Destination decadence returns to The Strand

Three years and £220 million later, London's Savoy Hotel (the self-styled first luxury hotel in Britain – on account of being the only to offer hot and cold running water in the bedrooms) reopened its doors on The Strand.

The Savoy

As an old stomping ground for the great and the glamorous, this reincarnation has a lot to live up to. The ghosts of Frank Sinatra, Charlie Chaplin and Marlene Dietrich still hang heavy in the lobby with its micro-museum of tokens they left behind during a stay, and in the luxe suites named after them. But how would these illustrious guests fit in at The Savoy, mark two?

Since no expense has been spared in its pursuit of luxury, over budget and over its due date, The Savoy is lavish to the core. The new design marries its Edwardian origins with Art Deco finesse, with interior designer Pierre Yves Rochon bringing the glitz and glamour of the Jazz Age back to the 268 guest rooms and nine suites.

The iconic American Bar gets a little face-lift, but remains true to its cigars-and-whisky ambience, while the Savoy Grill comes under Gordon Ramsay's stable. The new Beaufort Bar has all the hallmarks of a Champagne Charlie hot spot, while the quaint Savoy Tea Shop will be looking after the lucrative afternoon tea crowd.

A dinosaur that has been successfully resurrected, The Savoy is bringing decadence back to the West End.

Rooms start from £350 per night.