About London's premier hotel The Savoy and the most expensive hotel refurbishment program in London's history

In accordance with its original Edwardian and Art Deco design, The Savoy will once again lay claim to its long-standing status as London’s premier social destination when it unveils the culmination of a circa GBP 100 million restoration programme in early 2010 – the most expensive hotel refurbishment in London’s history. 

Comprising the entire building from the courtyard and famed American Bar to the public areas and 268 guestrooms, the responsibility for this extensive restoration is being handled by the renowned designer, Yves Rochon, who has earned special recognition for his work on other landmark hotels such as the George V in Paris and the Hermitage in Monaco. The programme has a number of notable highlights including the addition of a luxurious new two bedroom Royal Suite, the complete remodel of the legendary River Restaurant, and the re-launch of the 58 River Suites with their iconic views over the River Thames.

In addition, The Savoy Grill will return again under the operation of Gordon Ramsay Holdings. New to the hotel will be The Beaufort Bar and Savoy Tea Shop, the first an opulent new venue to enjoy champagne and cocktails and the latter, a bijou teashop selling Savoy branded tea products, patisserie and other goodies. Within the Thames Foyer, the re-introduction of a winter garden gazebo beneath an ornate glass dome will provide afternoon tea. For those who wish to continue their fitness regime on the road, there will be a contemporary, glass enclosed fitness gallery and rooftop swimming pool – one of only two in the city.

Room rates at The Savoy will start from around GBP 350 per room per night. You can visit www.the-savoy.com for further updates on the restoration.

LONDONS HOTELS DIRECTORY

The Ritz London

• 150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR
• Telephone: +44 20 7493 8181
• Facsimile: +44 20 7493 2687

For over a century The Ritz has been the benchmark by which other hotels are measured. A London landmark at 150 Piccadilly, The Ritz has been home to the great and the good, the intelligentsia, the glitterati and thousands of discerning guests since 1906.

London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square

• Grosvenor Square, London, United Kingdom W1K 6JP
• Telephone: +44 20 74931232

Within the West End and a short taxi journey to the City. On the doorstep of London's infamous Oxford, Regent and Bond Streets as well as to the tranquility of Hyde Park. The true heart of Mayfair.

The Waldorf Hilton, London

Aldwych, London, United Kingdom WC2B 4DD

Telephone: +44 207 836 2400

Facsiile : +44 207 836 7244

A deluxe fiv star hotel in London's West End close to Theatreland, and a five minute walk from Covent Garden. F&B venues include the Homage Grand Salon restaurant, the Homage Patisserie, and the Homage Bar.

London Park Lane

One Hamilton Place, Prk Lane, London W1J 7QY

Telephone: +44 20 74093131

Facsimile: +44 20 74933476

Once the site of a royal residence, InterContinental London Park Lane is now the epitome of modern elegance. Located between Mayfair and Knightsbridge in view of Buckingham Palace, the hotel is not far from the Tower of London, Big Ben and Trafalgar Square.

The Savoy

The Strand, London, United Kingdom, WC2R 0EU

Telephone: +44 20 7836 4343

The Savoy is a five-star hotel located on the Strand, in the City of Westminster in central London that opened on August 6, 1889. The hotel remains one of London's most prestigious and opulent hotels, with 263 rooms and views of the River Thames.

Grand Residences by Marriott - Mayfair-London

47 Park Street, London, United Kingdom W1K 7EB

Telephone: 44 20 7491 7282

47 Park Street, is situated in the heart of Mayfair. Just a short walk to Park Lane and Hyde Park, it is also close to shops in Bond Street and Knightsbridge and near to London's galleries and theatres.

Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill

30 Portman Square,

London, W1H 7BH

Telephone: +44 20 7486 5800

Facsimile: +44 20 7486 1255

A 5 star luxury hotel situated in central London's West End, close to many shopping areas, and near to the City. The hotel is near Hyde Park, Marble Arch and Buckingham Palace, and is minutes from Paddington Station where a fast train service takes 15 minutes from Heathrow.

Holiday Inn London-Mayfair

3 Berkeley Street

London, W1J8NE

Telephone: +44 870 4009110

Facsimile: +44 207 6292827

The Holiday Inn London-Mayfair hotel is in Mayfair, London's premier hotel district. Located on the corner of Piccadilly and Berkeley Street, the hotel is fully air conditioned (not all hotels in London are air-conditioned).

Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel

21 Lowndes Street, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 9ES

Telephone: +44 20 7823 1234

Facsimile: +44 20 7235 1154

Set against the backdrop of a leafy London square, and Knightsbridge's shops, this chic, contemporary retreat offers European dining, a bar, and a collection of bedrooms and suites, featuring different touches.

Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel

Park Lane, London, United Kingdom W1K7TN

Telephone: +44 207 499 6363

Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel is located on Park Lane, in Mayfair. Close to the underground tube stations of Marble Arch, Bond Street and Green Park. Close by is Paddington Train St with direct links to Heathrow airport.

Sofitel London Heathrow

Terminal 5 London Heathrow Airport

TW6 2GD London

Telephone: +44 20 87577777

Adjoining Terminal 5 of Heathrow Airport, Sofitel London Heathrow has 605 bedrooms and suites plus 45 meeting rooms, the largest of which can cater for a dinner or ball function for 1000 guests.

Crowne Plaza London St. James

Buckingham Gate 45/51

London, SW1E 6AF

Telephone: +44 20 78346655

Facsimile: +44 20 76307587

The hotel is a traditional deluxe four star in central London, close to Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and Victoria Station.

London Marriott Hotel Park Lane

140 Park Lane, London, W1K 7AA

Telephone: +44 20 7493 7000

Situated on Park Lane, this five star hotel has views of Hyde Park and is near shopping, theatre and historical attractions.

The Crowne Plaza London - The City

19 New Bridge Street

London, EC4V 6DB

Telephone: +44 870 4009190

Facsimile: +44 207 4388080

This upscale hotel is just a stone's throw from Blackfriars station and with direct connection to St. Pancras International Eurostar terminal.

Sofitel London Gatwick

North terminal Gatwick Airport West Sussex RH6 0PH

Crawley

Telephone: +44 1293/567070

An established, four-star luxury hotel located within Gatwick Airport. The hotel offers eight-day or fifteen-day Park & Fly packages available at the airport the day before check in. The hotel is 30 minutes by Gatwick Express from central London.

London Marriott Hotel Marble Arch

134 George Street, London, W1H 5DN

Telephone: +44 207 723 1277

Central location, within walking distance from Hyde Park, Oxford Street and London attractions. A boutique hotel, with meeting rooms, business center, and indoor swimming pool.

Crowne Plaza London Docklands

Royal Victoria Docks Western Gateway

London, E16 1AL

Telephone: +44 870 9909692

Facsimile: +44 870 9909693

A unique, contemporary hotel overlooking Royal Victoria Dock, walking distance from ExCeL Exhibition Centre (West) and not far from the financial district of Canary Wharf and the City of London.

Renaissance Chancery Court London

252 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7EN

Telephone: +44 207 829 9888

Located a few minutes walk from the theatres, shops and restaurants of London's West End, yet within reach of the City.

Crowne Plaza London Heathrow Hotel

Stockley Road West Drayton

London, UB7 9NA

Telephone: +44 870 4009140

Facsimile: +44 1895 445122

The hotel is conveniently located for all Heathrow airport terminals including the new Terminal 5. In addition M4 and M40 are close by. The Bedfont Lakes Business Park also just a short drive away.

London Marriott Hotel County Hall

London County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7PB

Telephone: +44 207 928 5200

Situated in the heart of London on the bank of the River Thames, opposite Big Ben and adjacent to the London Eye.

London Marriott Hotel Regents Park

128 King Henry's Road, London, NW3 3ST

Telephone: +44 207 722 7711

Located close to Regents Park the hotel is accessible from the M1, M25 and A40, and outside the congestion charge zone. Euston and mainline train stations are a short taxi ride and the nearest tube station, Swiss Cottage, is a three minutes walk.

London Marriott Hotel Maida Vale

Plaza Parade, Maida Vale, London, NW6 5RP

Telephone: +44 20 7543 6000

From Marble Arch continue North on the Edgware road (A5) to Maida Vale, the hotel is on the right hand side. From the M1 take A406 Westbound and then the A5 Southbound. The nearest tube stations are Maida Vale and Kilburn Park on the Bakerloo line.

London Marriott Hotel Kensington

147 Cromwell Road, Kensington, London, SW5 0TH

Telephone: +44 207 973 1000

Located 25 minutes drive from Heathrow airport and a ten minute drive from many Central London attractions.

London Marriott West India Quay

22 Hertsmere Rd, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4ED

Telephone: +44 20 70931000

The Marriott Hotel & Executive Apartments, is part of a landmark development in London's Canary Wharf area.

Marriott Executive Apartments London, West India Quay

22 Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4ED

Telephone: +44 20 70931000

The Marriott Executive Apartments, is located in the Canary Wharf area.

Sheraton Belgravia Hotel, London

20 Chesham Place

London SW1X 8HQ

Telephone: +44 20 72356040

Facsimile: +44 20 72596243

Nestled in a leafy square in the heart of Belgravia, the hotel is located in London's most exclusive residential district and is a five-minute walk to the shops of Knightsbridge and Chelsea.

Sofitel London St James

6 Waterloo Place SW1Y 4AN London

Telephone: +44 20 77472200

This five-star hotel in a historic building boasts one of the finest addresses on Pall Mall, close to Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, and Bond Street. St James' Park and theatres are within walking distance.

London Heathrow Marriott Hotel

Bath Road, Harlington, Hayes, UB3 5AN

Telephone: +44 20 8990 1100

15 minutes drive from London's Heathrow Airport and located off the M4 and M25 motorways, the hotel is accessable from Central London via the Heathrow Express or Piccadilly line, local business parks and the historical town of Windsor.

HOTEL CONSTRUCTION BOOMS ACROSS UK

The hospitality industry is in the middle of its biggest hotel construction period in history, the British Hospitality Association has revealed.

Since 2002, a total of more than 74,000 new hotel rooms have come on stream with a further 15,000 under construction for 2009, and 31,000 rooms in the planning or construction stage for 2010 and beyond.

The BHA's Trends and Developments 2008 report says the present construction cycle is the greatest in the industry's history, surpassing the building boom of the late 1960s.

BHA chief executive Bob Cotton said there was no doubt that the hotel industry was in the middle of an "immensely important period of new construction".

"If all the plans come to fruition, over 120,000 new rooms will have opened by the end of the cycle - not far off 20% of the total," he said.

The BHA estimates investment, including refurbishment of existing hotels, at more than £5bn a year at present levels - despite the credit crunch.

"So far, the economic downturn has not materially affected these plans, partly because of the long lead-time needed for hotel construction, but it might slow down future plans," Cotton said.

"On the other hand, the Olympic Games in 2012 are putting pressure on new hotels to be completed on time."

The budget hotel sector is by far the biggest beneficiary of this boom, with its number of rooms rising from 50,000 in 2001 to 97,000 in 2008.

But a wide selection of higher-priced, full-service hotels has also appeared, since 2002 representing some 32,000 new rooms in a building boom that has taken place throughout the country, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also benefiting.

London hotel launches fountain of youth spa program

World famous dermatologist Dr Nicholas Perricone, author of the best-selling ‘The Wrinkle Cure’, has launched a unique new programme at The Metropolitan London to introduce guests to what he claims is a way to achieve long-lasting youth. The Metropolitan is now the only hotel in London offering his restorative skin therapy with a one-day ‘Perricone MD Wrinkle Cure Day Spa Package’ at its spa, COMO Shambhala Urban Escape.

Launched in July 2009 and priced at £175, this Day Spa Package introduces Dr Perricone's lifestyle solution through an anti-inflammatory diet combined with patented skin care and nutritional supplements.

The package includes a 75-minute facial specially tailored to individual needs, whether fine lines or sagging, puffy eyes or simply a lack of radiance. It claim to promote younger and firmer skin through cleansing, toning, masking and treatments using patented formulas, combined with specially designed light lymphatic massage.

Also included is a ‘Perricone MD Anti Oxidant Lunch’ of wild Alaskan salmon with raspberry salad, served either at the hotel's fMet Bar or Lobby Lounge.

Guests will additionally receive a gift set including his book ‘The Wrinkle Cure’, a berry and PEP blend sachet and a recipe guide to cooking dishes promoting healthy skin at home.

Dr Perricone is a dermatology professor at Yale University School of Medicine. He discovered wrinkles and sags are caused by a combination of passage of time, stress, poor nutrition, excess alcohol consumption and sleep deprivation - along with exposure to cigarette smoke, sunlight and pollution.

Apart from the skin-care programme, guests can also enjoy a new summer promotion at The Metropolitan, the trendiest hotel in London:

From 5 July to 6 September, the ‘Extend the Summer Feeling’ promotion offers four nights for the price of three. This offer is based on a minimum stay of four consecutive nights.