Landmark London hotel opens historic suite
The Grosvenor Hotel has completed an 18-month renovation with the opening of an opulent suite commemorating its most infamous former guest – or should we say, non-guest.
London’s oldest railway hotel has unveiled the ‘Courtesan’s Boudoir – The Cora Pearl Suite’ marking a time in the hotel’s 150-year history when the feted Parisian courtesan Cora Pearl was turned away from its doors.
Cora, who counted royalty among her illustrious clientele, made a rare visit to London in 1870.
On arriving at Victoria Station – the then gateway to London – she booked a suite at The Grosvenor Hotel only to be refused entry when stories of her hedonistic lifestyle surfaced.
The luxurious rococo-themed suite draws its inspiration from the French interior styling of the late 1800s with glass chandeliers, feather trimmed lamps, damask wallpaper and silver finished furniture.
The centre piece is a free-standing ‘infinity’ bath, elevated on a marble tile plinth – a replica of the personally engraved, bronze bath that Cora had specially cast for her in Paris and which she famously filled with vintage champagne in which to bathe with her suitors.
The Grosvenor Hotel’s general manager, Michael Parker, explained: "Much of the work to restore the hotel has been in association with English Heritage."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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