HISTORICAL INSIDER: BROWN’S HOTEL

The early 1800’s marked an era of technological and industrial revolution in Britain. In the
first half of the century alone, enormous leaps were made in terms of transport, power and
tourism. At the forefront of this pioneering new era was our own Brown’s Hotel, London’s
first. Opening its doors in 1837, Brown’s quickly became a city institution, attracting a
discerning international clientele and leading the development of the hotel industry.

To this day, the establishment continues to be a cornerstone of society, past and present. A
tour of Brown’s makes for a fascinating history lesson and references to the hotel’s many
extraordinary feats can found throughout, if you know where to look. Join us as we reveal
the secrets of this iconic London landmark.

The birth of Brown’s

It all started at number 23 Dover Street. In 1837, when Mayfair was little more than an
up-and-coming residential parish, James Brown and Sarah Willis – a maid for the illustrious
Lady Byron – acquired first one and then three townhouses on Dover Street, with a little help
from the Baroness. The pair then transformed them into Brown’s Hotel, the first hotel in
London.

In 1859, the business was taken over by James John Ford, who advanced the Browns family
legacy by expanding the space to encompass 11 townhouses, and introducing a number of
modern concepts such as the first ever restaurant inside a hotel, bringing dining out of
private suites and into a social setting. Over time, ownership changed again and in 2003
Brown’s Hotel was acquired by Rocco Forte Hotels, who brought it back into a family, and
transformed it into the exceptional building that it is today.

Record moments

As well as being London’s first hotel, Brown’s has also set the scene for a number of
innovations that changed the course of history. Arguably the most important was in 1876
when Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, brought his contraption to the hotel
in advance of his meeting with the British government. During his stay, he made world’s first
phone call between the hotel and the Ford family’s London residence – a defining moment
for the hotel and for communications.

Literary inspiration

But the history of Brown’s Hotel is not entirely scientific. The establishment has hosted some
of the world’s most creative minds and inspired countless stories. Over a period of nearly
five decades, Rudyard Kipling was a guest at the hotel, firstly on his honeymoon and
subsequently on a series of writing retreats. It was on one of these such sojourns that his
world-famous children’s story, The Jungle Book was born. Crime writer Agatha
Christie was another esteemed guest and Brown’s will forever be encapsulated
within the pages of her 1965 novel, At Bertram’s Hotel, based on the hotel. More
recently, Stephen King visited to seek inspiration and found it sitting at Kipling’s desk
– which is still present in the Dover Suite. He wrote the start of his psychological
horror novel, Misery, in Kipling’s seat.