I am a hotel historian specialising in the history of London’s luxury hotels.
My work brings together original research, writing, talks and guided walks to explore how these hotels developed, and the role they have played in the social, cultural and architectural life of the capital.
Many well-known stories about London’s great hotels have been repeated without question. This site presents a more careful account, based on original sources and a close reading of the historical record.
Featured research: Brown’s Hotel
Brown’s Hotel is widely described as London’s oldest hotel. Research presented here establishes an earlier opening date – 12 March 1832 – and examines what “oldest” really means in practice.
This has led to the ‘rule of three’: a simple framework for assessing whether a hotel can genuinely claim historical continuity – never renamed, rebuilt or relocated.
London’s hotels in context
Luxury hotels do not exist in isolation. Their development is closely tied to the growth of railways and international travel, changing patterns of dining and social life, and the evolution of London itself.
The articles on this site explore these wider themes, offering context for how and why the capital’s grand hotels emerged and flourished.
Beyond London
While the primary focus is on London, selected projects extend to other historic hotels in the UK, reflecting the wider development of luxury hospitality.
You can begin with the history of Brown’s Hotel, explore the ‘rule of three’ or browse articles on the wider history of travel and luxury culture.
Each offers a way to look more closely at places that are often familiar – but not always fully understood.
Hotel History Expert 