Langham Hotel

From ArticleWorld

The Langham Hotel in London is one of the largest luxury hotels situated in the center of London’s West End, close to Regent's Park. The hotel in London has passed through many flourishing and lean times in its long life of 140 years to now establish itself as one of the premier hotels of the City. It is located in the district of Marylebone, in London’s West End; only a short walking distance from the best of the Capital’s shopping, on Regent Street, Bond Street and Oxford Street as well as Theatre district, an assortment of museums and other tourist attractions.

Turbulent history

When the Langham was opened to public in the June of 1865, it was the largest and most modern hotel in the city. Built at a cost of 3,00,000 pounds it boasted hydraulic lifts, hundreds of water closets, innumerable bathrooms and much more. It was soon sold and the new owners cultivated and entertained an elite list of American guests.

The Langham collapsed during the great depression of the 1920s and after being used as Army quarters during WW-II was occupied by the BBC for many years. Numerous famous shows (including the Goon Show) were recorded here. In 1986 it was sold to the Ladbroke Group who opened the hotel after five years of extensive refurbishments and an expenditure of over 100 million pounds.

Arthur Canon Doyle, Prince of Wales, Noel Coward, Mark Twain, and Don Bradman are some of the more famous personages who patronized the Langham.

Ghostly presence

Langham is also well known for something extraordinary, its cache of well preserved ghost stories and tales of haunting apparitions. The more popular among those is of a silver haired Victorian specter with staring eyes of a notable who committed suicide after murdering his wife. Then there is the tale of a butler who carries a well loaded tray in one of the upper hall-ways. These tales are so well documented that Langham conducts regular ghost walks with tour guides.