London’s hotels have a fascinating history & apart from the high Edwardian glory days of our most venerable hotel, perhaps no time is more intriguing than the Blitz. As bomb rained down on London & the lights went out all over Europe the dance bands played on as debutantes & glamorous airmen downed their cocktails & pink gins at Claridge’s, The Savoy, and The Ritz. It was a world of faker & spies, emigrés and aristocrats, luxury & danger. Hotels held a certain attraction & mystique to everyone.
King Zog and Queen Geraldine of Albania were said to pay their bills in gold bullion they did brought in their hatboxes. At Claridge’s, -“Mr Brown” – turned out to be King George of Greece, while Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands eschewed such disguise , but had a fetching flannel nightdress. Most oddly, the government actually gave up sovereignty over one suite at Claridge for a night to Yugoslavia, so that Prince Alexander could be born “on Yugoslav soil”. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6771629
