A hotel's historyLondon's Claridge's celebrates 100 years of luxurious splendorApril 3, 1998Web posted at: 4:02 p.m. EST (2102 GMT) From CNN Style Reporter Elsa Klensch LONDON (CNN) -- A monument to the Victorian era and the wealth of the industrial age, Claridge's hotel in London's West End celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. In that time, the hotel has been home to royalty, statesmen and the aristocracy of stage and screen. To mark century milestone, Claridge's 197 bedrooms and suites have had complete face-lifts. Hotel spokesman David Broadhead says diverse clients require diverse styles -- Victorian, Edwardian, art deco, art nouveau, as well as modern. For instance, the vestibule is art deco while the front hall is Edwardian. "(The front hall) was redesigned in the 1920s," Broadhead said. "So you have that wonderful juxtaposition of that with this marvelous art deco vestibule before walking into this marvelous Edwardian front hall. ... You can see all the different styles there ... but it works wonderfully well." The front hall is dominated by a grand staircase. Its ornate splendor is glamorously reflected in the halls large, arched mirrors. Those, Broadhead said, come from about 1929, the cross-over between art deco and art nouveau.
Dining in Edwardian luxuryThe dining room, too, has an extensive restoration history. "It's obviously (originally) very Edwardian splendor with lots of jeweled pillows and big arches and the wood paneling," Broadhead explained. "And then (designer) Basil Onnodese came in ... and gave it this very art deco feel that it now has." The mirrors here depict landscapes, including one called the golden apple. The color scheme is a skin-flattering peach -- and hasn't changed in the past 25 years. The tables are new, the chairs traditional, yet large and comfortable. The service is personal, and the food is "classic English/French cuisine" with some modern touches, said Broadhead. A recent addition to Claridge's grand tradition is a gym -- complete with treadmills, stairmasters, rowing machines and a free weight section. It has been open for about a year.
A prince is bornSuite 212 has a dramatic green foyer -- but its claim to fame came during World War II. The room is the birthplace of Yugoslavia's Crown Prince Alexander, after his parents' exile. Broadhead said the occasion generated "much diplomatic running around" until it was decided "that the suite 212 would become Yugoslavian soil for a period." "(The Crown Prince) still comes quite often actually," Broadhead revealed. The suite is now known as the piano suite because of its grand piano. Its new decoration is by London interior designer Tessa Kennedy. "She chose a regency theme," Broadhead said. "The suite is part of the Edwardian building so it's really very ornate -- large rooms, high ceilings, plaster work." Burnt orange drapes compliment original sofas, which have been re-upholstered. The antique clock on the mantle is French. High-tech phone, fax and televisions are unobtrusive. In the suite's bedroom, the bed's foot and headboards are original mahogany, stripped and covered in pink wax. The prints on the walls were chosen by the designer to complement the room. Broadhead added that Claridge's "very high degree of personal service" sets it apart from other London hotels. "It offers a secure environment and it is really a home away from home," he said. 
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