This is the story of one of the world's greatest hotels. César Ritz was a remarkable 19th-century genius who completely transformed the notion of a hotel. He gave to his establishments a hitherto unknown respectability and set new standards of excellence in luxury, style and personal service. In the case of the London Ritz, even the building itself was an important breakthrough in design, being the first large-scale steel framed building erected in England. The hotel, with its beautiful Louis XVI interior had a significant and widely felt impact on Edwardian architecture. But the story of the Ritz goes deeper than the skin of the building. The heart and soul of any hotel are the people that inhabit it and shape its destiny. This book also traces the social history of the Ritz from the beginning to the present day. From Edward VII and Mrs Keppel to Edward VII and Mrs Simpson, from Lady Diana Cooper to Jacqueline Onassis, from Evelyn Waugh to Mick Jagger. Based on hundreds of interviews with guests and staff both past and present, a fascinating and absorbing story of the rich, the beautiful and famous has been pieced together. The London Ritz is an engrossing, richly illustrated account of the architectural and social history of this world-famous establishment. -- from book jacket.