oldskool

hi,

i'm gonna be in london a week from now. i'd love to hear any recommendations for a very cool hotel for a weekend of romance, that's also within short distance of tours of the obligatory sights and eateries, etc.

the new hilton "the trafalgar" looks pretty nice. for some reason, the myhotel bloomington leaves me with a "W" kinda feel. the savoy looks ok.

any idea if any of these is a good choice? are there better choices? any highly recommended choices? will spend less than $500 per night.

thanks for any help.

wigstheone

I'd vote for 41 (small and deluxe, located near Buckingham Palace), Sanderson (Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck, Soho) or The Metropolitan (one of the original "hip: hotels, Hyde Park). All three are upscale, but with much more presence and flair.

inWDC

Here’s my 2 shillings worth.

Any hotel in the Savoy group. Sophisticated and impeccable service.(www.savoy-group.co.uk)
->The Savoy/The Cannaught/Claridge’s/The Berkeley/The Connaught/The Lygon Arms<-

Anouska Hempel works absolute magic at Blakes and The Hempel. Both very stylish/chic (www.the-hempel.co.uk).

Most any hotel affiliated with Design Hotels group for high standards and a change of pace (www.designhotels.com)

The Halkin, (www.halkin.co.uk), contemporary and luxurious, great location near Hyde Park corner.

The Halcyon, beautiful, elegant, private, small.

The Hampshire, luxury smallish hotel in to-die-for spot on Leicester Square. Most rooms here are small.

The Ritz, Piccadily, what can we say about this one?

Brown’s Hotel, Mayfair, top drawer.

samiambar

Connaught Hotel.

blairvanhorn

The Berkeley. Everything is tops, including the rooftop pool and spa. A great hotel.

rfrost

I love the service at the Connaught the most, but I don't think the rooms are that pretty. Good views are romantic, so I'd vote for a park view at the Dorchester or a river view at the Savoy. I think the service at the Dorchester is a tad better than the Savoy, but I had a not great experience at the latter which may not have been typical.

Merry

Without doubt The Dorchester. No question. No competition.

Second choice The Connaught.
Third choice The Savoy.

It possible try and book a 'Dorchester Weekend Indulgence' package through LHW. You should be able to get it for betweem 300 and 350 pounds per night.


If you want something less prestigious and more intimate I would recommend Blakes. It is a little out of fashion at the moment, but still maintains that air of conspiratorial indulgence, that only a small hotel can manage.


Nick

0524

I'd go back to the Savoy just for the pillows!

COMPTON SID

With respect, the Savoy, Claridges, the Connaught and the Berkley, while luxurious, are hardly hip. The following, in no particular order, are still very chic, and if it's important to you, somewhat hipper:

Blakes, The Hempel, Covent Garden Hotel, Charlotte Street Hotel, the Halkin and the Halcyon. The Met(ropolitan) attracts B list celebrities to its bar, and is a bit out of the way at Hyde Park Corner. The Sanderson and St Martin's Hotel in St Martin's Lane also fair well in the hip quotient.

MatthewClement

I always have a soft-spot for the Cadogan off Sloane Street. It's a 65-room, privately run hotel. You'll find their website at www.cadogan.com although it's a little slow to load.

Can't recommend highly enough. Spectacular service every time I have stayed. Also have an excellent restaurant.

Good luck.

michswiss

I'll be staying at the Sanderson this weekend after a couple of days business in London. They have an internet special going on currently (205GBP) that makes it competitive with our corporate rates with SPG.

Now I just have to practice being hip.

WHBM

The Waldorf, at the end of The Strand (across the street from the Savoy).

Nice old-fashioned elegant place, not quite as overbearing as the Savoy and it's ilk but still 5-star. Key feature is the "Tea Dance" on Sunday afternoons; even if you are not staying at the hotel, book up and go to it if you are in to Edwardian elegance and dancing (and from the "old skool"!.

The hotel is also perfectly placed for walking to many of the key attractions if you wish.

http://www.heavenlyhotels.co.uk/meridien-waldorf.shtml

Having said all that, when we Londoners wish to have our own "romantic weekends" we tend to go out of London to country retreat places.

slawecki

The Savoy has band and dancing on Sat. night if into dancing. Request a water view, and table 1 or 2. Those are the river front corner tables.

CO Flyer

I spent 10 weeks living out of the Hampshire - and while the rooms ARE small, they are very cozy and nicely appointed and the service is excellent. And the location is everything - the 1/2 price theatre ticket booth is just outside the front door, theatres, restaurants and Buckingham Palace are just next door or a short walk.

I also spent a week in a very posh hotel near Piccadilly called "The Regent". However I know that they have changed their name and I don't know the current one. The rooms were huge and the bathrooms were amazing. The interior of the hotel is an atrium - much like the Embassy Suites in the US - and very very nice. Maybe someone else knows what this place is called now?

Mvic

I second the Dorchester recommendation. I have been a regular guest since the early eighties when I would take much needed refuge there from the primitive plumbing and heating systems at my boarding school.

[This message has been edited by Mvic (edited 10-24-2002).]