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The Langham was the largest and most modern hotel in London when it opened in 1865 — the Prince of Wales presided over the opening, and the building pioneered hydraulic lifts, electric lights, and air conditioning. Arthur Conan Doyle set the opening scene of two Sherlock Holmes stories here. Oscar Wilde was a regular. Mark Twain stayed. During the Second World War, the BBC requisitioned the building, and the hotel's proximity to Broadcasting House ensures the media connection persists. 380 rooms on Portland Place, the Palm Court (where afternoon tea has been served since the hotel opened), and Roux at The Landau restaurant.
Go deeper...
Londonist — The lunch that commissioned Sherlock and Dorian Gray
MX Publishing — Conan Doyle's golden evening
John Pullen — The BBC ghost of Room 333