Lockdown Leader: The Langham Hotel
The Langham: it’s where the BBC, JB Priestley and even General De Gaulle broadcast from during WW2 after the Luftwaffe attacked Broadcasting House; where the ghost of a German prince who took his own life through unrequited love haunts Room 333; where the likes of Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Dvorak, Charles Dickens, exiled Emperor Louis Napoleon III – and even Sherlock Holmes checked in; and where the Duke of Windsor romanced Mrs Simpson during their courtship.
It was the first London hotel to install air-conditioning and the first to be lit by electricity (in 1879). Yes, the oldest five star hotel in London, which opened in 1865 as Europe’s first ‘Grand Hotel’ at a cost of £300,000, and reopened in 1991 as the Langham Hilton, has had quite a history. And in the month it celebrates its 155th birthday, it decided to give something back.
To reward London’s ‘everyday heroes’, on Wednesday the 10th June the hotel held a “global virtual Afternoon Tea”. Randomly picked key workers – including NHS staff and carers, plus bus drivers, TFL workers, taxi drivers, couriers, street cleaners and delivery drivers – were approached on the street by the Langham team wearing pink t-shirts emblazoned with the hashtagged logo #EverydayHero. And there they were hand-delivered 155 surprise luxury Afternoon Tea gift boxes. (Fear not, social distancing was observed.)
Each gift box contained smoked salmon sandwiches and scones with clotted cream and honey cake, approximating a real Langham Afternoon Tea at Palm Court. They also contained an invite to join a virtual globetrot around sister hotels in Australia, Hong Kong, Jakarta and the US via Zoom, through which visitors could access the likes of sunset yoga classes (in Sydney), live music, live wine tasting, children’s book readings, and a global pub quiz.
But that wasn’t all. Tucked away in the same gift box was something very special indeed: a voucher entitling every recipient and a guest a night’s stay at The Langham, valid until the end of 2020 from reopening. And for one lucky guest, an overnight stay at The Sterling Suite, the hotel’s most luxurious.
Managing director Bob van den Oord said, “155 years is a milestone anniversary for us. Seeing as we couldn't invite our colleagues, family and guests into the hotel, we decided to go to them. In particular, we wanted to reach out to the people we consider to be #EverydayHeroes: the key workers and NHS staff who have kept our city moving these last few weeks. Being in the hospitality industry we appreciate the amount of personal energy and passion that goes into caring for others. However, these individuals have gone above and beyond at a time which has been critical for many. So what better way to say thank you than with our iconic Afternoon Tea and a voucher for an overnight stay with dinner night on us - as soon as it’s safe for us to re-open!" Now there’s a happy ending to make Dickens proud .