Editing Claridge's (section)

==History==
===Founding===
Claridge's traces its origins to Mivart's Hotel, which was founded in 1812 in a conventional London [[terraced house]] and grew by expanding into neighbouring houses. In 1854, the founder (the father of biologist [[St. George Jackson Mivart]]) sold the hotel to William and Marianne Claridge, who owned a smaller hotel next door. They combined the two operations, and after trading for a time as "Mivart's late Claridge's", they settled on the current name.

The reputation of the hotel was confirmed in 1860, when [[Empress Eugenie]] made an extended visit and entertained [[Queen Victoria]] at the hotel.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/hotels/claridges-an-opulent-hotel-where-every-polished-corner-tells-a-story-8395674.html |title=Claridges: An opulent hotel where every polished corner tells a story |publisher=[[The Independent]] |work=independent.co.uk |date=9 December 2012 |access-date=10 December 2012 |archive-date=22 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222161711/https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/hotels/claridges-an-opulent-hotel-where-every-polished-corner-tells-a-story-8395674.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In its first edition of 1878, [[Baedeker]]'s London listed Claridge's as "The first hotel in London".<ref>{{cite web |author=Louis Gerber |url=http://www.cosmopolis.ch/travel/london/claridge_s.htm |title=Claridge's |publisher=Cosmopolis.ch |date=1 September 2004 |access-date=10 April 2017 |archive-date=12 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230112014348/https://cosmopolis.ch/claridges/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Acquisitions===
[[File:Claridges C. W. Stephens, architect, 1897 edited.jpg|thumb|left|Drawing of the current Claridge's building from 1897, the year before the reopening]]
[[Richard D'Oyly Carte]], the theatrical impresario and founder of the rival [[Savoy Hotel]], purchased Claridge's in 1893, as part of The Savoy Group, and shortly afterwards demolished the old buildings and replaced them with the present ones. This was prompted by the need to install modern facilities such as [[elevator|lifts]] and [[en suite]] bathrooms. From 1894 to 1901, [[Édouard Nignon]] was the hotel chef.

===19th and 20th centuries===
The new Claridge's, built by [[Trollope & Colls|George Trollope & Sons]], opened in 1898.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=074-btrl&cid=0 |title=Trollope & Colls |publisher=National Archives |access-date=27 July 2019 |archive-date=1 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101181550/http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=074-btrl&cid=0 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is a Grade II [[listed building]].<ref>{{NHLE |num=1219905 |desc=Grade II |access-date=22 December 2008}}</ref> The hotel has 203 rooms and suites and around 400 staff.

After the [[First World War]], Claridge's flourished due to demand from aristocrats who no longer maintained a London house, and under the leadership of Carte's son, [[Rupert D'Oyly Carte]], an extension was built in the 1920s. During the [[Second World War]], it was the base of the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]]'s government in exile and home of [[Peter II of Yugoslavia]].

In 1996, the foyer was restored by architect [[Thierry Despont]].<ref>{{cite web | last=Foulkes | first=Nick | title=Thierry Despont: inside the mind of the chameleon architect | website=Financial Times | date=26 March 2020 | url=https://www.ft.com/content/06adac07-4c27-410a-8eb8-6912a5f6cdbb | access-date=17 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Art Deco Hotel in Mayfair: Design & Features | website=Claridge's | url=https://www.claridges.co.uk/about-the-hotel/design-features/ | ref={{sfnref | Claridge's}} | access-date=17 January 2023}}</ref>

In 1998, the group of hotels—along with the later-added [[The Connaught (hotel)|Connaught]]—was sold for $867 million to two American private-equity funds, [[The Blackstone Group|Blackstone]] and [[Colony Capital]].<ref name="To Capture Claridge's">Dana Vachon (August 2014), [http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2014/08/claridges-hotel-london-battle To Capture Claridge's] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920112357/http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2014/08/claridges-hotel-london-battle |date=20 September 2014 }} ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''.</ref>

===21st century renovation and relaunch===
In 2005, the private-equity owners sold The Savoy Group, including Claridge's, to a group of Irish investors led by [[Derek Quinlan]]. The investors later sold the [[Savoy Hotel]] and [[Savoy Theatre]] and renamed the group [[Maybourne Hotel Group]].<ref name="Foulkes 2020">{{cite web | last=Foulkes | first=Nick | title=The man behind the most spectacular makeover in Claridge's history | website=Financial Times | date=16 December 2020 | url=https://www.ft.com/content/0b6d50b6-6f2e-430c-a6a0-13c67349f703 | access-date=17 January 2023}}</ref><ref name="To Capture Claridge's"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/savoy-group-changes-name-after-deal-bnhr9m2mtks |last1=Walsh |first1=Dominic |title="Savoy Group changes name after deal" |work=[[The Times]] |date=January 25, 2005 |access-date=January 7, 2023 |archive-date=7 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107232520/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/savoy-group-changes-name-after-deal-bnhr9m2mtks |url-status=live }}</ref> The Maybourne Hotel Group includes two other five-star hotels in London, [[The Berkeley]] and [[The Connaught (hotel)|The Connaught]].

Between 2016 and 2021, the hotel was renovated and expanded as part of a "relaunch" by co-owner [[Paddy McKillen]]. The top two floors were replaced by a four-storey, 14-bedroom extension that included a penthouse with swimming pool, gym, private lake, and {{convert|1800|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} grand salon.<ref>{{cite web |author=Lauren Eads |url=https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2016/09/claridges-plans-five-storey-iceberg-basement/ |title=Claridge's plans five-storey 'iceberg' basement |publisher=The Drinks Business |date=8 September 2016 |access-date=2 January 2023 |archive-date=2 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102223030/https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2016/09/claridges-plans-five-storey-iceberg-basement/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A {{cvt|22|m|ft|adj=mid|-deep}} excavation was dug beneath the Art Deco 1920s extension to create a five-level basement. Construction work was largely done by hand to avoid disturbing guests, and the hotel continued in operation throughout the building work.<ref>{{cite web |author=Lynne Kelleher |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/groundbreaking-irish-miners-who-dug-out-subterranean-extension-to-claridges-by-hand-feature-in-new-bbc-series-42255462.html |title=Groundbreaking – Irish miners who dug out subterranean extension to Claridge's by hand feature in new BBC series |publisher=Independent.ie |date=1 January 2023 |access-date=2 January 2023 |archive-date=1 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101130527/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/groundbreaking-irish-miners-who-dug-out-subterranean-extension-to-claridges-by-hand-feature-in-new-bbc-series-42255462.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The project was recorded in a BBC documentary series, ''The Mayfair Hotel Megabuild''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-92gg22/the-mayfair-hotel-megabuild-season-1/ |title=The Mayfair Hotel Megabuild Season 1 |website=Radio Times |access-date=2 January 2023 |archive-date=2 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102223031/https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-92gg22/the-mayfair-hotel-megabuild-season-1/ |url-status=live }}</ref>