London landmark gets a facelift

Dinah Hatch and friend checked into one of London’s most expensive hotels, post makeover, for a truly abfab experience.

Location
Darling, sweetie, you really couldn’t find a decent crash pad like this closer to Knightsbridge, Harrods, Harvey Nicks, Sloane Square, Buck House and Hyde Park. And, if you fancy slumming it, Hyde Park Corner tube is just across the road from the entrance. The Lanesborough, one of the capital’s most expensive hotels, reopened after an 18-month refurb and its absolutely fabulous 93 rooms and suites place you at the heart of London life.

First impressions
Just as they should be for a venerable institution such as this – grey bowler-hatted doormen whisk you from the hoi polloi of London life into the cool, whispered calm of the lobby. Alberto Pinto’s interior make-over has underlined the hotel’s Regency heritage, with elegant period furniture, portraits of serious-looking red-coated military men hanging on the walls and large, expensive-looking lamps casting tasteful lighting across the arches, columns and coving. My friend and I immediately felt the need for cognacs in the Library Bar, and sat in wing-chairs amongst the bookcases admiring the marquetry wallpaper and discussing how much cognac you can drink and still make sensible shopping decisions.

Wining and dining
There is, of course, a choice of places to wine and dine at The Lanesborough. You can ponder the trompe l’oeil hand-painted marbling and Wilkinson chandeliers in the Withdrawing Room while imbibing a nip of something fortifying, or you can head straight for French cuisine-led Celeste, where the ridiculously beautiful surroundings – we’re talking domed glass roof, fluted columns, friezes, stunning floral arrangement – set the scene for food from Parisian five-Michelin starred chef patron Eric Frechon and his protegee Florian Favario. We worked our way through a comprehensive tasting menu that included foie gras terrine, a goats cheese and tomatoey courgette affair, lamb so tender I barely had to chew and a cheese board that very nearly defeated us. Naturally we were forced to head to the Garden Room (clubby leather armchairs to slump in, a crackling fire, people smoking Cuban cigars) to recover with a nightcap.

Sleeping
To be honest, after indulging in what the Lanesborough has to offer from its various F&B outlets, I could have slept on the marbled lobby floor. However, fortunately our room wasn’t too far away and there was a butler on hand (I miss you, William) to guide us through our bedroom’s highlights, which included a painting that turned into a telly, unlimited movies on demand, and the bonus of free clothes pressing. The interiors in the rooms continue the rather fussy but tasteful theme downstairs (enough chintz to open my own branch of Laura Ashley) and are countered by excellent 21st-century technology such as an in-room tablet that controls just about everything. After some argy-bargy with said tablet as we attempted lights out from our beds, I slept deeply – not a sound, not an unwanted digital red light in sight.

Service
William did the Lanesborough proud. Who knew a butler was such a necessity in life? Service was courteous and attentive but never OTT around the hotel and I liked the restaurant staff who came across as knowledgeable and informative without making you look like a chump for not knowing what gariguette mousse was.

Leisure time
The hotel’s position means you have the capital of England’s leisure offerings on tap. Trot to the V&A for some Boticelli, stroke your chin knowingly around the Saatchi Gallery, head off to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre, take a trip up The London Eye, or simply stroll through Hyde Park, one of the most beautiful green spaces in London.

Highs
I think the public wining and dining spaces win at The Lanesborough. Not only are they beautiful, comfortable and there are people to bring you nice things to eat and drink almost round the clock, but you get to people watch the other guests too. I’m talking lots of people with designer belts and handbags that probably cost more than my car.

Lows
I guess if I’m going to find a fault it would be that I don’t think the hotel was particularly lively in the evenings, with the Celeste feeling a little bit like the Marie Celeste the Saturday we were there. A funky place to attract London’s hip crowd, it was not. That said, we had enough catching up to do over Champagne that we barely noticed the sprinkling of other punters anyway.

Verdict
This is the kind of hotel to retreat to as a couple or with good friends or, if you have very well behaved children not at all like mine, it could be a lovely family base from which to explore London. Solid, five-star service, classy furnishings, utter luxury in every room and a whatever-you-want-we-can-arrange attitude justify the hefty price tag for a room here.

Price: Rates at The Lanesborough start from £590 per night for a Deluxe Queen on a room only basis.