London’s Capital hotel has piped Gordon Ramsay in Condé Nast Traveller’s second annual list of the greatest hotel food in the world.

The Capital, which serves gourmet French cuisine under head chef Eric Chavot, beat Ramsay’s Claridge's offer and Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons into second and third place respectively.

The Berkeley hotel in London beat off competition from the Four Seasons hotel in Hook, Hampshire, and the Lanesborough hotel, also in the capital, to take the best service award UK.

London’s Charlotte Street hotel triumphed in the best rooms category.

Firmdale’s new Soho hotel took the UK award for ambience and design, ahead of Babington House in Somerset and One Aldwych in London.

On the voting panel were Alannah Weston, Sian Westerman, Kathy Phillips, Lee Marshall, Robin Hutson, Nicholas Coleridge, Anya Hindmarch, Lloyd Grossman, May-Anne Denison-Pender, Alain de Botton and Sue Harmworth.

The worldwide awards are voted for according to region. The full list will be released with Condé Nast’s January 2006 issue.

By Emily Manson

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