The Dorchester
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The Dorchester is a five-star luxury hotel in London on the east side of Hyde Park . It is one of the most prestigious and expensive hotels in the world.
The Dorchester opened on April 18, 1931, but retained the furnishings and ambience of the 1930s despite modernizations. Throughout its history, the hotel has been closely associated with the rich and famous.
history
In the 1930s it became known as a meeting place for many writers and artists such as the poet Cecil Day-Lewis , the writer W. Somerset Maugham and the painter Sir Alfred Munnings . Prestigious literary gatherings were held, such as the Foyles Literary Luncheons, an event that the hotel still hosts today. During the Second World War, the hotel was considered one of the safest buildings in London because of its stable construction.
On July 10, 1947, the future Queen Elizabeth II visited the Dorchester the day before her engagement was announced; Since then the hotel has been popular with film actors, models and rock stars. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were frequent guests during the 1960s and 1970s.
In the 1950s, the set designer Oliver Messel changed the interior of the hotel several times. In January 1981 the house was listed as a historical monument . In 1985 the Sultan of Brunei bought the hotel. Between 1988 and 1990 the hotel was renovated for $ 100 million. It is operated by the luxury hotel chain Dorchester Collection, owned by the state-owned Brunei Investment Agency .
Furnishing
The Dorchester has 250 rooms, 49 suites and five restaurants: Alain Ducasse (three Michelin stars ), The Grill , The Spatisserie , The Promenade and China Tang .
Harry Craddock , a well-known barman in the 1930s, invented the Dorchester of London cocktail here . An illuminated plane tree stands in the hotel's front garden and was recognized as one of the Great Trees of London in 1997 by the London Tree Forum and the Countryside Commission.
