Five-Star Luxury At The London Marriott Hotel Park Lane

The five-star London Marriott Hotel Park Lane sits at the head of one of the Capital’s most famous and prestigious thoroughfares and is literally around the corner from a centre of retail therapy going by the name of Oxford Street.

Housing 152 rooms within the historic Grade II listed building, this luxury property underwent an extensive renovation last year, producing the architectural masterpiece that it is today.

Guests are greeted by an ornate central staircase in the lobby, leading to the reception and concierge area. This is where “The Jaunty Flâneur”, the in-house shoe shiner resides on weekdays, and where our host, Alessandro, served us apple and blackcurrant juice, chilled face towels and some chocolates whilst swiftly completing all of the check-in formalities.

We were given the privilege of staying in one of the 16 40 square-metre (430 square-foot) Junior Suites on the fourth floor which also grants access to the Executive Lounge at ground level (open from 06:30 to midnight every day). With views overlooking Hyde Park and Marble Arch, it has been very cleverly insulated to avoid any disturbance from the hum of the passing traffic that lies below.

Welcomed by fresh mango juice and a plate of macaroons, the suite was divided into a cosy living area with soft seating, a writing desk, minibar and a flat-screen TV, and sleeping quarters where the bed was dressed with crisp white linen, a plethora of pillows and tasteful cushions, making for a good night’s sleep.

The equally spacious bathroom was lined with white marble and toiletries from the nearby perfumer, Floris, and featured a heated toilet, large bath, standalone rain shower, as well as built-in ceiling speakers and volume controls to regulate the sound coming from the second TV at the foot of the bed.

There is plenty to keep you fit and rejuvenated at London Marriott Hotel Park Lane, thanks to the recently refurbished spa in the basement, known as “The Club at Park Lane”. It boasts a 12.5-metre pool which is a haven of tranquillity where you can sit back on towel-clad loungers, read the paper, put the world to right, and sip ice cold water. There is equally a steam room to cleanse the pores and pool-side showers to feel totally refreshed.

In addition to the well-equipped gym, there is a small menu of treatments available which all use products from AromaWorks, and my other half enjoyed the 55-minute Bespoke Body Ritual massage. The near one-hour session used various essential oils to soothe the skin and relax the body as well as various pressure techniques, as the masseuse worked her way down from head to toe.

For visitors who pick the Junior Suite, any hunger will be quickly banished. Aside from the room service, and two on-site bars (with one being on the roof), the Executive Lounge offers all-day dining which changes as you go through the day. After browsing the local stores, we sat down here for the “Afternoon delights”, which were namely scones and sandwiches, before enjoying nuts, white wine and crudités as part of the “Evening drinks”, a reward for putting in a few lengths in the pool.