The Lanesborough Hotel London - Review
The Lanesborough is an adventure in gracious style and a revival of traditional hospitality. You will be received as an honored guest in a private home, a 96 room and 46 suite private home. Filled with Regency-era furnishings and a decor recalling a 19th century London townhouse restored to its original grandeur. You'll experience the timeless essence of British style, tradition and the famous British art of personal service which is practiced with efficiency and aplomb.
Imagine yourself in a place where every need, desire and whim will be taken care of. This is a state beyond luxury, where there is someone to pack and unpack your bags; to take your suit or dress for pressing and your shoes for shining; someone to gently awaken you each morning and provide you with a steaming cup of coffee or tea and the morning papers; to draw your bath; to remind you of an appointment to remember your birthday, your favorite snack your favorite bottle of mineral water or scotch or cigar. Sound like a fantasy? Well its not, it is just one of the service and amenities that set the Lanesborough apart from other luxury hotels.
Your very own 24 hour private butler is eager to fulfill any requirement with style, competence and discretion. The rooms are equipped with state of the art electronic heat and motion sensors which are wired from the rooms into 'The Butlers Pantry' which is really more like mission control. So they know when you are in your room and if you need them all you have to do is ring. But don't worry you'll be met with a stodgy old crusty Butler. These folks are relaxed, good humored, polite and genuinely interested in your utter well-being. There is no request they can't take care of. Your Butler will be your personal assistant, valet, ticket agent, social secretary, concierge and guardian angel.
Grand yet intimate the Lanesborough hasn't two rooms or suites exactly alike. They are decorated in a Regency-era combination of Greek revival and classical styles wrought in the finest furnishings linens accessories art and decor. Upholstery and draperies hang in silk brocades, textured damask, butter soft leather and corded and tasseled velvet s thick you can get lost in it. True luxury is all in the details gleaming mahogany, polished silver, plush carpets, bone china breathtaking floral displays crystal chandeliers.
The rooms are equipped with all the high-tech luxuries of home and then some. Cleverly concealed inside the 1820's furnishings is 21st century technology: A remote control panel for all the lights and climate controls is in a drawer in the bedside table, a facsimile machine is hidden in a drawer, in an armoire you'll find a compact disk stereo systems and videocassette player, as well as a large library of music and movies which are available on demand and for free. One of the lines on your two line telephone is your personal line with a private phone number, answerable only you and is imprinted on the personalized business cards and stationary you receive at check in. In case you miss your home gym your butler can bring you a stair master or lifecycle free of charge.
The en-suite bathrooms are inlaid with Italian Carrera marble and equipped with heated towel racks, fog free mirrors Lotion, bubble bath and talc are inviting in their crystal and silver decanters.
The Withdrawing room and Library Bar are richly cloaked in lush surroundings. Here you are enveloped in the essence of Britain's legendary private clubs. You can literally sit and take a trip back into time by sipping on 'Liquid History'. This amazing collection of vintage Cognacs stretches back as far as the eighteenth century. Or you can enjoy a classic cocktail, glass of wine or something more unusual like a 'fluffy duck'.
Their restaurant The Conservatory offers superb cuisine in a casual dining atmosphere serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner or an after theatre supper. The Conservatory is one of my favorite places fresh, lush and beautiful like a spring morning. It was inspired by the Brighton Pavilion; its gothic architecture and chinoiserie themes are surrounded by soft pinks and greens, filigreed walls and bubbling fountains, huge potted palms, exotic floral arrangements, Royal Worcestershire porcelain, graceful arches support a glass ceiling, and Chinese carpets that have been painstakingly reproduced from documentary originals.
If you are like me and think you're a princess or a prince. How about staying in their Royal Suite? This is a favorite of celebrities and heads of state. It has three bedrooms, a drawing room, dining room and kitchen. Floor to wall ceilings offer a superb view of Buckingham Palace. It comes fully staffed with a dedicated personal butler and 24-hour security. Guests also have the use of a chauffeured limousine.
In a town full of history The Lanesborough has its own prestigious history and has many historical listings. In 1719 the Viscount Lanesborough built a private home on Hyde Park Corner from 1733 to 1980 it was the site of St. Georges Hospital in 1825, the original structure Lanesborough house was demolished construction on the current building began in 1825 and was completed in 1929 the hospital closed in 1980 in 1987 a complete renovation of the interior began on Dec 30 1991 the Lanesborough opened as a Rosewood Hotel and is now a St. Regis - Starwood Hotel.
To read more on The Lanesborough Go to my London Postcards Day 13 and Day 14.
The Lanesborough
Hyde Park Corner London SW1X 7TA United Kingdom
Phone (44) (20) 7259 5599 Fax (44) (20) 7259 5606
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