[parapaul]

Hoping someone with experience and/or knowledge can help on this one.

I want to book a decent hotel for a weekend at the start of December. I was (perhaps naively) hoping for 5* but having nothing to start from I'm floundering - the only things that come up on Google are The Dorchester, Claridges, The Ritz etc.

Apart from the prices - which I expected to reflect a 5* rating, but did not expect to top £1k for a weekend away - none of them really look like the sort of hotel I would choose to stay in. They're all... well... a bit traditional. Flowery bedsheets and axminster carpets, that sort of thing.

What I would like is (I hope) relatively simple:

* Location anywhere in London, really. Close transport links would be a plus but not by any means essential.
* 4 or 5 star quality. It's for a special occasion, I want it to feel like that.
* A modern feel, light and airy - not this... (from The Dorchester's website)



So, you city people - can you help?

[parapaul]

I've just found The Grange St. Paul's on TripAdvisor which looks exactly what I had in mind - anyone ever used it?

Oh, and I'll be visiting the Penny Black while we're there. Too good an opportunity to miss

[sheps]

I always stay in the Mayfair Raddison.

Great location (1 minute walk from Green Park tube station), great ground floor bar (very popular as a stand-alone bar) Casino in the basement, opposite Nobu for some nice munch, modern rooms with great bathrooms (and nice toiletries), B&O TV etc.

And most importantly, of any hotel, a cracking breakfast in the morning.

There are probably a great deal many more 'special' hotels, but I like 'old faithful'!

[BGM]

any of these: http://www.slh.com/destinations/euro...hotels-london/

Corinthia is pretty nice: http://www.corinthia.com/
Four Seasons?: http://www.fourseasons.com/london/

[fulcrum]

London 4 star hotels in central locations either have very small small rooms or not very good.

For a modern 5 star close to transport links try this
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...-london-hotel/

But cheap it is not

http://cache.marriott.com/propertyim...ur40.jpg?Log=1

[sheps]

Originally Posted by fulcrum

London 4 star hotels in central locations either have very small small rooms or not very good.

For a modern 5 star close to transport links try this
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...-london-hotel/

But cheap it is not

http://cache.marriott.com/propertyim...ur40.jpg?Log=1

We did some work on that for Galliford Try (after Manhattan Apartments got booted off-site) and the building is truly stunning.

[zaheer]

how about park plaza riverbank hotel, on the embankment.

[nicktyler]

How about the Bloomsbury near Oxford Circus.

Good for West End shopping and sightseeing etc.

[dar2008]

Originally Posted by parapaul

I've just found The Grange St. Paul's on TripAdvisor which looks exactly what I had in mind - anyone ever used it?

Yes, and it's a fantastic hotel, only opened about 18months ago so still very new. I took the Mrs there for our 10th anniversary. I'd emailed the hotel ahead of our arrival mentioning our anniversary and they upgraded us to a suite overlooking St Pauls! It has a wonderful on-site spa with warm pool and jacuzzi's, steam room etc, which were not at all busy when we were there.

Now the best bit,... I booked it through lastminute.com as one of there "Top Secret Hotels" - ie: you're only given a hotel description, you don't know which hotel it actually is until you've committed to buying. However, if you copy some of the hotels description and paste it into Google, you'll immediately see The Grange St Pauls pops up - basically lastminute.com have copied the hotels real description from their website! The room cost me £90 for the night (I booked it the day before), but it was a good 4/5 star experience. I highly recommend it!

Hope that helps!

[chrisbin]

We visited before Christmas last year and looked at all the usual suspects as mentioned above. As you say, you have to try hard to get a decent price!!

We ended up here: www.montcalm.co.uk

Great location and, booking over the phone, a great deal. Try and get on the Executive floor for free canapes and drinks.

[themetz]

Would recommend The Baglioni in Kensington. Check out the "promotions" link - some good opportunities to save some £££

If you want to be a bit closer to the West End - The Haymarket is the place to go (it is pricey, but worth it!)

[ed335d]

The Bvlgari Hotel in Knightsbridge has just opened....

http://www.bulgarihotels.com/en-us/l...hotel/overview

[225_AB]

Heard very good things about The Hoxton.

[Reggie-g75]

I always stop at the Hyatt Regency on Portman Sq. If you're in the west end the location is hard to beat being 5 mins from Selfridges.

Laterooms have this as a secret hotel for c.£199.

If you want to really push the boat out The Four seasons? Mandarin Oriental ( heston's restaurant is inside), the lanesborough, claridges.....

[chris330D]

Depends what you are looking for but I've stayed at the Park Plazza at Westminster Bridge. Good location and you get a very modern room with loads of space.

[ZURICH]

Originally Posted by parapaul

Hoping someone with experience and/or knowledge can help on this one.

I want to book a decent hotel for a weekend at the start of December. I was (perhaps naively) hoping for 5* but having nothing to start from I'm floundering - the only things that come up on Google are The Dorchester, Claridges, The Ritz etc.

Apart from the prices - which I expected to reflect a 5* rating, but did not expect to top £1k for a weekend away - none of them really look like the sort of hotel I would choose to stay in. They're all... well... a bit traditional. Flowery bedsheets and axminster carpets, that sort of thing.

What I would like is (I hope) relatively simple:

* Location anywhere in London, really. Close transport links would be a plus but not by any means essential.
* 4 or 5 star quality. It's for a special occasion, I want it to feel like that.
* A modern feel, light and airy - not this... (from The Dorchester's website)

So, you city people - can you help?

Forget the rest, I allways stay here, The Royal Horseguards, it is perfect, and the rates are great.

Kev.
http://www.guoman.com/en/hotels/unit...tes/index.html

[parapaul]

Wow, thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Some stunning hotels in that lot, and sadly some prices that are just a little too eye-watering

Originally Posted by dar2008

Yes, and it's a fantastic hotel, only opened about 18months ago so still very new. I took the Mrs there for our 10th anniversary. I'd emailed the hotel ahead of our arrival mentioning our anniversary and they upgraded us to a suite overlooking St Pauls! It has a wonderful on-site spa with warm pool and jacuzzi's, steam room etc, which were not at all busy when we were there.


...it was a good 4/5 star experience. I highly recommend it!

Hope that helps!

It really does, thanks a million

[CHG]

I recently stayed in The May Fair, Stratton Street (It is part of the raddison group so not sure if it's the same as Sheps')

Was excellent!

For what its worth, I've also stayed in the Dorchester, and prefer The May Fair

[zltm089]

wow! lots of rich people on here!...

[sheps]

Originally Posted by CHG

I recently stayed in The May Fair, Stratton Street (It is part of the raddison group so not sure if it's the same as Sheps')

Was excellent!

For what its worth, I've also stayed in the Dorchester, and prefer The May Fair

Yup, same hotel.
Good, huh?

[mgarvey]

Not tried it myself, but colleagues who work in London and want to stay somewhere nice but not too pricey swear by the Grange Rochester hotel in Westminster.

[m@rk]

Originally Posted by zltm089

wow! lots of rich people on here!...

Or with business travel expense accounts