Styles of Hotels

The Greater London area has over 100,000 hotel rooms, and the city states that there are over 70,000 hotels ranging from 3 to 5 stars within 10 kilometers of Central London. In recent years alone, there have been over 1000 hotel rooms that opened in London. Still, modern hotels started popping up since the early 19th century. Before that, some smaller types of hotels were prevalent in the city to serve travelers.

A prime example of such a hotel fashioned in Victorian trappings is the Langham Hotel, currently one of the best known grand hotels in the traditional style. Back when it opened in 1865, the hotel was considered the largest hotel in the city-and also the most modern. While the hotel has undergone some extensive renovations over the years, it remains one of the most iconic structures in the London hotel scene.

The London Hilton was built with modern design influences, on top of being the tallest hotel in the city.

The Ritz hotel needs no introduction to most people. Synonymous with grandeur and luxury, this building with French chateau styling is similar to it's sister, the Hotel Ritz Paris. Charles Mewes, who also worked on the Hotel Ritz Paris, was co-architect with Arthur Davis.

The Franklin Hotel in Knightsbridge is styled in English country house style. The Draycott Hotel in Chelsea, in contrast, is formed by three houses built in the 1890s. There are also hotels that are built from Victorian era houses, such as the Baglioni Hotel in South Kensington.

With so many hotels covering a long period of time, it is only natural that London's establishments also depict a great many styles in terms of overall design and architecture. Charles Barry and Charles Edward Barry, were the minds that conceptualized the design of the Andaz Hotel when it was first opened in 1884 in Liverpool Street Station. Colonel Robert Edis made the extension of the hotel possible in 1901. This hotel was closed for three years from 1997-2000 while undergoing a 70million pound renovation. This hotel was originally known as the Great Eastern Hotel, until it changed its name in November 2007.

J.T. Knowles designed the Grosvenor Hotel in Victoria Station when it first opened in 1861. Knowles incorporated elegant Italian style with French Renaissance in designing the roof of the hotel. It was the first hotel to feature elevators or "ascending rooms" as they called it that time. Lewis Cubitt was the genius behind the Great Northern Hotel, situated at the Kings Cross Station. To make way for the channel tunnel link, the hotel was later demolished. The hotel closed in February 2001 and it was now used to house railway offices.

Robert William Ellis designed the Great Central Hotel in Marylebone Station when it first opened in 1899. It reopened in 1993 as a luxury hotel, but two years later after it was sold to a new company, they changed the name to Landmark Hotel.

Edward Middleton Barry was the mind behind Charing Cross Hotel in Charing Cross Station when it opened on May 15, 1865. This hotel was known as UK's first railway hotel based from the efforts of Albert the Prince Consort. The hotel underwent major remodelling in 1936 and 1938 and it changed its name to Hilton Paddington in 2002