London Ritz restoration nears completion

LONDON -- A restoration to return London's famous Ritz hotel to its turn-of-the-century grandeur is nearing completion.

The property, long known as "the French chateau in Piccadilly," was the creation of Cesar Ritz in 1906. Its exterior is a mix of French architectural traditions, including an arcaded walkway that, stretching across the full width of the building, evokes the Place Vendome in Paris.

The decor is Louis XVI. Think of floor-to-ceiling windows dressed in brocaded drapes with tassles, 24-carat-gold-leaf borders on wall and door panels, plush patterned carpets in pastel shades, ornate dark wood furniture and marble columns.

"All of the upholsteries [and soft furnishings] were replaced using French imports, all of the marble was scoured clean, and new rugs were woven in Northern Ireland," Umberto Schioppa, the hotel's front office manager, said during a tour of the property.

The public and guest rooms indeed have a more distinct sparkle than they did the last time I visited, in 1995. At that time, the restoration was a gleam in the eye of Giles Shepard, who had just been named managing director and who, over lunch in the Ritz dining room, described his vision of the hotel's renaissance.

Some of his vision stemmed from sketches and information about the construction and original decor of the Ritz contained in a 90-year-old book found in the hotel's basement. Upholstery patterns, furnishings and color schemes depicted in the book were models for the restoration, which so far has racked up a $13 million tab.

Some contemporary enhancements have been part of the upgrade, including the addition of a fitness center and a redesigned hair salon. A masseuse is available during weekdays -- part of the Ritz's movement to address the ills of modern-day stress for guests who find that, perhaps, afternoon tea just isn't soothing enough.

The hotel caters largely to executive business travelers during the week.

It is making a push to lure families for weekend stays, and during my tour Schioppa showed me some junior suites equipped with an extra bed for a child and/or with a crib. (Children under 12 stay free with their parents.)

The Ritz has 128 rooms, including 22 suites. Each room has a fireplace, but it is just for show. Bathrooms are spacious and marble tiled.

Yet to be completed in the restoration process are guest rooms on the sixth and seventh floors and the upper tiers of the property's signature grand staircase. The whole project is due to be finished by June.

Here's a rundown of the hotel's public rooms:

The hotel has three meetings venues: The Marie Antoinette Room, modeled after a room at the Palace of Versailles, can seat 30 and accommodate 90 for a reception; the Trafalgar Suite, with views of Green Park, seats 20, and the Berkeley Suite, which has a dining and a reception room, can handle up to 40, seated.

The Ritz is owned by Barclay Brothers, a London-based investment firm that also owns London's Howard Hotel, a five-star property located just off the Embankment. True to its history as a place where royals and celebrities gathered, the Ritz still attracts the privileged few.

According to Schioppa, Prince Charles attended a wedding held recently at the Ritz. That is not to say, though, that the Ritz staff is any less accommodating to the uncelebrated masses who, through whatever fortunate means, find themselves sipping Earl Grey tea in a guest room here.

A cheery hello awaits visitors

LONDON -- The front door of the Ritz hotel is located in its arcaded walkway that stretches across Piccadilly, but guests cannot enter that way.

"We closed off that door years ago because people would wander in from the street to look around, and it was clear our guests did not appreciate that," Umberto Schioppa, the hotel's front office manager, said.

Guests now enter the Ritz from a side door on Arlington Street. Doormen posted there -- celebrities in their own right and donned in elegant long coats -- often are the focus of tourists' cameras.

Winter rate, weekend plans set

LONDON -- Through April 9, the winter rate for one night at the Ritz runs from about $380 for a standard room and from $600 for a deluxe double. The rate includes one full English breakfast.

Weekend packages include:

Fact Sheet

Phone: (011) 44 171 493-8181

Fax: (011) 44 171 499-7487

Reservations: (800) 525-4800

Location: 150 Piccadilly, London

Number of rooms: 128, including 22 suites.

Nearest tube: Green Park

Representations: Small Luxury Hotels of the World;

Utell International

Rack rates: Standard rooms from about $400; suites from about $890.

Front office manager: Umberto Schioppa

Raves: Luxurious surroundings with a French ambience. A friendly staff eager to please. Spacious rooms each with a fireplace and marble bathroom. A dream location in the heart of Piccadilly within walking distance of West End theaters, Mayfair and Green Park.

Rants: No hairdressing or massage on weekends.