Egerton House gets a makeover

For those who like a personal touch there can be no better place to check in than the newly renovated Egerton House Hotel in Knightsbridge. Corporate and leisure guests from around the world can expect warm, personalized service which has come to be the trademark of all Red Carnation Hotels.

“The experience unfolds the minute a guest steps inside the hotel,” said Charles Kao, Publisher of TravelMole.  General Manager Sandra Anido ensures  that  the thirty-bedroom Egerton House is the antithesis of the faceless corporate chain hotel with its businesslike approach. It is a house rule that every guest receives personal attention during their stay and is made to feel like a guest of the family – which in this case would be the Tollman family.

A 24-hour room service menu is offered. Guests may enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner in their room or the beautiful, elegant, intimate, but not stuffy, dining room. “While many of London’s finest hotels boast the ‘finest’ menu, my breakfast experience at the Egerton is absolutely the finest, not only in London, but anywhere in the world,” said Mr. Kao. The drawing room, an elegant room which offers 24-hour service plus the delights of a traditional English afternoon tea, served daily. Alternatively, relax and meet business associates or friends in the newly completed bar with your favourite tipple from superb barman and everyone’s uncle, Antonio.

Founder of Red Carnation Hotels, South African hotelier Beatrice Tollman leaves her elegant stamp not only on the service but also on the décor of the hotel and rooms. Her attention to detail is reflected in the beautiful, handpicked antiques, Brussel weave carpets and Savoir beds. “Each room is uniquely decorated and an art piece,” added Mr. Kao. 

All this olde world charm has been artfully juxtaposed with all the modern conveniences:  video-conferencing on plasma screens, flat-screen TVs, WiFi throughout, and specially programmed Nano iPods offering a vast selection of music. It is a short walk away from Harrods and other central London attractions.

Red Carnation’s flagship, The Milestone, a member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World, is a beautifully restored Victorian mansion dating from 1882. Overlooking Kensington Palace and Gardens it has a gracious stately presence that is complemented by contemporary conveniences and service.  The Milestone has 45 deluxe guest rooms and 12 luxurious suites, each individually designed with exquisite taste and equipped with the latest technology. It is within walking distance of Kensington High Street’s elegant shopping area and near the Royal Albert Hall and the West End.

The Windsor Suite & Map Room are beautiful function rooms with natural daylight & video-conferencing. All of the luxurious guest rooms have spacious work desks & modern business amenities, such as conference-phones, voicemail & fax/copier/scanner machines. Cheneston’s Restaurant, with its adjoining Oratory, offers fine international dining, while the Stables Bar & the Conservatory offer a relaxed ambience. 

Chief Executive of Red Carnation Hotels Jonathan Raggett who manages the Red Carnation properties in the UK and Europe says that the personalized attention that guests receive is extended to the staff at all their properties. Employees are involved and empowered in every aspect of making guests feel comfortable and important.

Red Carnation Hotels is a collection of luxury properties. Its luxurious five-star properties in London are The Milestone Hotel, Egerton House and “41.” Outside London is Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant and Spa and Evershot, Dorset, a member of Relais & Chateaux. Other RCH properties, and members of Leading Small Hotels of the World, are the five-star Hotel d’Angleterre on Lake Geneva, Switzerland, and The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa in Cape Town, South Africa.

Forget those mints. Nothing compares with a single red carnation placed on your pillow night after night !

Report by Chitra Mogul