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Megan Palmer has a background in travel writing, and her articles have been published in BBC History and Heritage magazines, as well as a number of websites. She is also enrolled on a two-year creative writing course at Oxford University. She writes a range of fiction, drama, poetry and creative non-fiction. Megan has been highly commended in the October 2011 Five Stop Story writing competition and is currently working on a novel. You can see more of her writing on her blog.
Very occasionally, hotels become something more than simply a place to sleep and take on iconic status. Why? Some have hosted royalty, others have curious histories and a tiny few become synonymous with glamour. Grosvenor House Hotel in London, which opened its doors in 1929, is firmly in the latter category, with loyal regulars that range from Hollywood starlets to Saudi princes – all thanks to constant innovations that have made it a by-word for luxury. Who knew, for instance, that Grosvenor House was the birthplace of the en-suite bathroom or was the first to install running water for its guests? But despite the illustrious roll call of former guests, Grosvenor House isn’t just for the glitterati today. There’s plenty of room for less exalted visitors – RIH among them – in the market for a taste of the high life served up in quintessentially British fashion.
And although the hotel is firmly rooted in the UK, it has a special sort of glitziness that feels as if it has been transported lock, stock and gin barrel from a prohibition-era Chicago palace. The lush décor is pure decadent 1920s glamour à la Great Gatsby, complete with ceiling-high mirrors, gold trimmings and marble floors. Unlike its counterpart in Dubai, and in spite of its Emirati ownership, London’s Grosvenor House also has a lovely quaintness to it, perhaps as a result of the original period features such as the brass doors of the lift, complete with old-fashioned dials atop. And the art deco style continues throughout: from the chrome and jet bathrooms to the geometric lampshades, there are cool period touches in your room, in the bar, the lifts – frankly, wherever you care to look.
And there are plenty of places to explore beyond your room. The Red Bar (not an exaggeration – literally, everything is red), the Park Room and Champagne Bar, Corrigan’s restaurant and the JW Steakhouse are all housed on site. The Park Room and JW Steakhouse, both of which overlook Hyde Park, are particularly cool and would be even were they not prt of Grosvenor House.
The Bourbon Bar within the steakhouse also boasts an unusual little treat in the shape of a bespoke Grosvenor House bourbon blend created by the Jack Daniels distillery. The restaurant itself is a tribute to the hotel’s American founder and offers perfectly cooked to your preferences US-style steaks, while over at the Park Room, you’ll find Mayfair’s favourite afternoon tea. Head to the Red Bar in the small hours, for excellent cocktails and the chance to bump into one of the hotel’s Hollywood clients - the Great Room next door regularly hosts star-studded soirees.
Back upstairs, you’ll find several types of room and it’s worth investigating what’s on offer before you book. The entry level room, the ‘deluxe’, is a spacious affair complete with an en-suite, while the superior version comes with more space (particularly storage space), and a bigger bathroom. Once you get into suite territory, you are granted access to the executive lounge, which serves 24 hour refreshments, newspapers and showers for travellers who need facilities outside of usual check-in times. A suite will also get you a separate lounge, large bedroom and bathroom, and an upgrade from Aromatherapy Associate toiletries to Penhaligon. Wifi is not included in any room price, which came as a surprise but is available as both a wired and wireless option.
Wifi or not, there’s no denying that in the hotel’s 84 years of existence, virtually every celebrity worth their salt has stayed at Grosvenor House: from world leaders including President Obama and Henry Kissinger to fabulous celebrities ranging from The Beatles to Cheryl Cole. As a result, it has a glam factor that just can’t be beaten, despite the efforts of the nearby Ritz.
But celebrities aside, its stylish décor, attentive service, unbeatable location and luxury facilities make it a deluxe bolthole for civilians too – especially those who fancy a London base with a swanky twist. While other London hotels have come and gone, Grosvenor House Hotel is as much a London landmark today as it was when it opened nearly a century ago, and based on my experience of it, it’s easy to see why.
Two nights at Grosvenor House start at £220 based on two sharing a deluxe room. For more information and to book, see marriott.co.uk
IN THE AREA
From the retail mecca of Oxford Street to Buckingham Palace and the British Museum, just about every London landmark imaginable is within walking distance of Grosvenor House. While first time visitors to London won’t want to miss the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London or the London Eye, for Londoners and regular travellers, there’s the newly opened Shard, which is a short boat trip down the Thames from the hotel.
Also worth a visit is the Emirates Air Line, which gives you a bird’s eye view of East London and the recently relocated London Dungeon, which is now to be found on the South Bank, close to the far less gruesome London SEA LIFE Aquarium. For more information on what to see and do in London, see visitlondon.com
