Photo essay: Celebrating New Year’s Day at Claridge’s, London (Includes interview and first-hand account)

Claridge’s was founded in 1812 as Mivart’s Hotel; it became Claridge’s in 1854 when the property was sold on. Today the hotel is part of the The Maybourne Group. This company owns two other five-star luxury hotels in London: The Berkeley and The Connaught.

While London’s other classy hotels — The Ritz, The Savoy, and Grosvenor House — compete with Claridge’s in opulence, they do not have the hotel’s richness of history and magnificence of clientele. For example, a war-exhausted Winston and Clementine Churchill retreated to the hotel in 1945. More recently, from Burton and Taylor and Cary Grant to Mick Jagger, Bono and Lady Gaga, many famous people have taken rooms or suites.

Much of the hotel is laid out in Art Deco style. Deco emphasizes geometric forms: spheres, polygons, rectangles, trapezoids, zigzags, chevrons, and sunburst motifs.

One of Claridge’s hallways, this one leads into the tea room.

Tim Sandle

The Art Deco style is most apparent in the tea room. Much of the room is mirrored.

Tim Sandle

Some say that there is no place that delivers the combination of service and quality that Claridge’s does. One of the best places to experience this service is in taking afternoon tea. There are 24 specially blended teas on offer, together with a range of cakes and scones. Each course is delivered by waiters with an effortless air of refinement.

Afternoon tea taken at Claridge’s. Here a selection of cakes and champagne is on display.

Tim Sandle

The lobby is gorgeous and it is interesting watching people go about their business. There is a black-and-white marble floor and close by there is a gracefully designed staircase.

Claridge’s has become famed for its Christmas tree display: most years the tree is designed and decorated by someone notable in the fashion industry. This season the tree was decorated by Dolce & Gabbana, with elements personally selected by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The tree brings a magical woodland to life.

Claridge’s Christmas tree changes each year. The 2014-2015 tree has a woodland theme.

Tim Sandle

The video below describes the process of putting the tree together:

The tree is adorned with over 300 glass baubles. The tree is some 22 feet tall.

A different, and slightly smaller, Christmas tree is located in the tea room. This tree is also splendidly decorated.

Tim Sandle

Indeed there are many decorative displays in the hotel dedicated to a woodland theme.

One of the Christmas woodland themes on display at Claridge’s.

Tim Sandle

A Nutcracker themed mantle, at Claridge’s hotel.

Tim Sandle

The woodland and bird theme is striking. This view is in front of the tea room.

Tim Sandle

Other parts of the hotel are well presented and nicely decorated.

One of the lounge areas at Claridge’s hotel, this one looks particularly comforting for the winter.

Tim Sandle

One of the landing areas at Claridge’s, leading to the guest bedrooms.

Tim Sandle

Digital Journal’s visit to Claridge’s was enjoyable, and although only the tea was sampled, the visit gave an idea of how the rich, powerful and famous spend their leisure time.

Good bye to Claridges, the exit through the hotel lobby.

Tim Sandle