livefromtuscany

I stayed at the Connaught Hotel twice in Q4 of 2009. While the first stay was flawless, the second was majorly disappointing. Rooms facing Carlos Place are ok, most others suffer from the construction site (the hotel is adding a couple of rooms in a new wing currently under construction). Rooms facing the ugly courtyard and the construction site have frosted (glass covered with a milky foil) windows, which creates a very claustrophobic feeling.

We moved room after one night (the hotel was full) to another room on the top floor, where construction was going on as well (on the corridor just a few doors down, so you have workers walking up and down the corridor all the time). Construction is going on every day except Sunday starting a 7.30 am with sounds of drilling and chain saws.

Service was a let-down as well, particularly Front Office staff were borderline incompetent. The doorman gave our taxi (we had been waiting for it for 10 mins) to some other people who had just walked out and actually physically pushed me back when I pointed that out to him. F&B (quality and staff) on the other hand was excellent, and the location is great.

We did not see the advertised butler once during our second stay.

I recommend staying away from this property until these issues have been sorted out.

mktozd

Thank you for sharing, there is nothing I dislike more than hotels and resorts under construction

Kagehitokiri

re connaught - "By the end of 2009 the spa, indoor pool, and another 33 rooms will have made their debuts." (from departures)

luxury, OTOH if you paid for grosvenor, double upgrade would be to 3BR 2,900ft2 royal suite.

luxury

Indeed, it would have been but 1800 GBP is a lot of money to spend on one night when I have 2 nights at the George V coming up for NYE!!

Goodmorning2U

Luxury,

It is wonderful to hear about your travels! Thank you for posting updates about these properties. Looking forward to hearing about your old haunt, Le V!

Goodmorning2U

Goodmorning2U

I had asked about Hotel 41 on Flyertalk a while back and recieved no response but after reading reviews on Tripadvisor and finding a good discount on their website www.41hotel.com, I decided to book with them. Please find below my report from our recent stay.

Hotel 41 is a small five star Mayfair deluxe boutique hotel of 30 rooms perched above its parent property the Rubens, a four star deluxe property. I am thrilled to say we had a very good stay and can recommend this place for its exceptional service, amenities, and the quality of the hotel plant.

On arrival we were greeted in the first floor lobby by the delightful and knowledgeable Duty manager, Mae Schoenmakers. The lobby is decorated with white orchids, lovely wood molding on the walls, and white and black marble floors. Ms. Schoenmaker escorted us up the private Hotel 41 elevator to the 5th floor, which contains all of the hotels rooms and suites. She offered us our favorite beverage, gleaned from the extensive questionnaire they emailed to us before arriving. Before arriving I was very skeptical that anyone would look at our requests. Note; this hotel provided accurately all the items they have said they could provide in the questionnaire and a few extra surprises as well! We were treated like we were Four Seasons profile guest holders before we had even arrived for our first stay.

We arrived on the 5th floor, where the executive lounge is the heart of the hotel. It is decorated as though it were the library of a great London home, 20 ft high glass ceilings, floor to ceiling wood book cases, warm fire burning constantly, white orchids everywhere, and great comfy leather armchairs. This is where breakfast, tea, and dinner is served. The service was among the best I've experienced, on par with the George V. There were multiple professional but warm members of staff at hand to anticipate and fulfill needs. They think of everything, down to yoga mats and DVD if you want them, and of course including a pillow menu.

Before arriving, we had booked an Executive King room but switched to their one bedroom apartment after a bit of a panic attack when we discovered that the Executive king rooms are approximately 150 sq. ft. in size. The size of the rooms isn't labeled on its website, it is labeled on the preferred hotels website where I discovered the size post booking. I wanted to see the room we would have gotten had we stayed in the Executive king and was pleasantly surprised, that though cozy, it was not small and looked very comfortable. The bathroom in particular with its separate shower and bath looked inviting. When we come back, we would be happy with either the apartment or executive king room, perhaps giving a slight advantage to the king room because of its proximity to the excellent service.

The apartment. Shortly thereafter Mae escorted us to our serviced apartment. The apartment is a less than 5 minute walk from the hotel (for us it took 3 minutes, from our door to the Executive lounge). The hotel and apartments are amazingly located a few blocks from Victoria station and directly opposite the mews of Buckingham Palace.
The apartment has a lovely light filled foyer with a small table to set your shopping bags. A bouquet of yellow roses, lilies, and carnations greeted us along with a box of Belgian chocolates. There is a bathroom to the left of the foyer with a walk in shower, plenty large for two. Beyond the bathroom is a kitchen nook with everything Gordon Ramsay might need (his office is located on the same side street). Mae explained that they had taken the liberty of stocking the fridge with bread, eggs, and juice. We only made breakfast once but they had purchased (or made fresh squeezed) orange juice, milk, high quality bread and eggs. They had a wonderful Nespresso coffee maker which we used every morning. There was also a washer and dryer if you wanted to use one. In the large living room there was an impressive flat screen TV over a very cozy fireplace. There were literally hundreds of channels to choose from. There were book shelves stocked with obviously handpicked selections including books about London and best sellers. Up a small flight of stairs is the bedroom, composed of largely the very comfortable king bed and two small side tables. There is a small walk-in closet. The terrace outside looked very inviting, with high quality patio furnishings, but it was too cold to make much use of it during our stay. During the Spring and Summer I imagine it would be delightful. There is no view from any of the rooms. The apartment is surrounded by other London apartments. It was perfectly quite throughout our stay and when we were leaving one morning we had the pleasure of meeting one of the friendly neighbors (I believe there are 3 apartments per floor).

After we were situated we went out to explore London coming back to Hotel 41's executive lounge in the evening. Every evening the hotel has a variety of complimentary drinks, fruits, and small snacks for guests to enjoy, no alcohol, but almost everything else. You don't really need to get up from your leather arm chair in front of the fire, they will bring you anything you ask for. We greatly enjoyed this calm end to our evenings! Even though the hotel was sold out the lounge never became too busy in the evenings or for breakfasts. On the opposite side of the room from the fireplace is a large flat screen TV where we were invited to watch the inauguration while they served us complimentary drinks and snacks.

Afterwards we returned to find the apartment cleaned, the bed turned down nicely, and a large bottle of good quality still on the night stand.

Breakfast in the lounge the next morning was very special. They go the extra mile to discover and remember your preferences. Continental breakfast was included in our rate but we could have selected anything from the hot a la carte menu for an additional 5.50 pounds. After sampling the continental buffet, amongst the best I have seen, I couldn't have eaten anything else. The fresh fruit selection was expansive, papaya, mango, many different types of berries, all ripe and delicious. I wish I could find the yogurt they served there, here in the States. There was also a wide selection of top of the line juices, and pastries, cheeses, and breakfast ham.

We celebrated a birthday during this trip and came home one night to discover there was a fresh raspberry covered white chocolate mouse with dark chocolate shaving topped cake, with candles, on the appropriate night, and a real birthday card. Great fun!

There is no dedicated gym or spa on site though they will provide in-room massages or a recumbent bike in your room, should you request it. They also have complimentary passes to a gym around the corner, LA Fitness, which has a pool, extensive classes, and a good selection of both weight and cardio equipment. Is this gym of the same caliber as the Sports Club LA? No, the pool and sauna and cardio machines were often crowded (new years resolutions perhaps), but it did provide for an adequate work-out and the staff were very friendly.

In summation, the service we experienced at Hotel 41 was the best in London and on par with anything we have experienced anywhere. If room size is of pivotal importance this might be an issue for you but we were completely won over and would stay in a room half the size we were offered to enjoy the same level of service. We look forward to returning next year, perhaps with family to enjoy the two bedroom apartment.

If you have any questions about this hotel or my experience there do not hesitate to ask.

JanePond

I had not realized that Hotel 41 was atop the Reubens, a good location. It's across from the Royal Mews and a great spot for watching the events around the opening of Parliament. IIRC, the pub around the corner is called 'Bag o' Nails' and it's lots of fun.
However, I think it's really the Victoria area, as opposed to Mayfair. Thanks for the review.

luxury

Thank you Goodmorning2U for your review of the Hotel 41. I believe the hotel used to advertise Penhaligons bathroom amenities...... did you receive a choice on the questionnaire or did they just stock the room with whatever the house brand is?

Goodmorning2U

Yes the hotel has chosen Penhaligons bathroom amenities. In the apartment they stocked large bottles in the shower and either replaced them or refilled them every night. This reminds me of something the turndown crew did which impressed me. They must have noticed that we were using very skimpy travel tooth brushes and the next day we found they had put complimentary full sized tooth brush kits out for us. I thought this was very thoughtful.

rfrost

Which scent?

mktozd

Thank you very much for your detailed review, I am going check this place out for a trip we are planning in the spring.

limelight

Note to the Savoy: Stop trying to be so respectable...

So I've got a lot of time for the Savoy. One of the best locations in London. Glorious river views. Strong cocktails.

Especially the cocktails, actually. There's an old abiding memory of a ridiculous martini - bathtub-sized and freezing... the moment I first saw the point that drink. It was served a few years ago amidst faded elegance by a barman with a glint in his eye. I loved the old Savoy, but you couldn't call it respectable. Steven Fry lived the life of an amateur con-artist in one of its suites for ages, until they realized he didn't have any money. The hotel's basements and tunnels ran forever under the Thames, and there was always a running battle with the rats. But, character. It had character like few other hotels, few places in the world.

And now... well, now... if impressions gathered over a few of those cocktails, one evening last week, hold true.... now this place wants to be the George V so much it hurts. The public spaces are superb - all Edwardian tile and soaring grandeur. The staff-to-guest ratio seems to have been increased significantly - there are now lots of people whose job it is just to hover in the lobby and public areas, and be charming. The service is polished. The martinis are still on the menu (at about $20 plus service).

And yet, and yet... it felt too much (& this is knowingly a very partial impression) like a luxury hotel designed by a big multinational hotel group. Which is to say: the glint in the eye, it's not there (not yet, at any rate).

On the way to the old American Bar, you pass Marlene Dietrich's guest card. M.D. specified a dozen red roses and a bottle of Dom Perignon, to be waiting for her on every stay. Ask for that now, and I think that, in the most-well-meaning way, they'd say, 'Of course, madam. And would madam like a nice wheatgrass shake with that, too?' Decadence, they don't get. The old American Bar would get packed: the lady in front of me, a former regular too, reminisced about propping herself on the bar and listening to the best stories in London. Now, there's no standing allowed - and even some of the tables and seats at the bar sat empty, while a line to get in stretches out the door. It's very comfortable - but suddenly, there's no atmosphere to the place. The Savoy's already got lots of loungey dreamy letter-writing areas - it needs a bit of louche....

Again, the old barman with a glint in his eye has been replaced by a young guy with expensive hair, still in the old white jacket. The young guy's martini was middling, and lukewarm to boot. (Again, $20 plus service.) In a bar at Heathrow airport, I'd have been pleased. Here - and it's clear they want the American Bar to be one of the best hotel bars in the world - I was a bit shocked. Bemelman's at the Carlyle, this is not. The pianist - asked for endless versions of Sinatra - was fed up, but too polite to really show it. (Even at the over-corporate Lanesborough, they have a glory of a pianist, who gets drunk and starts insulting patrons in the most charming, 1920s way, while playing with verve. No verve, here.)

And this... nervous carefulness... seems to carry over into many areas... they're over-thinking stuff, and playing it safe when real world-class hotels need to take risks. A Gordon Ramsay apprentice goes into the Savoy Grill soon - just as London's rather going off all things Ramsay. (And this is not a chef, on the basis of his previous work, who's anything like of the calibre of Wareing or Hartnett.) Very safe, rather fine, but nothing to make you grin with delight. (And for me, that's what a luxury hotel should do.)

Note to the Savoy: becoming the George V is going to take more than buying some comfy chairs and hiring lots and lots of staff (one guy in the lobby to direct you to the restroom, handing you over to one guy in the restroom lobby to show you the door, handing you over to one guy in the restroom to give you a towel from the pile four inches to your left...). You need to be the kind of place that Marlene D. would want to stay at. Make me wonder if there's an old-fashioned con-artist in the suite above. Be the Savoy. Because this place is already very fine. It might well turn incredible.

wripro

Limelight,

Thanks for the beautifully written impression. I won't be in London until April (not for the wedding) but I'll check out the Savoy then.

TRAVELSIG

Very well written Limelight!
This was my exact experience with the bar also (particularly the "we don't allow standing at the bar" when my colleagues came to join me). I do hope this is all sorted out over time- as certainly at least the public areas are very spiffed up now.

vuittonsofstyle

Brilliant stuff, Limelight. I will be staying in December, so will check out 'expensive hair' in the bar, but will also look for a little loucheness in the boudoirs...