F1 WORLD champion Lewis Hamilton is believed to have been one of the first guests to check in to the Randolph Hotel after it reopened yesterday following last month’s fire.

A guest at the hotel said Hamilton was thought to have booked into a room at the hotel yesterday lunchtime shortly after the 150-year-old building opened its doors to the public and customers.

They said: “I was shocked to see him walking around the hotel. He walked right through it and went straight up to his room.

“I think he was using the hotel as a pit stop but it’s great he was there.”

The five-star hotel now has 100 of its 151 rooms available for guests less than a month after the blaze – with those rooms damaged or within view of fire damage closed while repair work takes place.

Hotel manager Michael Grange said: “The day I came in after the fire I thought ‘my goodness we are going to be shut for ages’.

“The team of staff, contractors and specialists have done a great job, it’s only been about two and a half weeks.

“One of our regular guests was here at 8am as usual, which was great.”

He added: “This weekend we are very busy but the next few days are quiet, which is a good thing and will give us time to settle in properly.”

The fire on April 17 started in the kitchen, after it is believed a chef flambéed a beef stroganoff, and spread up through the Grade II-listed building.

The building was evacuated and more than 80 people made it out safely as it brought the city to a standstill.

Fourteen fire engines from across four counties tackled the blaze which burnt out a sections of the roof. Repairs are on-going and the hotel is expected to return to normality in late September.

In the meantime a temporary kitchen is in use and as well as an alternative restaurant in the hotel’s Lancaster function room.

The main restaurant – though undamaged – will be used as a through-way for workers repairing fire damaged areas.

A new entrance has been created at the delivery entrance but all other rooms including the Morse Bar, the Spa, most guest rooms and meeting rooms are open.

Mr Grange said: “We have been very careful to make sure that wherever the guests go they will be untroubled by the fire. As they will see, the place is remarkably unscathed.”

The hotel has had to relocate some summer events until the kitchen is fully repaired.