

Carol Galley former library clerk now millionaire nickname “Ice Maiden" of Mercury Asset Management Group ” put all her 14% votes behind Gerry Robinson of Grenada 1996/7 so could buy all hotels from Trust House Forte Group [owners of some of many luxury hotels in world including ironically the Hyde Park Hotel [now MO] - Madame Vacani dancing lesson HP weekly ] Thereafter Savoy cos Granda knew nothing about luxury Hotels went down hill at exponential speed. Hopefully to be saved [as it lost many key staff joined Ritz] by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal who bought invested over £200 M ,in rebuild almost rather than refurb.

Am reluctant to make the past essentials like essence& no longer visible as influence in hotel choice.Prince Ab T cannot change Savoy location. Most luxury is moving westwards Bond St Mayfair Knightsbridge.

The Mandarin O now but a corporate 5 * crash pad. Overall would prefer Berkeley location/ grounds However writing with advantage of recent personal experience undoubtedly no handicap. Savoy you will be in luxuriuos surrounding. If choose - try tho' not forget polaroid glasses - or buy paracetamol - hideous restaurant carpet can give one migraine

Regmaiche

I stayed at the Savoy post refit and it's a beautiful hotel with amazing service. If you'll be there to celebrate a special occasion, be sure to mention this when booking. We were upgraded to the Katherine Hepburn suite complete with butler and a view down the Thames that even impressed our jaded Londoner friend.

I'm not a routine 5 star hotel gal, but I've stayed in a handful around the world and the Savoy currently tops the list by a Dair distance.

Very diplomatic Reg.

"Someone left the cake out in the rain."