01 Mrz The Ritz, London

A royal palace in the city

The Ritz has a big name. One of the biggest in international hotel business.
The Ritz, that’s royal glamour and belle epoque luxury.

The Ritz hotels in Paris and London were the first in the chain. César Ritz opened the Ritz London in 1906, only three years after opening his very first hotel in Paris. Those two hotels are luxury hotel monuments that remain unparalleled until today. The most famous room of the hotel is the magnificent palm court (see picture above).

Here you can enjoy the most talked about „afternoon tea“. Yes it’s expensive. But you should try the „tea at the Ritz“ at least once in your life. Not only because it has been enjoyed by so many kings and celebrities in the past that one couldn’t even begin to list them. The tea at the Ritz is an experience that you don’t want to miss, an old English tradition in its most elegant form. They serve you the finest teas of the world, accompanied by selected little treats: Scottish smoked salmon with lemon butter, tiny strawberry cakes, and a lot of other things – finger food at the highest level.

Look at the beautiful China in Tiffany blue and gold.

The golden Ritz logo is on the beautiful plates, on which they serve you delicious tea biscuits with every type of tea or coffee. The sugar bowl and tea pot are made of heavy sterling silver. It’s those little details that make the Ritz such a posh place.

The Ritz London is a house of history. Of course Queen Elizabeth had afternoon tea here, and Charlie Chaplin was a regular. Of course the rich and beautiful have been throwing their parties in this hotel forever. But there has also been some serious stuff going on. During world war II the leaders of Great Britain, France and the USA, Churchill, de Gaulle and Eisenhower had a meeting in the Marie Antoinette Suite in order to consult on a strategy against Hitler.

The Ritz is a piece of London just like the Big Ben or the iconic double-decker busses. If you want to visit London properly and with style, you can’t skip the Ritz.

Location

150 PICCADILLY, LONDON. W1J 9BR

The Ritz is located directly on Piccadilly street, right next to Green Park and only five minutes from Piccadilly Circus. It is on the border of Mayfair, the quarter of the super rich with the finest restaurants and the most elegant bars.

It will take you 45 minutes to get to Heathrow Airport by car, even one hour in heavy traffic. It’s rush hour and you’re in a hurry? Take the subway, Green Park station is on the hotels doorstep. The blue Piccadilly line takes you directly to the airport in exactly 50 minutes.

Rooms and Suites

The first category of the hotel is the Superior Queen Room. With only 20 m² it is not huge, but it is tastefully designed in light creamy colours. You can definitely enjoy a long London weekend in this lovely room.

Superior Queen Room in the Ritz. Even the first room category is luxurious.

If you need a little more space, you might want to choose the Superior King Room, which is 24 m² and has a slightly bigger bed (King size instead of Queen size, as the name suggests).

Superior King Room. Noticably more space and bigger beds.

Even though being only a few m² bigger, the Superior King rooms feel much more spacious. For those who plan on staying longer or don’t mind spending a little more, I recommend choosing the Deluxe King Room (36 m²) or the magnificent Junior Suite (46 m²).

The Junior Suite in the Ritz London: A room with style and luxury, in the heart of London.

Breakfast

The Ritz breakfast is wonderful, but not included in the standard room rate. Why don’t you book the „Putting on the Ritz“ package? For a reasonable extra fee you get a bottle of champagne upon arrival, the English Breakfast and one „afternoon tea for two“. Don’t forget to have a look at the homepage before booking. Sometimes they have great offers and the whole package will cost you less than just the regular afternoon tea.

Restaurants and Bars

The Ritz restaurant based upon legend-chef Auguste Escoffier, who was the chef here when Cesar Ritz himself was still running the house, is marvellous. Not only because they received a Michelin star in the Michelin Guide 2017, but also because it is one of the most beautifully designed hotel restaurants (picture).
In the Palm Court you will get served your Afternoon Tea. And the Rivoli Bar is esthetically challenging to me but offers the typical hotel bar atmosphere.

Auguste Escoffier’s restaurant is one of the most beautiful in the world.

It is so surprising that many hotel guests haven’t ever discovered the prettiest spot of the hotel: The Champagne terrace. The Check-In staff didn’t mention it to me and it is quite hidden, but it is truly a magical spot. The terrace is open from May 1st till September 7th, from 3pm to 7pm. On the white fairytale terrace you can have a glass of exquisite Ritz Selection Brut Rosé for 22 GBP or Bollinger, Grande Anneé Rosé 2004 for 34 GBP per glass.

Together with your champagne you will have the chef’s presentation of light Canapes. Tiny but delicious treats such as smoked salmon or steak tartare on little prawn crackers or on salty meringues. There will definitely be something new that you haven’t had before. For only GBP 9 the little canape plate is a steal and guarantees an inimitable afternoon break.

Service

You will get first class service, just as you would expect from a Ritz. Every single staff member is attentive and helpful. The only occasion when you could find unhappy guests is when they are trying to have a seat in jeans and T-Shirt and get reminded of the dress code in the Palm Court.

Spa and Sport

There is a rather basic gym on the 7th floor of the hotel, which is not the strong spot of the hotel. You won’t find more than a crosstrainer, a running belt and a few weights. The small spa is on the same floor and offers a selection of beauty treatments. If you are looking for fitness and a spa in particular, the Ritz is not your first choice.

Price-performance ratio

The Ritz must be expensive, it’s got a name to lose. The hotel guests of the Ritz have enough spare change and might not look at value-for-money-rankings. Still, with the countless little details and the – well deserved – big name the Ritz is worth every penny.