OVER A CENTURY OF LUXURY SERVICE
Today, The Goring remains a favourite address and hidden gem for anyone seeking out that Quintessentially English Luxury Hotel in centre of London.
Through four generations of the Goring family the hotel has come to deliver some of the finest personal service in the world. This world class guest experience is set against the elegant backdrop of the rest of the hotel. From the Linley designed Dining Room celebrating the very best of British cuisine, to the artistry of the hand woven Gainsborough Silks which adorn the walls so gracefully, The Goring is a wonder to behold. The inside of the hotel is beautifully enhanced by The Goring Gardens – one of the largest private gardens in the capital. The Gardens, as well as the Lounge Bar, provide guests with the perfect setting to enjoy the award winning Afternoon Tea and The Goring is proud to be leading the way in restoring this wonderfully English pastime to popularity once again.
With only 69 luxurious rooms and suites The Goring is affectionately known as a “Baby Grand”. It is the finest of traditional hotels in the perfect location but with the most intimate of atmospheres and personalised attention.
LUXURY ROOMS & SUITES
Having been lovingly refurbished, our sumptuous suites and rooms offer supreme comfort, time-honoured style and luxury – showcasing excellent British craftsmanship.
Each room at The Goring has been individually decorated by renowned British designers, featuring uniquely selected wallpapers, crisp Italian linen and lovingly crafted bespoke furniture. Refined elegance blends with subtle, state-of-the-art technology, including complimentary WiFi, air conditioning, mood lighting and TV with digital on-demand entertainment. The marble bathrooms feature Molton Brown toiletries and the finest Egyptian cotton towels and bathrobes.
HISTORY
Built by Jeremy’s great-grandfather Otto Goring in 1910, The Goring has been lovingly run by the Goring family since its inception.
A visionary, Otto Goring saw great promise in a plot of land situated at the Buckingham Palace end of what today is known as Beeston Place. After removing a public house and several cottages the path was laid clear for the last grand hotel of the Edwardian era – The Goring.
Opened on the 2nd March 1910 this historic hotel was finally complete, along with en suite facilities and central heating to each and every bedroom – widely believed to be a world first.
The Goring has a long and proud history as one of London’s finest luxury hotels dating back over a century to 1910… 1910 Grand Opening of The Goring by founder Otto Richard Goring – the last hotel built in the reign of King Emperor Edward VII. Each bedroom has ‘en-suite’ bathrooms – the first in the World. Price of a room – 7s 6d (37p)
War
1914 Outbreak of 1st World War. Hotel becomes command centre for Chief of Allied Forces. Direct telephone link between General Pershing and President Wilson. The Allied War Effort is being run from The Goring Kitchen.Goring staff from France and Germany are evacuated, famously walking arm in arm to Victoria station singing each other’s national anthems.
1919 Lady Randolph Churchill comes to live at The Goring and is visited frequently by her son, Mr Winston Churchill.
Peace
1921 “Air-conditioning invented!” O.R. Goring installs enormous fan on roof, piped to every room. Vacuum cleaners are attached via outlets in skirting board – underwear sucked out into the air, blowing across London. Price of a room – 25s (1.25 pounds)
1920-25 The Hon.Violet d’Arcy comes to live at The Goring while she is Lady in Waiting to Queen Mary. The Queen often comes to tea with her at The Goring.
1926 The General Strike. Opening of the new wing and Restaurant
1930 Novelist Anthony Powell is inspired to invent his heroine The Hon. Angela Goring for his epic series of novels ‘A Dance to the Music of Time’ over tea at the hotel.
1937 Coronation of King George Vl. Visit of the Norwegian Crown Prince, who explains his fondness for the hotel by saying ‘at Buckingham Palace I have to share a bath with five people! Here I have one to myself’.
Famous guests – Crown Prince & Princess of Norway; Crown Prince of Sweden
1938 Leslie Nicol, switchboard operator, witnesses Churchill lifting the French Prime Minister Daladier off the floor by his lapels, with Chamberlain looking on. Price of a room – 1.37 pounds
War again
1939 Outbreak of the 2nd World War. Occupancy down to 6%. 150 Polish Officers accommodated. 1944 The first ever colour footage of WWII is made. The Fox film crew stay at The Goring on their way to board landing craft for the D-Day Invasion.
Famous guests – Grand Duchess Xenia of Russia
1944 Mrs Goring’s salad invented. To beat rationing, Edna Goring invents a special dish from “whatever we can find”, including, hare, whale, and on one occasion, an antelope shot by an officer in the Western Desert campaign. No rabbit is safe in the Goring garden.
1945 Peace declared. Election of Labour Government and the austerity years. The King and Queen come to The Goring for sausages and scrambled eggs with the Princesses.
Lasting Peace
1948 Christening of Prince Charles, with Christening Cake supplied by the Escoffier-trained Goring pastry chefs.
Famous guests – Princess Eugenie of Greece
1952 Death of King George VI.
1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth lI Vast influx of foreign royalty come to stay at the Goring, which becomes an annexe to Buckingham Palace.
Famous guests – Prince of Denmark; Prince & Princess Charles of Lichtenstein; Many members of the Royal Family of Greece; Harold Macmillan (Prime Minister 1957-1963); Clement Atlee (Prime Minister 1945-1951)
The ‘60’s
1960 50th Birthday. The Swinging Sixties. Jean Shrimpton causes consternation at The Goring by appearing in one of the first mini skirts. Price of a room – 4 pounds.
Famous guests – Princess Kitiyahara of Thailand; The Royal Family of Nepal; Sir Alec Douglas-Home (Prime Minister 1963-1964)
‘70’s, ‘80’s Annual visits from Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother as Patron of the Injured Jockeys Fund. Price of a room in 1970 – 4.50 pounds.
Famous guests – Baroness Thatcher (Prime Minister 1979-1990); Harold Wilson (Prime Minister 1964-1970 & 1974-1976); Baron Callaghan (Prime Minister 1976-1979)
Modern times
Famous guests – Terry Wogan (Broadcaster); David Frost (Broadcaster); Michael Heseltine (Politician); Christopher Plummer (Actor); Sarah, Duchess of York, Vanessa Redgrave (Actress); President of Mexico
1990 George Goring accepts an O.B.E. from Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace for “services to the hotel industry”.
2005 Acquisition of the gardens from the Duke of Westminster.
Retirement of Mr George Goring on March 22nd after 43 years at the helm. Appointment of 4th generation Jeremy Goring.
Opening of the new Dining Room, designed by David Linley. The Dining Room voted best British Restaurant by ITV Carlton TV, in front of 5 million viewers.
The Goring voted number one hotel in London by readers of Travel + Leisure Magazine.
2006 The Goring is the only family owned and run 5* deluxe hotel in London.
Again voted the best hotel in London by readers of Travel + Leisure Magazine
2010 The Goring Centenary.
LONDON’S QUINTESSENTIAL BAR EXPERIENCE
Tucked away in the wonderfully English district of Belgravia, the Goring Bar serve as the perfect sanctuary for those seeking a discreet luxury experience. From a relaxed evening drink with work colleagues, to a drinks party with friends or family the Goring Bar is a haven for anyone wanting to escape the relentless pace of the city – be they Lords and Ladies or ladies-who-lunch.
Designed by Tim Gosling, The Goring Lounge Bar exudes a refined Edwardian elegance that complements the style and décor of the rest of the hotel beautifully. Never stuffy and always welcoming, the Goring Bar is run by our lovable Irish rogue Brian Kinsella who prides himself in delivering the finest personal service to each of his guests.
The Goring Bar boast a plethora of the finest drinks from around the world, from hundreds of reserve malt whiskey to vintage wines from the Goring Cellar. The bar staff will be able to suggest a drink for any palate or occasion.
This is the perfect spot to ‘unplug’ yourself from the city! As a place of refuge from the hustle and bustle of the capital we ask that our guests help us preserve this sense of calm and tranquillity by switching off mobile telephones and laptops.
BEAUTIFUL GARDEN VIEWS OF BELGRAVIA
The Goring Veranda is unique in London in offering guests and non-guests alike the chance to enjoy an afternoon tea or chilled glass of Bollinger overlooking the picturesque Goring Garden – the size of centre court at Wimbledon.
LUXURY LONDON DINING
For over a century the Goring family has been committed to delivering an unparalleled five star experience to its guests and this is certainly not limited to our elegant accommodation. Food and drink is deeply rooted in the history and tradition of the hotel and has made a large contribution to placing The Goring on the international luxury hotel stage.
THE GORING DINING ROOM
The Linley designed Goring Dining Room is a wonderful sight to behold. The Edwardian dining room is home to British cuisine of the finest quality from our Eggs Drumkilbo (a favourite of The Queen Mother’s upon her visits) to our delectable Beef Wellington. Matched with the finest personal service the dining experiences at The Goring rivals any dining experience in the capital. Our expert Sommelier team are also always on hand to make the perfect wine recommendations to create a truly unforgettable dining experience. The Goring breakfast is also served in the dining room for guests or anyone seeking the perfect breakfast to start the day.
A CELEBRATION OF LUXURY BRITISH CUISINE
Beautifully designed by Royal designer Linley, the award winning Goring Dining Room celebrates the finest of British cuisine. Lit by breath-taking Swarovski chandeliers at night and bathed in natural light from Victoria Square and the leafy Beeston Place during the day, the dining room excels for any occasion. The London buzz is ever present without ever sacrificing the innate elegance of the hotel.
For a breakfast, lunch or dinner the Edwardian inspired dining room serves as the perfect setting for treating oneself and your loved ones to a truly decadent dining experience. Head Chef and Jeremy have travelled far and wide across the British Isles to source the finest quality produce to create our wonderfully British menus. Our Clarence court eggs and Romney Marsh beef are particular favourites for guests.
On hand at all times are our knowledgeable Sommelier team led by our Head Sommelier Damien. Damien and his team will assist you in choosing the perfect wine or champagne accompaniment to each course of your meal – the right wine can totally transform a dish.
The Goring Dining Room has become the destination restaurants for the best of British cuisine in London. It is the proud holder of many awards and accolades including Hotel Restaurant Team of the Year at the Cateys 2012, Best Traditional British Restaurant at the Zagat 2011 London Restaurant Awards and the Consistently Excellent Honour at the Tatler Restaurant Awards 2010.
View our dining times and sample menus.
Check availability and reserve a table in the Goring Dining Room. Alternatively call +44 (0) 20 7396 9000 to speak to the dining reservations team.
THE FINEST WINES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Over the past century, The Goring has built up a truly impressive collection of Wines around the world. Now with over 500 wines available on the Goring Wine List guests are totally spoilt for choice.
The finest Clarets and Burgundies are the mainstay of the wine list, and our century old relationships with the growers and chateaux ensure we get our hands on rarities that others simply cannot. These are balanced very cleverly with a broad range of gems, interesting discoveries and classics from the most fertile wine territories in both the new and old worlds.
The secret of a great wine list is the right sommelier, which is precisely what we have in our Head Sommelier, Olivier Clausse. Olivier has visited vineyards around the world in search not only of wine that is ready to be tasted, but also wine that given time will mature into something quite incredible. The Sommelier team is always on hand to make recommendations to our guests on the perfect wine accompaniment and are always delighted to be of service.
Our house Champagnes are Ayala, a crisp, golden and well balanced
LONDON’S FINEST AFTERNOON TEA EXPERIENCE
Taking Afternoon Tea is the ultimate English pastime and typifies the attention to detail and quest for perfection that defines the best of English cuisine. Over one hundred years ago The Goring embarked on a journey to master the perfect Afternoon Tea. The result is a truly divine Afternoon Tea brewed and baked with unrivalled passion and dedication from each and every Goring Chef spanning generations.
In April 2013 this gastronomic journey was officially recognised by the UK Tea Guild who awarded The Goring the coveted Top London Afternoon Tea Award. Often referred to as the Oscars of the tea world this prestigious award now sits pride of place in The Goring Lounge. The Goring was judged by anonymous tea inspectors (on several occasions) along strict guidelines across 16 categories. These included décor, efficiency of service, tea appearance and flavour. The Goring received this award after gaining a near perfect score by the Tea Guild’s highly impressed judges.
Irene Gorman, Head of The Tea Guild says:
“Afternoon tea at The Goring Hotel is a truly special experience. The elegant surroundings and faultless presentation make it a memorable occasion aided by friendly, efficient and knowledgeable staff. It is easy to understand why this leading establishment attracts so many, of all ages, to take afternoon tea.”
Afternoon Tea is served daily from 3.00pm – 4.00pm and can be taken in the Goring Lounge Bar and the Terrace, as well as the Dining Room on Saturday. We kindly ask that our guests maintain ‘smart casual’ attire. Children are welcome to join you, just let us know when booking. Highchairs are available upon request. Disabled access is available and guide dogs are welcomed.
Book your special table at The Goring, holders of The British Tea Guild Council 2013 Top London Afternoon Tea Award and The Award of Excellence, or alternatively call +44 (0) 20 7396 9000
If you would like to speak to one of the Afternoon Tea team, have a special request, or a dietary requirement, please call +44 (0) 20 7396 9000 and ask for Afternoon Tea or email afternoontea@thegoring.com
