Claridge’s
James Mivart
You might know Claridge’s as a luxury hotel in central London. But you might not know that the hotel was founded in 1812 as Mivart’s Hotel, named after the French chef who owned it. James Edward Mivart was originally named Jacques, but anglicised his first name when he moved to London.
Mivart’s was exceedingly luxurious: King George IV had a suite of rooms permanently reserved for him at the hotel in case of a romantic rendezvous.
The hotel started as one building but Mivart managed to buy five consecutive houses along Brook Street, knocking down the walls to create one large hotel. The business was eventually sold to William and Marianne Claridge, who renamed it Claridge’s.
Image: Classic Image / Alamy Stock Photo
