“There were more spies than sommeliers at Claridge’s,” wrote author and historian Matthew Sweet in his Second World War novel, The West End Front, more than a decade ago. An internationally-renowned bastion of luxury, which set the standard for five-star hotels from the moment it opened in 1812, ask anyone of any age, class or background the world over and we’re willing to bet they’ve heard the name ‘Claridge’s’. But do they know its true historical and cultural significance?

I’m surprised that, when I walk through the doors of Claridge’s on a warm summer’s day, the hotel possesses as much aura as it did when I last visited at Christmas. Enter the foyer via a revolving door to be greeted with Art Deco monochrome flooring added by New York-based designer Thierry Despont in 1996, magnificent glass screens fitted by British architect Basil Ionides in the 1920s and a grand sweeping staircase – wide enough to fit two sets of couples gliding past each other – which is the backdrop for the famous Claridge’s Christmas tree (the talk of the town every December). Just a snippet of Claridge’s multi-faceted history is on display within minutes of entering its doors – and, whether you’re aware of it or not, that’s part of its beauty. 

But Claridge’s hasn’t always been Claridge’s. “There has been a hotel on this spot since 1812, when James Mivart opened Mivart’s here on Brook Street,” explains the hotel’s archivist, Kate Hudson. “In 1854, when William and Marianne Claridge took over it was known as Claridge’s, Late Mivarts. And when Richard D’Oyly Carte bought the hotel in the early 1890s, it was rebuilt and, although there have been many additions and extensions over the years, it is substantially the same hotel that we are standing in today.” 

I meet Hudson in the plush private dining room adjacent to the Bryan O’Sullivan-designed Claridge’s Restaurant which opened last summer, and she arrives with scrapbooks, archives and notes under her arm. Her position is a rare one – despite the extensive history of many European hotels, not all have a dedicated archivist – and Claridge’s keeps its archives in the basement which is off limits to guests. “It’s all about uncovering the stories, finding the history, and bringing it back to life. The idea of stepping back in time, even just for a moment, is quite intoxicating. It is fascinating to think that in the two centuries Claridge’s has stood on Brook Street, we have lived through the Victorian age, two world wars, women’s suffrage and so much more.”

Circa late 19th century

So, what was Claridge’s like when it opened? Not as glamorous as you might expect. Hudson recalls that the late Mivart’s originally opened its doors with quite “dark, gloomy and poky rooms” – not that this stopped Queen Victoria visiting in 1860 – and it wasn’t until it was under the guise of hotelier D’Oyly Carte in the 1890s that forward-thinking fashion was injected into the space. Hudson says: “I have a lovely quote from The Morning Post in 1894, when the hotel was being rebuilt, that reads: ‘In the centre of the building will be a winter garden, roofed in with glass and with oriental features, so that light will be amply provided for all rooms, an agreeable innovation to those acquainted with the somewhat gloomy character of the old buildings of Claridge’s hotel’.” 

As planned, by the turn of the century the glamour synonymous with Claridge’s had been fully realised. But Carte wasn’t one to rest on his laurels. During the Roaring Twenties, the hotel called on the creative nous of British architect Oswald Milne to strengthen its style reputation, completing a redesign of the hotel’s entrance and a major Art Deco extension featuring eclectic design that drew stars from across the world, from Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn to Cary Grant and Gandhi and his goat. 

Cary Grant leaving Claridge’s

Claridge’s archives of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation

“Claridge’s has always been a home from home for Hollywood royalty,” explains Hudson. “A very famous quote by legendary actor Spencer Tracy [sums it up]: ‘Not that I intend to die, but when I do, I don’t want to go to heaven, I want to go to Claridge’s.’ His long-term acting partner, Katharine Hepburn, had to be reminded in 1951 that according to Claridge’s dress code, ladies were not allowed to wear trousers in the lobby. However, she loved wearing trousers so much she insisted on entering Claridge’s via the staff entrance.”

The 1970s saw Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis dine regularly at Claridge’s, where he would scribble his shipping deals on the tablecloths. “Every month the hotel would send him his account for food and wine plus an additional bill for 10-20 tablecloths. ‘The Greek Cantina’ was the unofficial name for Aristotle Onassis’ favourite spot in Claridge’s restaurant,” adds Hudson. 

Claridge’s Mayfair Terrace Suite today

Cricket in Claridge’s Ballroom in the 1930s

However, one of Claridge’s most notable and beloved guests was Winston Churchill – and his love affair with the hotel started long before he became prime minister. During his ‘wilderness years’ in the 1920s and early 1930s, Churchill spent his days in the penthouse with British film producer Alexander Korda. “You’d have wonderful actresses such as Vivien Leigh flowing in and out of the penthouse suite and Winston just sitting there. [He] was always very fond of the hotel; he personally intervened to ensure that Claridge’s famous railings were preserved while other London railings were melted down and sacrificed to help the war efforts.”

The Second World War is one of the most exciting historical periods for Claridge’s. “The second floor was effectively a hotbed of intrigue, because that was where all the spies and the espionage agencies stayed during the war years. In the 1940s, many exiled royal families decamped to Claridge’s, including the Queen of the Netherlands, Kings of Greece, Norway and Yugoslavia and the Presidents of Poland and Czechoslovakia. After the war, in 1947, just before the wedding of the then-Princess Elizabeth, a harassed diplomat telephoned the hotel and asked to speak to the King. ‘Certainly sir,’ was the response, ‘but which one?’”

In fact, so embedded were these royalty in the hotel that, in 1945, Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia was born at Claridge’s – amidst rather unusual circumstances. “He was born in Suite 212 and Winston Churchill agreed that the room would be deemed Yugoslavian territory for just one day, and the prince would be born on home soil by placing a mound of Yugoslavian earth under the bed.” Still available to book, today the room is affectionately known as the Alexander Suite, and was redesigned by Michelle Wu in 2019 to reflect the elegance of 1940s Europe with gold accents, velvets and hand-embroidered silks. 

At the end of the Second World War, however, Churchill suffered a shock defeat at the polls resulting in he and his wife, Clemmie, leaving Number 10. “They had nowhere to go, so [Clemmie] had called on D’Oyley Carte, and he showed her the Brook Penthouse on the sixth floor of Claridge’s, which had a particularly poignant view back to the Palace of Westminster, and they moved in.” It was while in residence at Claridge’s that Churchill heard that the war was over on the radio. Hudson adds: “When he came downstairs, there were just a few old ladies clapping as he left. That’s quite poignant because he was so utterly instrumental in ending the war.” 

From then until the late 20th century is what Claridge’s refers to as ‘contemporary history’: its Thierry Despont overhaul in 1996, its 25-suite expansion courtesy of David Linley in 2012, and its starry guestbook (Kate Moss celebrated her 30th birthday here) which contributed to its ongoing status as a modern ‘It’ hotel in the capital. And while its more current chapters are by no means insignificant, it’s Claridge’s respect for its enviable legacy which will ensure it remains a gem on the London hotel scene for another 200 years.

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