-The Langham, London -- Europe's first grand hotel must stand out in a crowded five-star market... -At the Langham, it's pink, pink, pink.

-...providing luxury to the rich and famous for 160 years... [ Camera shutters clicking ] -We are constantly trying to make sure bits of it don't fall off because it's getting old.

It's no different than a person.

-...where royals and stars have demanded the best.

-We have to surpass their expectations.

-This is where Churchill dined before delivering his greatest speeches.

-Fight on the beaches.

We shall fight on the landing grounds.

-But now this heritage hotel must fight to stay at the top.

-People's expectations are much higher than what it used to be.

-Everything needs to be perfect tonight.

-The days where a hotel was a place to sleep are well and truly over.

-I might start singing myself.

[ Chuckles ] -Whoo!

-As the Langham celebrates its big birthday, we follow the hotel's hidden army of staff... -Let's rock and roll.

-...as they turn up the heat in the kitchen... [ Dish clatters ] -My neck's on the block today.

-...pull off exclusive events... -There's so many things that can go wrong in a wedding.

-...double down on their service... -Are you having any bigger tracks than those?

-...and take extraordinary steps to outshine the competition.

Today, there are over a hundred luxury hotels in London competing to attract high-paying guests.

With 20 new high-end openings planned for the next three years.

Europe's original grand hotel, the Langham, must fight to stay on top.

-We need to think three steps ahead.

It is of huge importance that we get every part of their stay completely spot on.

We want to make sure that they come here.

♪♪ -The C.E.O.

is based at the head office in Hong Kong, but has announced a visit to London and called a meeting of the senior team.

Abie from Newcastle has worked his way up the five-star ladder.

He's been at the Langham for seven years.

For him, the C.E.O.

is a familiar face.

-He hired me.

He was the MD at the time.

He was with me for three, three and a half years, and then he left to go to Hong Kong as the C.E.O.

So he's now the big boss.

He's probably the most important person that's going to turn up at the building.

-I started my career in a hotel across the road.

It was called the St.

George's Hotel in those days, and I was in charge of breakfast there, and every morning at 6:00 I would look outside the window and I always thought, gosh, if ever I can work in a hotel like that, that would be amazing.

And then I just worked myself up through various positions in different hotels around the world.

-Bob is now in charge of over 30 hotels in the Langham Hospitality Group.

-I'd like to be known as one of the very best hospitality companies in the world.

-And central to his vision is the success of the hotel that began the brand.

-This is where it all started for us 160 years ago.

-How are you?

You alright?

-Pleasure to see you.

-Oh, man.

It's good to see you.

-Me, too.

-How you doing?

-Welcome home.

-Look at you.

You're looking great.

-So are you.

-I've missed you.

-I feel good.

I miss you, too.

-But this boss misses nothing.

-The last time he came here, and he'd been gone for a while, we're walking round the hotel and he's pointing out vases that aren't where they used to be or pictures that had moved.

And I'm like, "Really?

Really?"

[ Chuckles ] That's the important thing in your world?

But that's what he's like, -Now Bob's called a meeting.

He'll start gently.

-Well, I want to say thank you to all of you.

We have a lot of confidence in the team here.

-But he's here to share some hard realities about the battle that the Langham, London faces.

-I know it's not been the easiest year with everything that's going on in the world.

It's having an impact on most of our hotels.

London is such a competitive market now.

With all these new supply coming into London, you've got some great hotels.

This hotel is important.

It's our flagship.

It's not been an easy year.

Obviously, the whole geopolitical situation around the world is not helpful, whether it's the -- the wars or the trade wars has meant that costs are increasing.

Travel has come down somewhat.

People's expectations are much higher than what it used to be.

Competition has gone up and we need to stay relevant.

-Which is why he said yes to Abie's recently completed £300,000 lighting installation.

-I walked home last night from Marylebone High Street.

-Do you like it?

-It looks stunning.

Well done.

-We're all finished.

-Well, not quite.

-What is your next project?

-Myself and Ben are working on a one-bedroom suite conversion.

-Bob is always looking for the project that will keep the hotel ahead of the competition.

-Bob used to wake up in the morning, come to work and decide he had a new project.

These terraces that I put all over the building were his idea, not mine.

-For the last five years, Abie has been building terraces onto some of the most prestigious suites in the hotel.

The last to be completed is the most spectacular.

-The Portland terrace is my favorite purely for its location.

It sits right above the main entrance of the hotel and the view is stunning.

-Some of these suites can sell for tens of thousands of pounds a night.

-Our high-end guests spend an awful lot of money, and they tend to come for long periods of time.

The super wealthy do our signature suites, the huge suites that are bigger than most people's apartments.

-But contrary to what you might think, that's not where the money is.

-One-bedroom suites are where hotels make most of their money.

They're not your single rooms.

They're not your big suites.

The suites in the middle.

-They may command lower prices, but there's a lot more of them.

-Your wealthy but not super rich -- They want the one-bedroom suite.

They don't want to be in just one room.

They want a bit of comfort.

-Investing in renovation is essential for any five-star hotel that wants to stay at the top.

In 2009, the hotel revealed an £80 million redesign.

♪♪ But that isn't the biggest structural work the hotel has ever undertaken.

[ Air-raid sirens wailing ] In 1940, during the blitz, the hotel took a direct hit.

The bomb destroyed most of the West Wing, leading to a repair project costing more than £100 million.

Now the enemy is the competition, and to beat them, Abie wants to upgrade the one-bedroom suites and add more terraces.

But with each renovation costing a six-figure sum, the decision to do the work lies with Bob.

♪♪ ♪♪ The staff of luxury hotels have to put on a five-star performance every day, and that includes the doormen.

-When I come here to work, I am on a show.

There she is.

Welcome home.

[ Laughs ] How you doing?

Listen, honestly, I tell my kids I'm the show when I'm at work.

I cannot sing, but I can dance.

You dance in the party.

Come on.

-Oh, that was in the '60s.

[ Both laugh ] ♪♪ -Modern hotels are not just about the bedrooms.

-The days where a hotel was a place to sleep are well and truly over.

People come here to have an experience.

The spa, our pub, Palm Court.

-Today, the most important feature of a luxury hotel is the bar.

-The bar is of incredible importance to the hotel.

-A top bar not only attracts people in but can command premium prices.

Since opening in 2007, the Artesian has been named the world's best bar four times.

-It's a very special place.

We have a huge history on our shoulders.

♪♪ -[ Speaking Italian ] -Okay.

-Okay?

-The Artesian is in the hands of head bartender Giulia and manager Lorenza.

-We're both Italian, so you can imagine the emotion there.

They run very high.

We fight a lot.

We know everything about each other -- private life, all the drama, all the gossips.

We could write a book about our relationship.

-Cocktails start at £17, but Giulia's unique signature margarita will set you back £50 a glass.

-The cocktail is not just a liquid that you have in your glass.

It's more an emotion.

It's more a memory that you give to people.

It's something that makes them feel good, that makes them tickle and catch their attention.

-To give the bar a boost, Giulia's creating some new cocktails.

Her secret recipes are all created in her bespoke cocktail laboratory.

-It's not just about using ingredients like fruit for cocktails.

You can use everything.

You can create something.

You can separate flavor from each other or put them together in a way that is unexpected.

It's our place of secrets.

-To put the Artesian back on top, Giulia's decided to challenge the Langham chefs to come up with a menu to complement her new cocktails.

-Just confirming, guys, we're going to do [Indistinct] So avocado first, followed by the oysters and then what we're doing after that... -38-year-old Berwyn, from North Wales, has a big job on his hands, managing five kitchens across the hotel.

-Being executive chef is a massive responsibility.

We have a hotel with 380 rooms, we have a pub, we have afternoon tea, breakfast, 250 covers day to day, banqueting, canteen to feed 440 staff members.

Ultimately, I'm the boss of hospitality in the hotel of the Food Department, which is such an honor really to have.

♪♪ -Though Berwyn's in-house team will have to make the food, he's contracted Mayfair fine-dining restaurant BiBi to provide a menu to spice up the bar.

-A five-star hotel -- It needs to have like a club sandwich on the menu.

This is the Indian version, the Bombay sandwich.

The challenge with Indian food is it has been that sort of long-standing reputation of a couple of beers and a vindaloo at the end of the night on a Friday.

I grew up here in Britain, but of Indian heritage.

So Indian food was an everyday thing for us growing up.

And we know that there's so much more to it than just blow your socks off spice.

And it can actually be quite nuanced and balanced.

-Spicing up the Langham is a new thing for us.

We need this food to make this bar number one in the world.

Having actually proper food designed around that concept for that bar -- That's a new level.

-But can Berwyn reproduce the restaurant's specialized menu?

-When you decide to do a collaboration with a certain type of cuisine and chef, you should put up the same quality.

Berwyn has to pull it off.

We will see.

♪♪ -To spice up the Langham Hotel's cocktail bar, the team are visiting BiBi, a high-end Indian restaurant, to choose the dishes they want on their menu.

While Giulia wants as many as possible, Berwyn is more concerned about the challenge of reproducing such specialized food.

-I'd love to have his whole menu on at the hotel, but we can't.

It needs to be possible for one chef to be able to re-create these dishes.

-We're supposed to choose from eight dishes.

That for me is not enough.

So I'm pushing to have a little bit more and just to make a little bit wider menu.

But we will see.

-So we've got the first couple of snacks, some seasoned nuts, a kind of BiBi signature -- The Wookey-Hole cheese puffer served with a three-layer dip, mint chutney on the top.

So you can dip all the way down with various crackers.

Bibi means "lady of the house," and the restaurant is named in honor of my grandmothers, Carmela and Ranjana, who were the first people to ever teach me about food or teach me about hospitality.

-Mm.

Delicious.

Have a try of this, Giulia.

See how you see this working with a cocktail?

♪♪ -Oh, quite fresh.

-Yeah.

It should be fine with cocktail, right?

-Mm.

I believe so.

-It smells good, isn't it?

-I love it.

I like the curry.

For us, it needs to be balanced because it cannot overpower the cocktails.

Let's say that the aroma that we wish to have is the one that turns head in a way that they say "I want it too.

I want that."

-It's really compact, isn't it?

-The team sample 25 dishes.

-I can't wait for this.

This is gonna be amazing.

-But will it be quality or quantity?

-Chicken is delicious.

-Yeah.

You like it?

-It is really tender.

-Berwyn wants no more than eight on the menu.

-Is it the right dish to go with our menu?

-Let's not make a rush decision.

Let's see what happens.

-I actually think I know what dishes I would like to see in the menu.

-You think you know?

I know.

-She's basically a chef for the bar industry.

and they always want, want, want, but they don't always get what they want.

-We're going to fight with the chef to figure out which one will be the winners of our menu.

-The most important thing is the cocktail.

One thing I have to sort of agree on.

-He knows when to compromise and I will play on that.

-When it comes to it, I'm the boss and I decide what goes on the menu.

So she wants to take control, but she's not in control.

♪♪ -Hello.

-That's what I've got.

-They're good.

-Well, sometimes.

-Sometimes.

Yeah, it just need cleaning.

Just need cleaning.

Take this out and wash it.

-Oh, that's how you do it.

-[ Laughs ] -Luxury hotels in London attract many people on business, but fully 50% checking in at the Langham are here on holiday.

-I love my holiday.

You need that reset button every now and then.

-Only there is never enough.

-We champion holidays.

-Yeah.

♪♪ -The Langham is known around the world as a five-star hotel, but in 1865, the Langham redefined luxury, offering a home from home to the wealthy.

Today, it has 42 luxury suites, including the 5,000-square-foot, six-bedroom, £2,500 a night Sterling Suite.

Abie has his sights set on major renovation, but he is responsible for keeping the luxury suites, rooms and public areas operating.

-Engineering departments in hotels, they are the department that allows everybody else to do what they do.

We make sure all of this works and if it doesn't work, we fix it instantly.

-In the hotel's Regent Wing, Abie is working alongside the Langham senior design manager, Isabella.

-It's quite different from what Langham usually is.

We're not as patterned, as probably colorful, and it's quite bold in a way.

-Isabella has redesigned this suite inspired by aspirational brand Liberty.

-So, we work together to select some wall covering and finishes for the upholstery to create this really special room for our guests.

-For this renovation, Isabella has been given a budget of £200,000.

-It is an expensive makeover.

I just go there and I just pick whatever I like and then have someone else pay for it.

-While officially the room is still a building site, Abie is in charge of it.

-Hi, Isabella.

-Oh, hey, I know.

Too late.

-I'm finished.

It's still a building site.

-I know.

Sorry.

-She knows better.

She knows she shouldn't be in there without speaking to me.

But this happens all over the hotel.

People, they like to see what's going on.

They like to see how it's done.

-I couldn't resist.

-How long are you going to be in here for?

-Just a quick look.

And actually, I just wanted to check with you.

-Whenever I'm doing projects, Liberty Suite being exactly the same, when it gets given to me, it's mine.

Nobody should come in unless I bring them in it.

They don't know what stage we're at, what we're doing, what's wet, what's not.

-Me and Abie, yes, we fight sometimes.

I want him to do something.

He doesn't want to change.

And, yeah, we are gonna obviously clean, yeah.

-I can do everything apart from the copper.

-Okay.

-I can't get the green off.

-No, it's not the green.

It's just the dirt.

I don't know.

-It is outside.

It is London.

-[ Laughs ] I know.

-We'll see what we can do.

She comes out and tells me that the balustrades aren't clean.

And I try to explain the Statue of Liberty to her.

Oxidization makes it go green.

You can't just clean it off.

It's not dirt.

That is what it is.

-We need to clean as well.

-Would you believe, apart from the bird poop, that is clean?

Pigeons are the bane of my life.

They're everywhere.

I'm constantly fighting them in this hotel.

I'll pigeon-proof certain parts of the building.

They'll find a new part of the building to be on.

I'm running out of ledges to pigeon-proof.

You just never stop, do you?

It's just one thing after another.

-And with a few finishing touches, this room will soon be on the market for £4,000 a night.

-The more we've done, the more they've dressed it, the better it looks, and now it actually looks stunning.

♪♪ -With everything under control in the Liberty Suite, Abie is turning back to his terrace project for one-bedroom suites, the place the battle for the five-star market is most keenly fought.

-I always get a little bit worried when Bob's coming over to sign something off because he can be very picky.

-But all Abie is concerned about right now is what Bob will think.

Before considering Abie's plans, the C.E.O.

wants to check on the terrace Abie completed since his last visit.

-It hadn't been done for a long time.

It was quite dated.

-Abie needs this review to go well.

-I'm very excited about this.

Thank you.

-Wow.

-Look at this.

This has come together well.

-Yeah, it has.

-I love how the natural daylight is coming in here and the space that you've created here.

Oh, you put in a Hastens bed.

Look at that.

-I had new headboards built for it.

-Wow.

-But you're only as good as your last terrace.

-Can we just go and have a look there?

That'd be really good to see that.

This is very nice, guys.

-This come out very well.

-Yeah, but I think, Ben, maybe it could do with a little bit of styling and a bit more accessorizing just to give it that extra little touch.

Yeah.

And then, Abie, I noticed the lights in here.

Perhaps change that light bulb.

I think that's a white color and that's a warm color.

And I think they should match.

-Yeah, very good.

-Yeah?

But very nicely done.

Love it.

-He pulled the fact I had a wrong colored bulb in a lamp.

Like I said, he always finds the tiny little things.

-But will Bob find merit in Abie's latest idea?

-Well, look, I think we need to get it done.

It's the one area that's still a little bit dated.

-And work here could influence decisions in Bob's other hotels around the world.

-This is a trophy hotel.

This is a showcase hotel.

And what you do here helps us grow in the company.

London is a strong market.

It's got a lot to offer.

And I think because of that, we feel very good about the future.

-Any outside space on a city hotel, it's worth its weight in gold.

I'm just looking forward to putting it on these one-bedroom suites.

♪♪ ♪♪ -Tonight the hotel is launching the BiBi-Langham partnership, and the pressure is on for Berwyn to produce the Indian-influenced dishes for the first time.

-The next round of stuff in the oven.

Chris, have we got the next ring ready to go, right?

-Yes, Chef.

-Fantastic.

My challenge with BiBi and the food he's put forward, we've got to re-create what he's doing at the restaurant, which is very challenging.

And it's not about just re-creating it.

You've got to re-create it to be on point.

-And to make sure everything is on point, Chef Chet is here to taste and check Berwyn's food before it goes out to the bar.

-I think honestly, the mark of a chef is not how well the chef can cook his own food or her own food.

It's how well they can train other people to do it.

So let's see.

Proof's gonna be in the pudding tonight.

-You're not coming here to have papadams and some dips.

You're coming here for something different.

What's interesting about this is matching spices to cocktails.

And that's something that doesn't happen in the bars in this area.

With the Langham Hotel, we want to do what we want to do.

We want to be the best.

-To show the bar really is the best, Lorenza and Giulia are set to get the party started.

-About to open the door.

[ Cheers and applause ] -Hello.

-An invited guest list of foodies, bar fans, reviewers and influencers have come to see what the Artesian is offering.

But there's a key ingredient missing.

-Last-minute drama.

Last-minute crisis.

I'm trying to find a deejay.

-And no party gets into full swing without music.

-There may be a slight delay.

[ Dramatic music plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -I might be worried.

But let's see.

Let's see.

I might start singing myself.

-But the bar is spared... when the deejay pitches up.

And it's time to finally reveal the new menu.

-Okay.

Let's go.

Let's rock and roll.

-I think Berwyn's and his team have done an amazing job.

Honestly, it's such a tricky menu to get your head around just because of all the different names, all the different spices, the techniques.

But actually, every single thing that's come out of that kitchen today has been stellar.

-Lucas, do you want to follow me with one of these, please?

We'll take them.

We'll go there and then it's easier.

Right?

We'll come back for the oysters.

They are loving it.

It's been great, actually, and it's been nice to engage with the guests for a change because you don't have that opportunity.

The guests just keep on grabbing the food, keep on talking about it.

They're loving this evening.

Great.

Great night, huh?

-Thank you, thank you, thank you, sir.

-That's it.

I'm going home.

♪♪ -Venice, one of the most visited cities on Earth.

Every year, 30 million people come to explore and look for a place to check in.

Alice and Stefan from the Langham, London, are here on a mission.

-Like in the movies, huh?

-It is.

I have never been to Venice.

We're so lucky to have purchased a site with two historic buildings that we're now restoring.

-This restoration of a historic glassworks is costing a nine-figure sum.

-That's it.

That's our baby.

-Soon to be opened as the Langham, Venice.

The Langham, London, was the first grand hotel in Europe, but 160 years later, it's the hub of an international network of luxury hotels.

-We now have 31 hotels around the world, four brands over four continents.

-And C.E.O.

Bob van den Oord has big plans.

-We have another 15 hotels in the pipeline, and I really want to grow that to a good 100 hotels over the next 10 years.

In the next year, we've got six opening, and I'm particularly looking forward to our new hotel in Venice.

We have a beautiful hotel in Murano Island opening in 2027.

-Work on the new hotel being built on Venice's neighboring island of Murano is progressing a little slower than was hoped.

Stefan and Alice have been sent to check on the progress.

-It is almost impossible to stay on track.

I mean, there's always a curveball which is thrown at you and you have to deal with it.

♪♪ -As soon as they arrive, the building team takes Stefan and Alice to the highest point of the construction site for their first five-star view of the building work and of Murano.

-I'm feeling quite excited.

I'm quite enjoying this.

-You will enjoy the view.

-Can you believe it?

-Oh, my God.

♪♪ I didn't know what to expect when I came here this morning, but it's so lovely that we just sat above the rest of Murano.

It is absolutely spectacular.

-Murano's story began in the 13th century when Venice moved its glassmakers here to protect the city from fires and safeguard their glassmaking secrets.

Today, it's a place where seven centuries of glassmaking tradition still bring tourists looking for places to stay.

♪♪ The new hotel has been designed to be a world-class destination.

But with just a year before opening, it looks like there's still a lot to do.

And Stefan is keen to speak with construction director Lorenzo Botti to find out if the work is back on track.

-Yes.

Mostly yes.

We are now rushing to get back on time.

We are.

We are on target.

Yes.

-The problem is that the new hotel is being built on the site of an historic landmark, one of the original Murano glass factories from the 1600s, and that's posed a few challenges for a 21st-century building team with deadlines.

-While excavating the ground soil, we started to retrieve, to find historical artifacts.

And then we started, while we were digging deeper and deeper underground, we started to find pieces of glassworks from all the glass factories.

-The finds brought archaeologists running to the site and building work to a halt.

-We had all this crew of archaeologists all excited going around, and we were like, oh, my God, don't be too excited.

We are -- [ Laughs ] Finding small glasswork here and there and coming to us, "Oh, I found this.

I found that."

I went, "No, my God."

-There are sleepless nights when we have delays.

But we can't change it.

We can't avoid it.

-But with each week's delay adding hundreds of thousands of pounds to the cost of construction, will these historical finds hold up Stefan's grand opening?

-Potentially.

Potentially it's going to be a bit later.

We have always to be diplomatic in this, you know, because obviously we have to find all the ways to mitigate these small bottlenecks in the process.

♪♪ -Back at the original Langham Hotel in London, nights are drawing in.

-Pleasure to have you.

How are you?

-They did a Christmas light last night.

-They did?

-Yeah.

Christmas light.

-Amazing.

-Yeah.

Jingle bells.

[ Whistling ] -And the closest most of the staff will be getting to Italy is a good film.

-Hey, what's your favorite movie?

-"Gladiator."

-"Gladiator"?

-Yes, that's my favorite.

It's one of my favorites.

-One of the good ones I must say.

-Yeah, I think it's the best.

It's got everything on it.

Everything.

-Yeah.

The story is quite nice.

-The story.

Everything is -- Everything.

-The action.

-The ladies, everything.

[ Laughs ] ♪♪ -But if you can't bring the staff to Europe, you can bring a touch of Europe to the staff.

Down in the kitchens, this is a special day for the Langham culinary director, Michel Roux.

The world-renowned chef made his name running Le Gavroche, the restaurant where his father brought French haute cuisine to London in the 1960s, winning three prestigious Michelin stars, the Oscars of the food world.

But the pressure of running it was immense, and Michel Roux closed the doors for good in 2024.

-Now that Le Gavroche has closed, it's been a weight off my shoulders and I certainly sleep a lot sounder.

-Now, as the man in charge of food at the Langham, he's decided to try something special, challenging the kitchen team and putting his own reputation on the line.

-Tonight we're bringing Michelin-starred food to the Langham.

-It's the ultimate food challenge, one that Michel thinks Langham chef Oliver Wadham is ready for.

-Chef, how are you?

-Yeah, good.

Everything going to plan?

-Absolutely.

Yeah.

We have a tasting at 5:00.

All the mise en place is there, so we're busy getting stuff ready to go for 5:00.

-He seems unflappable.

But I have seen him wobble a couple of times.

You've seen a different side to him.

[ Laughs ] -Slightly nervous.

I think it's -- It's a very big moment for us as a team.

Yeah.

My neck's on the block today.

It's so important to meet those deadlines because have one bad service in front of those people, you'll be remembered for it.

We've got 10 minutes until they open the doors, so this is really crunch time.

If you're not ready by the time Michel's there, he will create that stress for you.

I mean, there's no room for error.

There's no room for laziness.

And therefore, if the kitchen isn't prepared in a way that it's supposed to be, a few feathers will be ruffled.

-Excellent.

Thank you.

People are coming here tonight to experience Le Gavroche at the Langham.

First guests already here, like 15 minutes early.

Tonight, we'll wait for nobody.

Get on with it.

-In London, there are over 11,000 restaurants, only 85 of which are Michelin starred.

And tonight, Michel Roux, a pioneer of fine dining, is bringing his Michelin star menu to the Langham.

And for executive sous-chef Oliver, the heat is on.

-Having the presence of Michel in the kitchen obviously does increase tension.

It does raise that expectation.

-I know that when I walk into the Langham Hotel and especially down into the kitchens, it's like a little bit of a hush.

Yeah.

Especially the younger chefs, they will almost stand to attention.

And actually, even the more experienced chefs like Ollie sort of take a deep breath.

-So this is it.

This is two Michelin star cookery in the Langham, London.

So in order to make up to that level with the team that we've got who's not used to doing that food, it's a massive challenge.

Michel's been good.

He's obviously a bit nervous about making sure that we're ready for tonight.

We're doing the final touches to the tasting right now, so hopefully everything's to his liking.

Slightly nervous.

So fingers crossed.

Are you going to be on time?

-Yes, Chef.

-Before service can commence, Chef Ollie must pass the Michel Roux taste test.

-It's important that I do physically taste everything, make sure that it is the standard that I require.

♪♪ The expectation is so high.

How long was that in the oven for?

The difference between great, good food and Michelin star food, I think it's that moment when you taste something and straightaway it makes you happy, makes you smile.

Oh.

Oh, that's nice.

Mm.

-I've had moments when I've put a piece of food in my mouth, and it's almost brought me to tears.

It was that good.

You don't get that with a fish finger.

-Phew.

Ollie can breathe a sigh of relief.

-They start.

We'll pick up the pace.

-But delivering a five-star meal is not just about the food.

To ensure the service is perfect, Michel Roux has recalled his Le Gavroche service supremos, the Perberschlager sisters.

-The sisters used to run the front of house at Le Gavroche.

They are perfectionists.

♪♪ -They were born and raised in Austria, which is where their passion for service began.

-At home, like Easter or Christmas, we always produce menus and set the table for our family.

And so little menu cards and napkins and all those kind of things.

-Today, this discerning duo have a mantra for success.

-Always be a bit scared.

-Yeah.

Never be too comfortable.

-And too confident.

-And too confident.

-And first to face the fear is executive chef Berwyn.

-Are you having any bigger tracks than those?

-Do we have enough staff to be able to sauce it on the table?

-We have to.

-We have to, yes?

Okay.

That's fine.

You tell me we have to.

Okay, I'll sort something out for you.

Okay.

No problem at all.

-Okay.

-No problem.

-The hotel owns 13,000 items of crockery, so there's always a solution if you can find it.

-I need like 10 or 20.

At the moment, I've got three that size and one that size.

So let's see what they say.

Right?

-They seem to have eyes in the back of their head.

It's incredible.

-Yeah, are you happy with them?

Fantastic.

[ Laughs ] -But the sisters' crockery crisis has set back Ollie's service.

-We should pick up the pace, so fingers crossed.

♪♪ Everything needs to be perfect tonight.

-Out front, Michel wows the crowd.

-Welcome to the Palm Court at the Langham.

-Whilst for Ollie the heat is on.

-It's really important that we're ready to go when the waiters are.

-Quick.

-Trying to get it out as quickly as possible.

-Go, go, go.

This is Formula One now.

[ Indistinct conversations ] -For Michel, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

-The lobster course was lovely.

But has Chef Ollie met the Michelin star bar?

-Yeah.

Chef hat's off.

-The food went out hot, precise and looking great.

So, overall, we're really happy.

-In the end, everything was spot on.

-[ Laughs ] -Since 1865, the Langham kitchens have been serving up 50 signature afternoon teas every day.

-Have you been to any afternoon tea?

-I have.

Yes.

Years ago, my wife took me to afternoon tea at the Ritz, and it was... I was not impressed.

We had high tea at the Fortnum and Mason.

It wasn't too bad, but Langham is the best.

-With each week that the new hotel's delayed, hundreds of thousands of pounds are added to the cost.

To keep things on track, managing director Stefan has called in architect Matteo Thun to discuss the next phase of the project -- the key features of the interior design.

-I haven't seen the roof yet.

-They just put it on just before the rain.

-Yeah.

-Now, sunshine.

Matteo is absolutely amazing.

He is an authority in architecture, but he's an interior designer.

He's an art lover.

He's absolutely brilliant.

-Look at the birds are coming.

-Oh, my God.

-They come to say hello.

Look at them.

-He is a visionary.

-Mamma mia!

-Matteo has designed stunning buildings across the world, including the interiors of Porsche and Hugo Boss.

-Matteo will decide what will go in which space and how do we enhance the spaces without disturbing them.

-But how will Matteo decide what's right for the new Langham hotel?

-You have to discover the soul of the place.

You have to discover what do I feel when I come here?

-So now he's here, what does he feel the centerpiece of the design should be?

-They used to have always chandeliers.

♪♪ Chandeliers in the beginning with candles.

And then the candle became electric light.

-Chandeliers have always been the signature creation of Murano glassmakers, and Matteo is quite clear about what he needs.

-We have transparent chandeliers in the first three rooms, the Veronese school rooms.

-Three chandeliers for the entrance.

-And then we have quite modern interpretation in the restaurant.

-Three more for the restaurant.

-The ballroom has the classic chandeliers.

-In total, Matteo's design concept needs 11 handcrafted Murano chandeliers, and he's not a man to compromise.

-The chandelier is part of this place.

This place needs chandeliers made here in Murano.

-So Alice and Stefan are on a scouting mission.

On Matteo's orders, they've come to one of the island's most exclusive glassmaking workshops, the 700-year-old Barovier & Toso.

-It's the most ancient company, was founded in 1295 and was a family business for seven century.

-But this workshop won't be cutting corners.

Their chandeliers take months to create, and the biggest have prices running into six figures.

With the Langham on his doorstep, head of sales Massimiliano is giving this his full attention.

-The things here are very elegant.

Very well done.

Expensive?

Yeah, it could be.

It could be expensive.

-And with everything Matteo wants, this could be quite a payday for Massimiliano.

-We need for the lobby, we need three chandeliers.

For the ballroom, we need two.

Function area, three.

For the restaurant, we need three.

-Let's go to fall in love with the things we can see, working glass.

-Massimiliano hopes he can win the Langham contract with a privileged glimpse behind the scenes.

♪♪ -It's a very, very exclusive thing for you.

It's a pleasure to show you because just when you see how we produce the things that you can much more appreciate the things.

-There is no school to learn traditional glassmaking techniques.

Instead, young glassmakers are apprenticed to masters in the workshop.

♪♪ ♪♪ -Everything is made by the eyes and the hand of the masters.

It's really precise because this one is one of the best masters we have.

Of course we are one of the best company working these kind of things, of course.

And only when you see how we work the things you can really, really appreciate also the style and everything.

-30 master glassmakers still operate with antique tools using techniques that have remained largely unchanged for 700 years.

-It's very important to us that we integrate with the culture, with the people, with the environment.

Our hotel will be long-lasting here, far beyond us.

And the chandeliers will be here for hundreds of years potentially in our hotels.

So it's very important that we are doing it right.

-Today this old craft is big business.

There are almost 100 glass workshops on Murano vying for contracts, so the Langham is a prize to win.

-This one is a very amazing thing.

Maybe it could be the beginning of the things you're going to buy.

Why not?

-My goodness, these guys are amazing.

It's incredible.

No wonder they're so costly, you know.

♪♪ -But has the sales pitch tour worked?

-These chandeliers are absolutely extraordinary.

The history -- It's all, you know, just fascinating.

-When you go into the furnace and you see how they actually produce these things, it's mind-boggling, actually.

-Craftsmanship is just really something to behold.

-But at up to half a million pounds for each of the 11 chandeliers that Stefan wants, cost is still a factor, even for a five-star hotel.

-This one is completely made with gold leaf on the surface.

It's 24-karat gold, but you have the best.

So here you have exactly the best.

-Stefan may not be ready to take a punt on the chandeliers yet, but he could be getting closer.

-You definitely want to look at that kind of thing because they are amazing.

The quality is the best.

And be looking for a partner who creates what we want to create and understands what we want to create.

-And critically, planning is moving forward that should keep the opening of the new hotel on target.

-Now having the details like the chandeliers, the glass, we have the decoration, the FF&E being selected, so it's really, really coming together.

I will bring my kids here and show them what we have achieved, what we have created.

I'm extremely proud of what we are doing here and it will be a hotel while we are all gone for a long, long time.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪