The Savoy

Rooms and decor

The building runs in two styles — Edwardian on the Thames side and Art Deco on the Strand side. Both were redone in a 2010 renovation that cost more than $279 million (about $280 million), and both kept their original character. The River View rooms look out at the Thames, Big Ben, the London Eye and Westminster Bridge — guests call it the postcard view of London. As one review put it, you open the curtains to Big Ben, and no other hotel gives you that. The top suites add a private balcony and a wide sitting room.

Food and amenities

The American Bar has been open since 1893, the oldest and most famous cocktail bar in London, and it lands on the World's 50 Best Bars list year after year. The Art Deco Beaufort Bar next door is quieter and better for couples. Savoy Grill, run by Gordon Ramsay, serves Michelin-level British cooking, and Kaspar's Seafood Bar and Grill sits in the room with the Kaspar cat statue, a long-running hotel legend. Afternoon Tea runs at the Thames Foyer under its glass dome — a classic London afternoon. The small but plush Savoy Spa has a Roman-style pool, and suites come with a private butler and a top-tier Les Clefs d'Or concierge.

Location and getting there

The Savoy sits on the Strand right on the river. The entrance is on Savoy Court, the only street in Britain where cars are required to drive on the right, so passengers can step out on the right side. Charing Cross and Embankment stations are a 3-minute walk, and Covent Garden and the West End theatres are 5 to 10 minutes on foot — the best base in London if you're here for the shows. Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery are a 5-minute walk. The Heathrow Express via Paddington takes 30 minutes.

Things to know before booking

Rooms start around $1,000 a night — this is the luxury heritage tier, so go in knowing that. The Strand is busier than Mayfair, with buskers and tourists on the street into the late hours. And the City-View rooms simply don't match the River View ones, so budget to upgrade — the river side runs about 30 to 50% more.

Our take

The Savoy is the river-side pick. The score is 9.2/10, it carries a Royal Warrant, and after 135+ years it still feels like a piece of London rather than just a hotel. If you want a window onto Big Ben, the West End at your doorstep and a drink at the bar that wrote the book on cocktails, book a River View and don't look back.