The Red Lion
Why do we call it 'the' Red Lion when only the name 'Red Lion' is written on the sign?
That's because all hotels, pubs and restaurants start with 'the'.
the Waldorf Astoria
the Ritz
the Ivy
the King's Head
"I'm going for dinner at the Ivy in London."
"When I go to New York I'm going to stay at the Waldorf Astoria."
However, there is an exception...
We don't use the when the name of the hotel or restaurant is also the name of the owner:
Brown's
Brown's Hotel
Kelly's Irish Pub
Sonny's bar
"I'm going to stay at Brown's Hotel when I visit Lisbon."
"I'm meeting friends for a drink at Kelly's Irish Pub."
Hopefully this blog post will have helped you to answer the following question:
