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Lovely old photos of the historic Langham Hotel.
The majestic Langham stands proud after being bombed in 1940
The best London hotels have a sense of history which gives them a certain presence and charisma from the first moment you step inside.
We have a soft spot for such hotels having already featured the histories of the Savoy, the Milestone Hotel, Brown’s, the Goring and the Langham among others, as well as giving a nod to London’s superb Art Deco hotels.
Charming image of staff at the Langham in 1910
But it’s the Langham we’re interested in here. The hotel recently sent us some lovely old photos which show how this long-established institution managed to survive and thrive through the decades. The first image was shown in our recent look at the history of afternoon tea at the Langham.
The images speak for themselves but I feel that the photo of the hotel after its bombing in the 2nd World War (top) is particularly poignant – the entire West Wing was destroyed by bombs in late 1940. It is even reckoned that the Langham is haunted by the ghost of a German soldier to this day!
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This 19th century advert rather quaintly highlights some of the hotel's main selling points
Try to imagine this rich past when you’re next enjoying the award-winning afternoon tea in the hotel’s grandly refurbished Palm Court lounge…
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The old Langham dining room
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Photo credits: The Langham Hotel (Langham Hotels International).
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