The Savoy Hotel

TQ3080NE SAVOY COURT WC2 16-JAN-1981 Savoy Hotel 1900/72/138

GV II

Includes: The Savoy Hotel (between Savoy Court and Savoy Place), STRAND WC2

Hotel. The Savoy Place-Embankment side block 1886-89 by T. E. Collcutt with A. H. Mackmurdo as interior consultant, for Richard D'Oyly Carte; 1903-04 Savoy Court extension to Strand by the same team; 1910, river front refaced in artificial stone, probably by Collcutt; 1929 forecourt awning and alterations by Sir Howard Robertson of Easton and Robertson; Savoy Place entrance and canopy c.1960 and interiors altered in the mid 1970s. The Collcutt blocks of brick construction with innovatory use of steel joists, faced in Doulton's Carrara ware with green pantile roofs. Eclectic Renaissance. The earliest Savoy Place block had its south front of 8 storeys and attic, 9 bays wide, fully balconied as columned galleries with the 1st and 2nd floor terrace-balconies articulated by a giant order. These features survive on the side elevations with central canted projections on the front, raised by one attic storey, the 1910 refacing glazed in the terrace-balconies between the giant order and closed in the floors above with 4-1ight bronze casement windows alternating with single light bathroom windows in a remarkably restrained and rational design. Decoration is confined to the attic with swag ornament over the aediculed bathroom windows directly beneath the crowning cornice. The Savoy Court block of 1903-04 is of 7 storeys, 8 windows wide with a north return wing to the forecourt, Hotel entrance to Collcutt's design, has coupled rusticated Doric columns of polished buff and black stone. Covering the forecourt is Howard Robertson's latticework awning of bolted steel beams, filled with glass. Stainless steel pediment fascia lettered in gilt sanserif "SA VOY" and surmounted by gilt statue, similar to Savoy Theatre q. v. fascia to right. Canopies step down to Strand on either side of Savoy Court access road; stainless steel trim to their fascias with strip lighting in frosted glass casing. Five frosted glass lanterns hang within the forecourt awning. The upper floors remain as Collcutt left them with architraved windows and in the top 2 storeys a loggia-arcade with engaged Ionic columns and figure sculpture; string courses and bold crowning cornice. The original Mackmurdo interiors have virtually disappeared and the 1929 work has also been altered in the 19705 refurbishment. D'Oyly Carte conceived his innovatory hotel on the latest American model, and exceptionally for its date (ie first block of 1889) 70 bathrooms were provided as well as hydraulic lifts and electric light throughout. It was, however, the brilliant management of Cesar Ritz combined with the talents of the great Escoffier that ensured the Savoy's success in the highest echelons of society, attracting to a hotel for the first time the nobility and the Prince of Wales' circle.

Listing NGR: TQ3054880671