Fry up for little bit of pampering at 'new' Savoy

The actor and broadcaster arrived at The Savoy in London's Strand in the hotel's chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce at 10.10am on the 10/10/10.

Greeted by general manager Kiaran MacDonald and head doorman Tony Cortegaca, staff lined up to applaud him as he went inside to his suite overlooking the River Thames.

The Savoy was closed for almost three years from December 2007 while it underwent a major facelift, involving 220 m worth of structural upgrades and behind-the-scenes work, as well as plush interiors in the Edwardian and Art Deco styles of the 121-year-old hotel.

Originally scheduled to be finished in early 2009, the project ended up being delayed by 18 months and costing more than double its estimated 100m budget.

But Twitter fan Fry, who will stay the night as part of his role as the hotel's "blogger-in-residence", said he was "impressed" by the results which showed a sensitivity to its heritage.

"They have just made sure everything is absolutely of the highest pitch of quality and solidity but without making it a new hotel, without modernising it in a bad way." he said.

"The point about The Savoy is that has been a very particular place in the category of great hotels of London.

"It had a very great connection to showbusiness and culture and art and so on. I think they are aware of that."