Britain’s Most Luxurious Hotels is a three part series for Channel 4 that gives a unique insight into three of the UK’s most lavish establishments.

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Cameras go behind the scenes at each hotel, following the staff as they cater to their guests’ every whim at a time – during the COVID-19 pandemic – when the hospitality industry has suffered an extraordinary amount of turmoil and instability.

“This has been an extraordinary year for hotels and we have been given remarkable access throughout to see how three of Britain’s most luxurious hotels have fared – with and without guests,” said Daniela Neumann, the MD of Spun Gold TV who made the documentary series. “This is the perfect escapist series for all of us sitting at home and longing for a mini-break or holiday and the best rooms and service that money can buy.”

Britain’s Most Luxurious Hotels location guide

Three hotels are featured in the series – two London landmarks and the Hampshire country hotel that has been voted Britain’s top hotel.

Corinthia

The Obamas, the Clintons and Beyoncé are among the famous guests who have stayed at Corinthia, which nestles on the corner of Northumberland Avenue near Trafalgar Square in London, while some of its rooms boast views of the Thames.

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Originally known as The Metropole Hotel, the building was commandeered in both the First and Second World War for official meetings and then used by the Ministry of Defence as government offices until it was restored as a hotel in 2011.

Boasting a £1 million chandelier in the foyer and a restaurant run by Chef Tom Kerridge (who appears in the documentary), the hotel also has a spa, a courtyard garden and penthouse suites that come with personal butler, a complimentary car and access to an extensive private wine collection.

The Langham

The five-star Langham Hotel sits at the top of London’s Regent Street, a short walk from BBC’s Broadcasting House and the usually bustling (in a pre-pandemic world) Oxford Street.

Known as Europe’s first ‘Grand Hotel’, it was completed in 1865 and featured the first hydraulic lifts in England. Former famous guests include Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill, Noel Coward and Wallis Simpson, and the hotel is something of a celebrity itself, having appeared in the James Bond movie GoldenEye (doubling for the Grand Hotel in St Petersburg), Michael Winterbottom’s Wonderland, the BBC series Hustle and (perhaps not so impressively) Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties.

Home to a famous afternoon tea at the Palm Court, the hotel has 380 rooms and suites that includes five private apartments such as the Terrace Suite, with balcony views along Regent Street.

Chewton Glen

The only hotel outside London to be featured, Chewton Glen was originally a family house built in the 18thcentury, and was converted into a hotel in 1962. Set in over 130 acres of woodland and parkland, the hotel is on the edge of the New Forest, about five miles from Christchurch.

While guests – who have included Elton John and Mick Jagger – can stay in the main hotel building where there are 58 rooms and suites, many visitors are tempted by the 14 tree houses that have been built around the property. Each boast forest views from a tree canopy, a hot tub and outside terrace, and each tree house is suspended over 30 feet above the ground (prices for tree houses start at £1350).

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If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide, or take a look at our dedicated Documentaries hub.

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