3. The Cumberland Hotel, Dorset
Another hotel benefiting from a recent restoration, the Cumberland in Bournemouth was built in 1937 and was once Europe’s largest Jewish hotel complete with its own synagogue. Now owned by Oceana Hotels, the three-star hotel has been revived to its former Art Deco opulence with sleekly stylish foyer, bar and dining room, with Italian marble fireplaces and floor and original 1930s patterns on the carpet. The Ventana Grand Cafe combines Art Deco and contemporary style, while the poolside lido deck takes its inspiration from Miami. Guests at the Cumberland are offered full use of the facilities at Oceana’s neighbouring Bournemouth hotels, including an indoor pool and sauna at the Suncliff Hotel and the spa at the Ocean Beach Hotel and Spa.
4. The Aviator Hotel, Northamptonshire
Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire opened in 1928 and operated as a Royal Air Force base in the Second World War, where it was used as a training centre. Today the former RAF officers’ mess, built in the 1930s, has been renovated to its former glory with memorabilia from the early days of aviation. Dine in authentic Art Deco style with views of the airfields offering something very different from the usual.
5. The Savoy, London
On 15 December 2007, the Savoy’s general manager, Kiaran MacDonald, rang a bell at midday to declare the iconic hotel officially closed for the first time in its 118-year history. The London landmark, which opened in 1889 and has hosted the great and the good ever since, was to under go a meticulous restoration that was to cost £220m and take almost three years to complete. The hotel’s dual aesthetics are Edwardian style and Art Deco. The latter is encapsulated by its famous Savoy sign, above which the 1904 sculpture of Count Peter of Savoy overlooks arriving guests, but, in truth, the hotel is full of loving Art Deco details – Murano glass chandeliers, monochrome marble floors, its legendary American Bar and even Kaspar the cat.
