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Olivia Greenway, travel journalist and copywriter

Dorchester Hotel, London

January 6, 2010
By olivia

Everything you have ever heard about The Dorchester Hotel, London is true – it is one of those places that does live up to the hype. It’s just across the road from Hyde Park (you may request a room overlooking it) and a mere 10 minute walk to Oxford Street.

 

But it’s much more than somewhere expensive, handy for the West End.  It really is a rather special luxury hotel; the staff will afford you the same careful attention whether you are a sheikh or a secretary.

 

The rooms are spectacular.  With their own hallway, noise from neighbours is a thing of the past.  There is a separate dressing room with ample wardrobe space. Perhaps over-fussy for some, I love the sumptuous furnishings and the slightly busy feel.  It’s warm and homely; it seems like a very rich relative’s guest room, rather than a hotel bedroom.  With a bathroom as large as my bedroom, it really is somewhere in which to indulge yourself.  As well as his and hers sinks, there is a bidet and handy electric magnifying mirror.  Fully tiled in greyish white marble, the bathroom’s centrepiece is a huge bath, which has its own crest, in case you forget where you are.  Thick white robes and matching slippers, Floris toiletries, a single orchid in a vase – before you know it you are turning on the taps, even if you had not planned to take a bath.

 

The bed is size of a small car – over six feet wide and at least seven feet long with two rows of three pillows.  A chaise longue and armchair encourage you to relax and unwind yet more.

 

If you are so minded (and we were) a trolley can be provided with a kettle so you can make tea and coffee yourself without calling room service.

 

The bar is a great place for perfectly made cocktails and people watching, but stick to just a couple as the bill might make your eyes water.

 

The main restaurant is expensive and French and has just won its third Michelin star.  There is also the Grill Room and the China Tang restaurant.  The latter was very busy when we visited; I felt it was overpriced and underwhelming.  With most London restaurants a short taxi ride away, you may prefer to take your pick from them.

 

Breakfast in your room is an extravagance not to be missed.  You choose anything you want, from an extremely comprehensive list.  Healthy, Japanese, Full-on Cholesterol Overload – you take your pick.    A huge wheeled trolley, with starched linen cloth is carefully brought to your room, at a time to suit.

 

To take full advantage of the place, arrive early and leave late; there is no point in staying here if you are just going to sleep; it’s somewhere in which to wallow.

 

Park Lane , London, UK

Contact tel: +44 20 7629 8888, e-mail: reservations@thedorchester.com

Cost standard double room: ££££

Categories : Hotel Reviews, Reviews, UK
Tags:

Trips 2018/2019

2019

January: Zanzibar

March: Cape Town & Pretoria

May: Slovenia

October: South Africa (tbc)

November: Kenya (tbc)

 

Trips 2018

March:  New York, including Frick Gallery

May:  Vietnam including Halong Bay

June:  Giverny and Monet’s garden

June:  Majorca

December: Hyderabad and Chandigarh, India

Trips 2017

January: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe
February: Bangalore
April: Lake District
May: Malaga
September: Mexico, Cancun
November: Delhi, Agra, Shimla
December: Berlin, Prague, Budapest, Venice

Trips 2016 (not clickable)

January: Oxford, Tenerife
February: Hampshire
March: Manchester
April: Sicily, Germany
October: Bangalore, New Delhi
November: Bangalore, New Delhi
December: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

List of trips 2015 (not clickable)

January: European ski resorts; Milan
February: Germany, Austria, Switzerland
March: Istanbul, Jersey, Vienna, Prague, Budapest
April: Road trip Ireland
May: Road trip France, Germany, Benelux and Copenhagen
June: UK luxury hotels
December: Cannes

List of trips 2014 (not clickable)

January Weimar, Vienna
February - Berlin, London
April - Chicago, Toronto, Montreal
May/June - Driving trip, Spain
July – Majorca
July - Paris
August - Southern UK
September – Northern Italy including Venice
October - South of France
October/November - Germany, Austria and Switzerland
December - Cape Town, Durban, driving along Garden Route South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda

List of trips 2013 (not clickable)

  • January - Tenerife
  • March - Istanbul
  • April - Italy luxury hotels - mid and southern Italy including Sicily
  • June - Las Vegas
  • June - Massive west coast road trip - Vancouver, BC
  • June - Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Napa Valley, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Diego
  • September - Washington DC, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia
  • September - Carolinas, Georgia, northern Florida (Talahassee area)
  • September - New Orleans, Orlando, Miami; Vancouver
  • October - Puglia, Italy and Milan

List of trips 2012

  • January - Hawaii, USA
  • February - France - Le Touquet, Lens, Lille
  • March - Nelamangala, India
  • July - Milan, Italy
  • August - Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • August - Iguazu Falls, Brazil
  • August - Montevideo, Uruguay
  • September - Delhi, India
  • November - Dubai, UAE

List of trips 2011

  • January - Madeira, Portugal
  • February - Bangalore, India
  • April - British Virgin Islands, Caribbean
  • May - Sicily, Italy
  • May - San Francisco, USA
  • June - Bangalore and New Delhi, India
  • July - Prague, Czech Republic
  • July - Munich, Germany
  • July - Washington DC, USA
  • August - Lake District, UK
  • September - La Grande-Motte, France
  • Annapolis, USA
  • October - Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • December - Helsinki, Finland
  • December - St Petersburg, Russia

List of trips 2010

  • February - India - Kerala & Chennai
  • March - Manchester & the North West
  • March - Austria
  • April - Czech Republic
  • May - Lake District
  • June - Cologne
  • July - India - Bangalore and Delhi
  • August - Eastern Cape & KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
  • September - Grasse, south of France
  • September - Wick, Scotland
  • October - Utah, USA
  • December - Montreal, Canada
  • December - Madeira, Portugal
Olivia Greenway, travel journalist and copywriter
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