The Savoy: No Dress Code, But No Football Shirts

The Savoy has no formal dress code. It will, however, turn away a football shirt.

Their own wording: there is no formal dress code, but guests are welcomed in attire that reflects the elegance of the hotel and the occasion. Clothing or accessories that are offensive or disruptive, as well as sports jerseys and supporter attire, are not permitted.

So jeans are fine, trainers are not mentioned, and the one hard ban is on supporter kit.

Three grand hotels, three different answers

This is the comparison nobody makes, and the oldest hotel turns out to be the most relaxed.

The Savoy, established 1889: no formal dress code. No sports jerseys or supporter attire.

The Dorchester: avoid shorts and sportswear at afternoon tea and in the evening.

The Ritz: jacket and tie for gentlemen at afternoon tea and for lunch and dinner. No jeans for anyone. No sportswear anywhere.

If you want a grand London hotel without changing your clothes, the order is Savoy, then Dorchester, then Ritz. And the Savoy is the only one of the three that does not mention jeans at all.

Parking is £22.50 for two hours, and needs no booking

The Savoy Doormen Team provide valet parking. No advance booking is necessary, and pricing starts at £22.50 for two hours.

Set that against The Dorchester’s valet parking at £85 per day. For dinner and a drink, the Savoy is a fraction of the cost and you can simply arrive.

There is also a Rolls-Royce and a private chauffeur service, and the Concierge arranges airport transfers, taxis and private hire.

Nine places to eat and drink

More than any comparable London hotel, and they do genuinely different things.

Restaurant 1890 is the Michelin-starred room.

The River Restaurant does refined seafood.

Gallery does British cooking, and is where afternoon tea is served.

Scoff is the casual one.

The American Bar and the Beaufort Bar are the two cocktail rooms, both with live music.

Plus in-room dining and the private event venues.

One small inconsistency worth noting: the hotel’s navigation calls it the Beaufort Wine Bar while the body of the site calls it the Beaufort Bar. Same room.

Afternoon tea under a glass dome, since 1889

Afternoon Tea is served beneath the glass dome of The Gallery, with live piano, and the hotel describes it as a ritual London has kept since 1889, which is the year The Savoy opened.

Daintily cut sandwiches, freshly baked scones and pastries. The glass dome and the piano are the things that distinguish it from the other grand teas, and the dress code above means you do not need a tie for it, which you would at The Ritz.

Your luggage is looked after before check-in

A practical courtesy published plainly, and more generous than most.

If you arrive before check-in and the room is not ready, the team will store your luggage and extend the full guest facilities for your use until it is.

Full guest facilities, not a seat in the lobby. That is worth knowing on an early arrival from a flight.

Where it is

The Strand, London WC2R 0EZ. General enquiries savoy@fairmont.com or +44 (0)20 7836 4343. It is a Fairmont hotel.

Charing Cross, Embankment, Covent Garden and Temple are all short walks, and the hotel describes the Underground and DLR as minutes away.

Many rooms and suites have Thames or city skyline views. The hotel has been open since 1889 and calls itself the original London icon.

How to plan it

Dress: no formal code, but no football shirts or supporter attire.

Driving: valet parking from £22.50 for two hours, no booking needed.

Michelin: Restaurant 1890. Seafood: the River Restaurant. Casual: Scoff.

Cocktails: the American Bar or the Beaufort Bar, both with live music.

Afternoon tea: the Gallery, under the glass dome, with piano. No tie required.

Arriving early: they will store your bags and give you the run of the facilities.

The Savoy

Address

The Strand, London WC2R 0EZ

Nearest

Charing Cross, Embankment, Covent Garden and Temple all a short walk

Hours

Venue hours vary. Afternoon tea in the Gallery, with nine food and drink venues in total

Booking

savoy@fairmont.com or 020 7836 4343. A Fairmont hotel

Price

Five-star hotel rates. Valet parking from 22.50 pounds for two hours with no advance booking

Standing

Open since 1889, with the Michelin-starred Restaurant 1890, the American and Beaufort bars, and afternoon tea under a glass dome

How to get in

There is no formal dress code, which makes it the most relaxed of the grand London hotels, but sports jerseys and supporter attire are not permitted. Valet parking starts at 22.50 pounds for two hours with no booking, against 85 pounds a day at The Dorchester. If your room is not ready on arrival they store your luggage and extend full guest facilities until it is.

Where to go next

The Ritz is the formal one and The Dorchester sits between the two on dress.

The hotels page compares the rest, and the afternoon tea page compares the teas on price.

Questions we get asked

What is the dress code at The Savoy?

There is no formal dress code. The hotel welcomes attire reflecting its elegance and the occasion, but clothing or accessories that are offensive or disruptive, and sports jerseys and supporter attire, are not permitted. That makes it the most relaxed of the grand London hotels: The Dorchester asks you to avoid shorts and sportswear, and The Ritz requires a jacket and tie for tea and dinner.

How much is parking at The Savoy?

Valet parking by the Savoy Doormen Team starts at £22.50 for two hours, and no advance booking is necessary. For comparison, The Dorchester charges £85 per day. There is also a Rolls-Royce chauffeur service and the Concierge arranges transfers and private hire.

Does The Savoy have a Michelin star?

Yes, Restaurant 1890 is the Michelin-starred room. The hotel also has the River Restaurant for seafood, Gallery for British cooking and afternoon tea, Scoff for casual dining, and the American and Beaufort bars.

Where is afternoon tea served at The Savoy?

In the Gallery, beneath its glass dome, with live piano. The hotel dates the ritual to 1889, the year it opened. Because there is no formal dress code, you do not need a jacket and tie as you would at The Ritz.

What happens if you arrive at The Savoy before check-in?

The team will store your luggage and extend the full guest facilities for your use until your room is ready, rather than leaving you in the lobby.

How old is The Savoy?

It was established in 1889, which makes it the oldest of London's grand hotels in this bracket, and it describes itself as the original London icon. Afternoon tea has been served there since the opening year.