The SavoyStory N° 45
The Savoy & Belle Époque London
Sleep in London's first electrified hotel, drink at the American Bar, dine at Rules since 1798 and walk the city that invented the modern hotel.
The itinerary.
3 days · 12 stops
Friday
Day One
Check in at The Savoy on the Strand, an early cocktail in the bar that taught London to drink, then dinner at the city's oldest restaurant.
●
The Savoy Hotel
Opened 1889 as Britain's first fully electrified hotel — Belle Époque marble, mosaic and Lalique glass. Ask for a Thames-side room. thesavoylondon.com
●
American Bar at The Savoy
Open since 1893, the world's oldest surviving cocktail bar. Order a White Lady — invented here by Harry Craddock in the 1920s. Smart casual; reservations strongly advised. thesavoylondon.com
●
Rules Restaurant
Maiden Lane, Covent Garden — London's oldest restaurant (1798). Game from the Lartington Estate, steak-and-kidney pudding, theatre-red velvet booths. rules.co.uk
●
West End play (Theatre Royal Drury Lane or Royal Opera House)
Three-minute walk from Rules. Book matinee or 19:30 evening show; both venues date to the 17th century.
🏨
Hotel
The Savoy thesavoylondon.com · AI hotel ratings: hotelist.com
→
Getting around
- LHR → The Savoy: Heathrow Express to Paddington (15 min, £25), then Bakerloo line to Embankment (10 min), 4-min walk.
- All Day 1 stops within a 10-minute walk of the hotel.
Saturday
Day Two
Trafalgar Square to Mayfair on foot — free museums, classical lunch concert, afternoon tea at The Savoy, dinner in Mayfair's pinkest room.
●
St Martin-in-the-Fields Lunchtime Concert
Trafalgar Square's 18th-century church hosts a free 45-minute classical concert most weekday lunchtimes. The crypt café below is older than the United States. stmartin-in-the-fields.org
●
The National Gallery
Free entry — Van Eyck, Vermeer, Turner. Aim for the Sainsbury Wing on a weekend morning before crowds. nationalgallery.org.uk
●
Afternoon Tea at The Thames Foyer
The Savoy's signature afternoon tea under a winter-garden glass dome and a working baby grand. Two seatings (12:30 and 15:30). Book 4-6 weeks ahead. thesavoylondon.com
●
Sketch (The Gallery)
Pierre Gagnaire's Mayfair art-restaurant — David Shrigley's pink room. Tasting menu, jacket recommended. sketch.london
🏨
Hotel
The Savoy thesavoylondon.com · AI hotel ratings: hotelist.com
→
Getting around
- Hotel → Trafalgar Square: 10 min walk via Strand and Charing Cross.
- Sketch (9 Conduit Street): 12-min walk through Mayfair or a 5-min black-cab ride.
Sunday
Day Three
A Wolseley breakfast, Liberty's Tudor halls, a slow Hyde Park walk, then home.
●
The Wolseley
Piccadilly grand café in a 1921 motor showroom — soft eggs, viennoiserie, kedgeree on Sundays. Reservations open 90 days out. thewolseley.com
●
Liberty London
1875 Tudor-revival department store on Great Marlborough Street — built from the timbers of two Royal Navy ships. The fabric hall on the 4th floor is the soul of the place. libertylondon.com
●
Fortnum & Mason
Founded 1707 — Piccadilly's hamper specialists. The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon upstairs is worth the climb. fortnumandmason.com
●
Hyde Park
350 royal acres — start at Hyde Park Corner, finish at Speakers' Corner. The Serpentine bar barge runs in summer.
🏨
Hotel
The Savoy thesavoylondon.com · AI hotel ratings: hotelist.com
→
Getting around
- Hotel → The Wolseley (Piccadilly): 12-min walk or 6-min cab.
- Wolseley → Liberty: 8-min walk through Regent Street.
- Liberty → Hyde Park: Bakerloo line from Oxford Circus to Marble Arch (4 min).
- To LHR: Heathrow Express from Paddington (15 min, £25) or Elizabeth Line (32 min, £12).
Location.
Frequently asked
How many days do you need for The Savoy & Belle Époque London?
3 days. The itinerary runs from Friday to Sunday and covers 12 curated stops across 3 days.
How much does The Savoy & Belle Époque London cost?
Luxury — €600+ per day per person; expect signature hotels and reserved access.
Where do you stay during The Savoy & Belle Époque London?
The Savoy is the recommended base for the trip; the full hotel list per day is in the itinerary section.
What's included in the The Savoy & Belle Époque London itinerary?
Day-by-day stops at 12 restaurants, museums, viewpoints and landmarks; transportation hints between each leg; and a hotel base in The Savoy.
Going on this trip?
Tag us on Instagram —
Keep reading →
