If the walls of The Savoy could talk, they would speak of social events such as elegant soirées, political lunches, divine dinner dances, lavish weddings, impromptu performances and discreet liaisons. The hotel’s ethos of showmanship has attracted guests down the generations from royalty, the arts, business, politics and the law; and The Savoy still sparkles today with the great and the good enjoying themselves in this, one of London’s most prestigious venues. With a choice of social rooms and venues from intimate spaces to the grand ballroom, The Savoy offers diversity in a stylish and convenient location in the heart of London, with the theatres of the West End and the exclusive boutiques of Covent Garden within walking distance of the hotel.

Social events in London including black-tie galas, balls and prestigious events that are the talk of the season demand glamorous and elegant settings. Refined design, dramatic architectural details and lavish chandeliers set the tone for magnificent social events. The skilled Savoy Events team creates inspiring settings and delectable cuisine that transform the expected into unexpected stand out moments. Designed and appointed to create unforgettable first impressions, the sense of occasion is set as soon as guests arrive at the private river entrance.

River Room
With a view over Embankment Gardens towards the Thames, and a fresh light interior, the double-height River Room is both a delightfully bright daytime venue, and a sophisticated and elegant evening space. A large central archway between the two halves of the room offers flexibility in configuring this space, with concealed floor-to-ceiling dividers offering an even more private experience if required. Combining elegant grandeur with intimacy and warmth, the River Room is not only perfect for private dining and special parties, but also acts as a spacious and stylish wedding reception room for larger events taking place in the Lancaster Ballroom.

Historically The Savoy London’s original river-facing reception area, the River Room has been part of the banqueting area since the beginning of the 20th century. The room has played host to a prize-winning Bentley motorcar in 1927, and to Marilyn Monroe making her first official appearance in front of British press photographers in 1956. But in 1946, the River Room became a tiny part of British history, when the Royal Family gathered together for the first time in public since the war, at a wedding reception being held at The Savoy. Press photographs showed the then-Princess Elizabeth standing with a tall blond man in uniform, her future husband Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten. This was the very first time that they were seen together in public.

Lancaster Ballroom
The Lancaster Ballroom at The Savoy is one of the largest, most glamorous, and most historic ballrooms in London. Named after the Duchy of Lancaster, and designed by French architect René Sergeant after an 18th-century Parisian salon, it first opened in 1910, and still retains much of its original opulent Edwardian décor. This sizeable open space, with no internal pillars to spoil the view or the experience is one of London’s prime spots for grand receptions, weddings, conferences, luncheons, and dances. Uniquely in London, the Lancaster Ballroom has its own stage, but the height and scale of this room lend themselves to imaginative temporary additional staging if required. The Lancaster Ballroom is often used in conjunction with the adjoining Parlour Room.

The Lancaster Ballroom has always been the venue of choice for large events in London, ranging from society weddings to award ceremonies and formal dinners. Anna Pavlova danced here as part of the entertainment at a costume ball in 1912, returning in the early 1920s to dance her “dying swan” once more on the ballroom stage. George Gershwin chose to perform the British premiere of Rhapsody in Blue here, accompanied by The Savoy’s in-house dance orchestra, the Savoy Orpheans, and broadcast live on the BBC in 1925. The Lancaster Ballroom is famous in its own right to many people around the world who may never have been to The Savoy, but have seen the famous “press conference scene” towards the end of the film Notting Hill.

Sorcerer Room
The smallest and most intimate of The Savoy’s private dining rooms, Sorcerer is perfect for both social and business lunches and dinners. It is frequently used as a reception area for Mikado to which it is connected. In response to the enthusiasm for private rooms for smaller events, Sorcerer was created in the late 1920s from two small storage rooms. The new, comfortably cozy private room was named after the third of the Savoy Operas, The Sorcerer, as there had been an original Sorcerer dining room elsewhere in The Savoy when the hotel opened in 1889. With dramatic dark red walls, as well as a unique and distinctive décor; Sorcerer is a small event venue in London full of mystical character and charm.

Iolanthe Room
A pretty, light oak-paneled room, with carved details and silvered highlights, the intimate Iolanthe room is an elegant choice for private dining or business meetings. Like all of the six private dining rooms at The Savoy, Iolanthe boasts natural light and is located near the heart of the hotel with easy access from the main hotel entrance. Named after the seventh Savoy Opera, and also the first to be premiered in the Savoy Theatre, Iolanthe has the distinction of being one of the original private rooms created in 1889 to offer spaces for smaller events. Hosting from as few as six guests up to 18, Iolanthe’s classic décor remains exactly the same as when the room was regularly utilized by one of The Savoy’s most eminent guests, Sir Winston Churchill, for luncheons with his cabinet. Iolanthe has also been used over the years for private dining and celebrations by members of the British Royal Family.

Mikado Room
Located on the ground floor of The Savoy, Mikado is one of the hotel’s medium sized private rooms, retaining its original décor of wood-paneled walls with black edging and brass details. Bringing a sophisticated elegance to meetings, social lunches or dinners, this London private dining room offers plenty of space for a cocktail party or corporate events. Mikado can also be paired with the smallest private room, Sorcerer, if additional space is required. Created around 1928 in response to the popularity of The Savoy’s private rooms for smaller events, Mikado was repurposed from two existing rooms: a store-room, and the restaurant manager’s office. Named after the ninth Savoy Opera, The Mikado—possibly the most successful of all the operas to that date—(and often said to be the production whose profits truly built The Savoy), Mikado is also a reflection of The Savoy’s admiration for the then-new “Art Moderne,” and can be seen as an early example of art deco design.

Gondoliers Room
With its painted decorative panels, delightful murals of eighteenth century Venetian life, silvered mirrors, and gilded mirrored sconces; the Gondoliers private dining room is an elegant and charming backdrop to cocktail parties, private afternoon teas, and business meetings. The room’s understated grandeur also adds luster to special dining occasions. This luxuriously appointed room was first created in 1935 in response to the enthusiasm for private rooms for smaller events; Gondoliers had previously been the Ladies’ Hairdressing Salon. It was named after the 12th Savoy Opera, The Gondoliers, which opened in 1889, the first of the operas to premiere after the opening of The Savoy and one which ran for over 500 performances—a record at the time. The present décor is inspired partly by the Venetian setting of the opera, with additional detailing inspired by archive photographs of the original Victorian painted décor of another of the Savoy’s private rooms, Pinafore. This private room in London is filled with plenty of natural light.

Princess Ida and Patience Room
Looking across Embankment Gardens towards the River Thames and with an excellent view of the iconic Westminster Bridge, this gracious Edwardian-style private dining room in London can be configured in a variety of layouts, making it ideally suited for small to medium sized lunches or receptions, a cocktail party or private afternoon tea, and formal or informal dining occasions. Princess Ida & Patience can be combined with the adjacent private room Pinafore, via a connecting door, if greater floorspace is necessary. Named after the eighth and sixth Savoy Operas, Princess Ida & Patience started life as two of the original private rooms when The Savoy opened in 1889, but the dividing wall was removed in 1935. After several decades of modern redecoration, a major restoration in the late 1990s drew inspiration from original archive photographs of both rooms dated 1906, and the room now reflects its delightful Edwardian heritage.

Pinafore Room
The most distinguished of The Savoy’s original private dining rooms, Pinafore boasts a remarkable early example of an art deco interior. With its striking view across Embankment Gardens towards the River Thames, unique interior, and distinctive history, Pinafore offers the most memorable of locations for any event, personal or corporate, business or pleasure. It can be combined with the adjacent private room, Princess Ida & Patience, via a connecting door, if more space is required. Many private rooms in London have a history behind them and the magnificent Pinafore room is no exception.

Named after the fifth Savoy Opera, H.M.S. Pinafore, this room was entirely redesigned by theatre designer Basil Ionides in 1926. Pinafore has been an especially popular location for regimental dinners and dining clubs, and is well-known as the home of “The Other Club,” a private dining club which meets regularly while Parliament is in session. The Other Club was founded by Lord Birkenhead and Sir Winston Churchill in 1910 for distinguished figures from the world of politics, arts and the media. The Other Club has been meeting in Pinafore since the first dinner in 1911.

West Room
The recently-renovated West Room, an events dining room on the first floor of Simpsons in the Strand, retains its original Edwardian interior, and benefits from high-domed ceilings and plenty of natural light. This bright, pretty room is as ideal for luncheons as for meetings; and makes an elegant background to formal dinners or celebrations. The West Room, a mid-capacity dining room for up to 180 guests, still retains the original light fittings chosen for it by Dame Bridget D’Oyly Carte, the last member of the D’Oyly Carte family which rebuilt Simpson’s in 1904. This room is notable for its popularity with famous past regulars of Simpson’s in the Strand, including the likes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, whose famous creation Sherlock Holmes dines on the first floor, overlooking the Strand. Alfred Hitchcock built a replica set of this room in order to film a scene from his 1936 film, Sabotage, using real Simpson’s menus and staff to add that authentic touch.

Regency Room
Located on the first floor of Simpson’s in the Strand, directly above the Grand Divan is the spacious dining room Regency, with its elegant Edwardian décor, Waterford Crystal chandeliers and decorative painted panels. The Regency room is ideally suited to formal dining or large meetings, lively celebrations or more conventional affairs. The larger of the two events rooms in Simpson’s in the Strand with its capacity of up to 250 guests, the Regency room was historically the Ladies’ Dining-Room at Simpson’s when it reopened in 1904 after its first refurbishment. The room offered ladies an elegant and airy setting in which to enjoy the famed cuisine and service that was setting Simpson’s apart as one of the most eminent dining destinations in London. The room was immortalized by E.M. Forster in Howards End, and has been used for purposes as diverse as international chess competitions and literary luncheons. Simpson’s in the Strand underwent restoration in 2017, marking a new chapter in the almost 200-year history of this famous London landmark.

Abraham Lincoln Room
The elegant high-ceilinged Edwardian-style Abraham Lincoln room has the distinction of being the original banqueting room at The Savoy. Used alone, the room is the perfect size for business luncheons, conferences, formal dinners, and dinner dances; the ideal space for banqueting in London. The adjacent art deco Manhattan room is used frequently in conjunction with the Abraham Lincoln room, as a dedicated reception room. Both rooms benefit from their own private foyer and cloakrooms.

The Abraham Lincoln room has hosted wedding receptions, award ceremonies, and other prestigious functions throughout its lengthy history. From the wedding breakfast after the marriage of French royalty in 1895, to a private dinner set in a flower-filled bower, the Abraham Lincoln room offers space, flexibility, and the charm of a truly historical setting. Having been used extensively for luncheons and dinners by the American community in London during the First World War, the room gained its distinctive name with the gift of a bust of the US president from that same community in 1923.