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The Langham, London
London, United Kingdom · Langham · High Luxury
The Prince of Wales opened John Giles's Langham on 10 June 1865, then London's largest modern hotel, with England's first hydraulic lifts and electric light by 1879. Arthur Conan Doyle set scenes of A Scandal in Bohemia and The Sign of Four here. Bombed in the war, it housed the BBC for decades (Guy Burgess once attacked his locked door with a fire extinguisher) before reopening as Langham Hilton in 1991.
- 380 rooms
- Opened 1865
- Neighborhood: Marylebone
- Rooms from 301 sq ft (28 m²)
- Architect: John Giles
- Interiors: Pierre-Yves Rochon
About The Langham, London
- Lucas Brothers built the hotel for £300,000 between 1863 and 1865 with 100 water closets and 36 bathrooms.
- American manager James Sanderson from 1867 drew Mark Twain and financier Hetty Green into a strong U.S. clientele.
- Napoleon III, Oscar Wilde, Dvořák, Toscanini, and Sibelius were among nineteenth- and twentieth-century guests.
- In 1980 the BBC failed to win planning permission to demolish the building for a Norman Foster office scheme.
- Great Eagle Holdings bought the hotel in 1995 and later extended the Langham name across its portfolio.
History
The Langham, London opened on 10 June 1865 after being built by the Lucas Brothers to the design of architect John Giles, and it quickly became known as one of London’s largest and most modern hotels. It introduced then-novel features such as hydraulic lifts and extensive bathing and sanitary facilities, helping define the modern luxury hotel. After changing hands in the 20th century, the building was used by the BBC and then was sold by the BBC in 1986; it reopened as the Langham Hilton in 1991 after a major refurbishment. Great Eagle Holdings later bought the property in 1995 and completed further renovation work, restoring it to its original grandeur and reestablishing it as one of London’s landmark grand hotels.
The setting
The Langham, London stands at 1C Portland Place, facing up the colonnaded sweep of one of Nash's great Regency axes toward Regent's Park. When the hotel opened in 1865, it was Europe's largest and most modern, with the first hydraulic lifts in England and electric light installed by 1879; the Prince of Wales performed the opening ceremony. Napoleon III, Oscar Wilde, Dvořák, and Arthur Conan Doyle — who set Sherlock Holmes stories here — were among its celebrated guests. Broadcasting House, the BBC's 1932 landmark headquarters, stands directly opposite, and the British Museum is nineteen minutes on foot through Bloomsbury. 6-minute walk to posh shops on Bond Street.
Restaurants and bars
- Artesian — Bar · cocktails
- Sparrow Italia — Restaurant · Italian
- Sale e Pepe Mare — Restaurant
- Langham Club Lounge — Room service
- Palm Court — Café · Afternoon tea
- The Wigmore — Restaurant · British tavern
Experiences
- The Langham Club — Club access for Executive Room and Suite guests with breakfast, afternoon tea, evening canapés and private check-in.
- Artesian cocktail bar — Bespoke original or reimagined classic cocktails served with showmanship and service.
- Palm Court afternoon tea — The Langham afternoon tea at Palm Court, plus a limited-edition Strawberry Season Afternoon Tea served 22 June to 2 August.
- Chuan Body + Soul spa and wellness sanctuary — Spa and wellness sanctuary with a 16-metre indoor swimming pool, a fitness studio and holistic signature spa treatments.
- Sauce by The Langham Cookery School — Culinary courses where the hotel's chefs share trade secrets, including a pasta class.
Amenities
- Spa
- Indoor pool
- Sauna
- Fitness center
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- AA Five Red Stars (2025)
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