Thanks for the responses.

My daughter did use a plug converter but not a voltage converter. I beleive the UK voltage is something like 330 vs 220 in the US. To add salt to the wounds, my daughter mentioned that she was going out to buy a quality hair iron in London....until I pointed out that it wouldn't work in the US. Gotta love kids.

I was proactive and called the problem to the manager's attention. She was very appreciative and promised to do everything possible to minimize the cost. I also took pictures of the damage and got a copy of the hotel's repair estimate. The total cost was about $2000 (US) and figuring that I have a $500 deductable on my homeowner's insurance, I'm just going to bite the bullet and absorb the cost. Made an already expensive trip that much more expensive however London was great and we found the people of London to be extremely cordial and helpful...I would highly recommend it to everyone.

Thanks again for the responses!