I don’t understand the negativity. It’s not that they changed the character of the hotel. They used the best material from all over the world and they gave a fresh art deco and Edwardian style. If this is not luxury and glamour, then what it is? On top of that, the hotel now has eco-friendly features, and from the doorman, it looks like all the employees who were available, have their jobs back.
I'm so tired of all this mindless rubbish said about "Americanism" when anything anywhere in the world changes.
The 3 firms involved with this project were all European, the training for management was by a Canadian group and the owner is a Prince of the Saudi Royal Family....
@ReadingMostly Canada is in North America...and it's the imported things, based on American modern hotels. America doesn't have too much of a culture to maintain in this category. Unfortunately England did, and it just lost one of it's best.
@fdfvdfify It sure did, I'm not defending whats been done to the hotel... But as long as you start using the word "North-Americanism" from now on I'll concede that you have an appreciation for discerning detail ... We are talking about cultural sensitivity excuse me.
@fdfvdfify You are right. However, America's culture was based on ideas (not customs). Though many americans want to make their culture like canada's or Britain. Hence, Baseball, Chevrolet, hotdogs, and guns. They will have to learn that their ideas are their bedrock and that they should, could, would not change it.
It shows how much respect people have for history and personality acquired over years. It looks like a Carnival Cruise Ship. Hotels such as the Savoy contained a subtle elegance that is constantly being lost in today's progress for progress's sake world. What stands in that casing of the Savoy is nothing but a symbol of a lack of respect.
The hotel was gutted. Hundreds of fixtures were ripped out and thousands of items auctioned off. For example: Lot number 152 - Large Oak Parquet Dance Floor. Lot number 97 - A White Grand Piano. Lot 21 - Late 19th Century Arm Chairs. Lot 22 - Early 20th Century Arm Chairs. Lot 23 - An Early 20th Century Mahogany Library Table. The list is endless. From the floor tiles beneath your feet to the chandeliers above your head. It's all gone now. I myself bought a vase at the auction.
@Aaron1912 Old items if they are "shabby" can be restored and brought NEW life into them. Old building needs old furnishings, I think, and I think that's what the REAL public wants.
I hope the Ritz hotel and the Queen Mary hotel do not suffer the same fate as the Savoy. Surely the more old fashioned the interiors are, the better! Once a hotel has established it's own personality we should do our best to preserve and maintain it as much as possible, and not rip it apart and start off again with 21st century shabby reproductions. What a horrible sight. Newer generations will probably grow to love it, but for us 20th century folk, the Savoy is gone forever.
Thank you for putting this video of the Savoy. It's HORRIFIC that it was remodeled. It's not like the old Savoy anymore. How could they do this?????? I only thought that kind of sacrilege happened here in the United States. If Europeans are not careful, their culture is going to become Americanized: not care about their history and treating everybody like crap.
It's sad that the Savoy will not be restored to it's former glory. At least we have the memories on YouTube.
@astralagosto It mostly was, apart from the odd mistake like that carpet. The idea being given that every historic feature has been destroyed and replaced with modern stuff is completely untrue.
@Bhoeble Hi Bhoele, I don't agree with you because from what I see in the video, it's been totally remodeled in the modern lounge stupidity and has taken the elegant glamour that the Savoy had. It's a tragedy!!!!!
That's awful. People really underestimate the upsurge in appeal that early twentieth century design is experiencing. Rich old millionaires think it's old and stuffy, but young people just can't get enough of it! We're sick of slick, cheesy, mass-produced stuff!
@ffagffah As I've said in answer to other posts, this video is being completely misinterpreted. Apart from the odd mistake, like that carpet, the restoration is almost entirely built around the appeal of early 20th century design. All the rooms are either Art Deco or Edwardian.
I still can't believe this acctually happened.. It's so sad I never got to see the Savoy hotel as it was back in its golden days. Or maybe I will, when I'm dead.
By the way, the song during the last seconds of the clip was very suitable in the context. 'Let's creep away from the day, for the party's over now.' The party is indeed over, in my case before I ever got to attend it. I wish there was a way to o back in time.
World's first hotel to have electricity in every room.First hotel to have running hot water in every room.The Savoy was never a world beater inside and out and not a serious rival to many European hotels,but it's name is No in Europe.The frontage on the Strand is a visual mess.The river side it is a strange mixture of undefined styles.A great hotel but not as great as it's actual reputation
Some things are better left alone. But, in time everything wears out and has to be replaced and up-dated. Extreme modernization is not always the answer. People often enjoy going back to a more relaxing time and place.........
They saved it from collapse but that was all. In fact they ripped out so much inside they removed a supporting wall and the refurbishment was delayed over a year. I went to the Savoy before and after the changes to see what was different. Boy is it different. The room where the Savoy Orpheans played 'was' just exactly how it looked in the old photographs, but now it's gone and is just a memory (as the song goes). The dance floor is gone too.
to be fair to the Savoy, I went there a few years before they closed and all was visibly not well. The past grandeur was long long gone and it was not as period-untouched as people imagine. Far from it! There were touches of the past here and there but the place was absolutely shagged out knackered and being patched up. Behind the scenes the state was far worse. People who were "regulars" just never notice the slow decay - they only see what they want. Long live the Savoy!
why was it demolished in the first place. in the second place what kind of stupid rich people dont know about restoration hardware and all the other places that can reproduce any antique that was ever made down to the nano measurement. sooo sad. if they'd had half a brain they would have replaced everything just as they found it.
@dyreavenue5 It wasn't demolished. They just removed shabby old fittings (it was so shabby it was a shameful rip off), and replaced with new ones that are almost all in the original style. The old fittings weren't works of art, they were just factory produced stuff, and many of them were post WWII anyway.
A leopard print carpet??? That's not 'racy', that's tacky! WTF were thinking? I think the rest of the Savoy still looks okay, but...it's lost something of its original grandeur. No amount of fancy chandeliers and art prints can fix that.
@gregoryagogo It was heading for bankruptcy the way it was. It was shabby and outdated. Only its trophy status made it financially viable for it to continue to be a hotel.
The online Bonham catalogue still shows all the items sold. Almost everything listed was Mahogany. Bhoeble is talking rubbish. Many items were very old. e.g. Lot 21 - Two late 19th century (Victorian) mahogany armchairs. Lot 23 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany library table. Lot 101 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany bureau. Lot 102 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany side cabinet. Lot 131 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany side table.
continued: Lot 291 - Victorian mahogany writing table. Lot 303 - 18th century King George III mahogany card table. Lot 304 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany side cabinet. Lot 582 - King George III mahogany chest of drawers. Lot 868 - Late 19th century mahogany chair. Lot 950 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany centre table. Lot 975 - Early 20th century mahogany writing desk. Lot 1022 - Early 20th century mahogany chest of drawers
continued: Lot 1383 - Late 19th century French mahogany commode. Lot 1783 - Two late 19th century mahogany side chairs. Lot 1790 - Early Victorian mahogany dressing table. Lot 1872 - Early 20th century mahogany chest of drawers. I counted hundreds of Victorian and Edwardian items sold and the list just goes on and on and on and on..................
@abendstunde49 Apart from the odd mistake, like that carpet, the restoration mostly restored the original style. All the rooms are either Edwardian or Art Deco in style.
@abendstunde49 What you think happen didn't happen. Almost everything was replaced with new fittings in the original Edwardian and Art Deco styles. This video is completely dishonest, focusing on one lapse of taste that is totally untypical of what was actually done.
Thanks for writing back, but I do think this type of "restoration" removes the patina of age and the historic soul of a building, no matter how tasteful the new interior may be!
I WANT MORE EPISODES OF THIS!!! It was so good on ITV, it needs to be like airline but for a hotel, thumbs up if you agree!!!
berniebernie93 2 months ago
I don’t understand the negativity. It’s not that they changed the character of the hotel. They used the best material from all over the world and they gave a fresh art deco and Edwardian style. If this is not luxury and glamour, then what it is? On top of that, the hotel now has eco-friendly features, and from the doorman, it looks like all the employees who were available, have their jobs back.
pittim 3 months ago
I hope they all got their jobs back when it reopened :(
mimimirwitch 6 months ago
I'm so tired of all this mindless rubbish said about "Americanism" when anything anywhere in the world changes.
The 3 firms involved with this project were all European, the training for management was by a Canadian group and the owner is a Prince of the Saudi Royal Family....
ReadingMostly 9 months ago
@ReadingMostly Canada is in North America...and it's the imported things, based on American modern hotels. America doesn't have too much of a culture to maintain in this category. Unfortunately England did, and it just lost one of it's best.
fdfvdfify 9 months ago
@fdfvdfify It sure did, I'm not defending whats been done to the hotel... But as long as you start using the word "North-Americanism" from now on I'll concede that you have an appreciation for discerning detail ... We are talking about cultural sensitivity excuse me.
ReadingMostly 9 months ago
@fdfvdfify You are right. However, America's culture was based on ideas (not customs). Though many americans want to make their culture like canada's or Britain. Hence, Baseball, Chevrolet, hotdogs, and guns. They will have to learn that their ideas are their bedrock and that they should, could, would not change it.
PoliticalWeekly 9 months ago
THERE NEEDS TO BE A DOCUMENTARY SERIES ABOUT THIS HOTEL. it was soooo good! more episodes please!!
berniebernie93 9 months ago
oh no :( OMG
MegaFSXman 10 months ago
oh no :(
MegaFSXman 10 months ago
It shows how much respect people have for history and personality acquired over years. It looks like a Carnival Cruise Ship. Hotels such as the Savoy contained a subtle elegance that is constantly being lost in today's progress for progress's sake world. What stands in that casing of the Savoy is nothing but a symbol of a lack of respect.
kikddabottle 1 year ago
Wow ... its looks like a 1980's noghtclub ... horrible !
burnt62 1 year ago
The hotel was gutted. Hundreds of fixtures were ripped out and thousands of items auctioned off. For example: Lot number 152 - Large Oak Parquet Dance Floor. Lot number 97 - A White Grand Piano. Lot 21 - Late 19th Century Arm Chairs. Lot 22 - Early 20th Century Arm Chairs. Lot 23 - An Early 20th Century Mahogany Library Table. The list is endless. From the floor tiles beneath your feet to the chandeliers above your head. It's all gone now. I myself bought a vase at the auction.
Aaron1912 1 year ago
@Aaron1912 Old items if they are "shabby" can be restored and brought NEW life into them. Old building needs old furnishings, I think, and I think that's what the REAL public wants.
gregoryagogo 1 year ago
I hope the Ritz hotel and the Queen Mary hotel do not suffer the same fate as the Savoy. Surely the more old fashioned the interiors are, the better! Once a hotel has established it's own personality we should do our best to preserve and maintain it as much as possible, and not rip it apart and start off again with 21st century shabby reproductions. What a horrible sight. Newer generations will probably grow to love it, but for us 20th century folk, the Savoy is gone forever.
Aaron1912 1 year ago
I'm an American and this makes me sick! They basically raped the Savoy - tragic!!!
Tadd1925 1 year ago
Thank you for sharing this interesting and sad video with the world.
ourDC888 1 year ago
Hi Aaron,
Thank you for putting this video of the Savoy. It's HORRIFIC that it was remodeled. It's not like the old Savoy anymore. How could they do this?????? I only thought that kind of sacrilege happened here in the United States. If Europeans are not careful, their culture is going to become Americanized: not care about their history and treating everybody like crap.
It's sad that the Savoy will not be restored to it's former glory. At least we have the memories on YouTube.
astralagosto 1 year ago
@astralagosto It mostly was, apart from the odd mistake like that carpet. The idea being given that every historic feature has been destroyed and replaced with modern stuff is completely untrue.
Bhoeble 1 year ago
@Bhoeble Hi Bhoele, I don't agree with you because from what I see in the video, it's been totally remodeled in the modern lounge stupidity and has taken the elegant glamour that the Savoy had. It's a tragedy!!!!!
astralagosto 1 year ago
That's awful. People really underestimate the upsurge in appeal that early twentieth century design is experiencing. Rich old millionaires think it's old and stuffy, but young people just can't get enough of it! We're sick of slick, cheesy, mass-produced stuff!
ffagffah 1 year ago
@ffagffah As I've said in answer to other posts, this video is being completely misinterpreted. Apart from the odd mistake, like that carpet, the restoration is almost entirely built around the appeal of early 20th century design. All the rooms are either Art Deco or Edwardian.
Bhoeble 1 year ago
Comment removed
miguelmouta 1 year ago
I still can't believe this acctually happened.. It's so sad I never got to see the Savoy hotel as it was back in its golden days. Or maybe I will, when I'm dead.
By the way, the song during the last seconds of the clip was very suitable in the context. 'Let's creep away from the day, for the party's over now.' The party is indeed over, in my case before I ever got to attend it. I wish there was a way to o back in time.
daydreamer1991white 1 year ago 4
Watching this I remembered that song played by the Savoy Orpheans... "Ain't that too bad?"
BCravenO4 1 year ago
World's first hotel to have electricity in every room.First hotel to have running hot water in every room.The Savoy was never a world beater inside and out and not a serious rival to many European hotels,but it's name is No in Europe.The frontage on the Strand is a visual mess.The river side it is a strange mixture of undefined styles.A great hotel but not as great as it's actual reputation
davidglow3 1 year ago
Some things are better left alone. But, in time everything wears out and has to be replaced and up-dated. Extreme modernization is not always the answer. People often enjoy going back to a more relaxing time and place.........
HarborGuy 1 year ago
@HarborGuy It didn't get an extreme modernisation. Almost everything inside is Art Deco or Edwardian. This video is designed to mislead people.
Bhoeble 1 year ago
@Bhoeble Oh ok I was in the Savoy visiting a guest in the l970........Glad they saved the "old girl" .
HarborGuy 1 year ago
They saved it from collapse but that was all. In fact they ripped out so much inside they removed a supporting wall and the refurbishment was delayed over a year. I went to the Savoy before and after the changes to see what was different. Boy is it different. The room where the Savoy Orpheans played 'was' just exactly how it looked in the old photographs, but now it's gone and is just a memory (as the song goes). The dance floor is gone too.
Aaron1912 1 year ago
to be fair to the Savoy, I went there a few years before they closed and all was visibly not well. The past grandeur was long long gone and it was not as period-untouched as people imagine. Far from it! There were touches of the past here and there but the place was absolutely shagged out knackered and being patched up. Behind the scenes the state was far worse. People who were "regulars" just never notice the slow decay - they only see what they want. Long live the Savoy!
pianolasociety 1 year ago
why was it demolished in the first place. in the second place what kind of stupid rich people dont know about restoration hardware and all the other places that can reproduce any antique that was ever made down to the nano measurement. sooo sad. if they'd had half a brain they would have replaced everything just as they found it.
dyreavenue5 1 year ago
@dyreavenue5 It wasn't demolished. They just removed shabby old fittings (it was so shabby it was a shameful rip off), and replaced with new ones that are almost all in the original style. The old fittings weren't works of art, they were just factory produced stuff, and many of them were post WWII anyway.
Bhoeble 1 year ago
A leopard print carpet??? That's not 'racy', that's tacky! WTF were thinking? I think the rest of the Savoy still looks okay, but...it's lost something of its original grandeur. No amount of fancy chandeliers and art prints can fix that.
datalal624 1 year ago
Imagine all the lost revenue from all the people that will NOT return! Can they put it all back the way it was?
gregoryagogo 1 year ago
@gregoryagogo It was heading for bankruptcy the way it was. It was shabby and outdated. Only its trophy status made it financially viable for it to continue to be a hotel.
Bhoeble 1 year ago
@Bhoeble RESTORATION is far better. The look could have been kept... anytime Mahogany is RIPPED OUT it can't be good.
gregoryagogo 1 year ago
The online Bonham catalogue still shows all the items sold. Almost everything listed was Mahogany. Bhoeble is talking rubbish. Many items were very old. e.g. Lot 21 - Two late 19th century (Victorian) mahogany armchairs. Lot 23 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany library table. Lot 101 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany bureau. Lot 102 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany side cabinet. Lot 131 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany side table.
Aaron1912 1 year ago
continued: Lot 291 - Victorian mahogany writing table. Lot 303 - 18th century King George III mahogany card table. Lot 304 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany side cabinet. Lot 582 - King George III mahogany chest of drawers. Lot 868 - Late 19th century mahogany chair. Lot 950 - Early 20th century (Edwardian) mahogany centre table. Lot 975 - Early 20th century mahogany writing desk. Lot 1022 - Early 20th century mahogany chest of drawers
Aaron1912 1 year ago
continued: Lot 1383 - Late 19th century French mahogany commode. Lot 1783 - Two late 19th century mahogany side chairs. Lot 1790 - Early Victorian mahogany dressing table. Lot 1872 - Early 20th century mahogany chest of drawers. I counted hundreds of Victorian and Edwardian items sold and the list just goes on and on and on and on..................
Aaron1912 1 year ago
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO "MODERNIZATION" JUST FUCKS EVERYTHING UP.
gregoryagogo 1 year ago 2
4:03 "The River Room...now looks like a pizza joint." That, sadly says it all.
TigerRocket 1 year ago
SO SAD...ONE OF MY DREAMS FLY AWAY. I WISH A COULD SEE THIS WODERFUL HOTEL ONCE IN MY LIFE, BUT LIVING IN BRAZIL A HARD LIFE I COULDN´T
THANK YOU MR. AARON FOR POST THE PHOTOS AND WONDERFUL MUSIC..
VIVICANAL4 1 year ago
They really destroyed the restaurant with the leopard print carpet.
meowcatcool 1 year ago
I love the song at the end. :)
CupboardNinja 1 year ago
How sad!
I thought that sort of thing happened only in America!
abendstunde49 1 year ago 6
@abendstunde49 Apart from the odd mistake, like that carpet, the restoration mostly restored the original style. All the rooms are either Edwardian or Art Deco in style.
Bhoeble 1 year ago
@abendstunde49 What you think happen didn't happen. Almost everything was replaced with new fittings in the original Edwardian and Art Deco styles. This video is completely dishonest, focusing on one lapse of taste that is totally untypical of what was actually done.
Bhoeble 1 year ago
@Bhoeble
Thanks for writing back, but I do think this type of "restoration" removes the patina of age and the historic soul of a building, no matter how tasteful the new interior may be!
abendstunde49 1 year ago