A dream holiday at Lanesborough!

Last February, I went to London to resolve some business matters. With my wife not having returned to the English capital for several years and my son being THE biggest fan of the film Paddington, I invited them to accompany me. Together we had a perfect stay at Lanesborough.

As soon as we walked through the gates of Lanesborough, we got the feeling of reliving a piece of the UK’s history. The décor, the friendliness of the staff and the beauty of the place immersed us in a timeless world. we felt like we might run into Winston Churchill sipping some cognac at the bar. The period furniture and the numerous works of art that adorn every corner of the hotel help in creating a cosy and refined atmosphere.

Amidst this sumptuous decor sits Lilibet, the Persian cat whose name was directly inspired by the nickname of Elisabeth II, Queen of England. The feline has the gift of enchanting children and making the hotel’s guests smile.

We had chosen to lodge in a Junior Suite, and the hotel kindly upgraded us to an Executive Suite. A butler greeted us in our room and told us that Lanesborough is the only hotel in London to offer butler service in each room category. A small button located in the hallway of the room allows one to call on the butler day and night, in order to satisfy every wish. We didn’t overuse this offer; however, we still asked our butler to unpack our luggage and arrange our clothes away in the dressing room. How comfortable life looks here! Free daily laundry service of three cloths per person is also included. A detail that matters a lot when traveling with a child.

As a welcome gift, our son Achille received a pretty plush toy placed on the children’s bed which had been setup for him in the living room of the suite. A bathrobe and slippers in his size had equally been made available for him.

A little detail that helps to feed the imagination of children: our son’s duvet was decorated with small drawings symbolizing London such as double-decker buses and the famous red telephone boxes.

Lanesborough is located just opposite Hyde Park, next to Buckingham Palace and a stone’s throw from Mayfair.

On Sunday, we took a long 30-minute walk through Hyde Park to reach the gigantic playground built in memory of Princess Lady Di and her fight for underprivileged children. Blue sky, rays of sunshine: the weather was perfect. Hyde Parc offers great activities such as a pedal boats or pony rides. We ended our Sunday trip by sharing a delicious snack at a coffee shop in Notting Hill. It was perfect!

The next day, we visited the surrounding areas of Buckingham Palace. Our son was able to admire the changing of the guard and he was very impressed to learn that the King and Queen of England live in this great castle.

On Monday, while I was working, my wife and my son went on a little shopping spree. Under the guidance of the Lanesborough concierge, they headed to the Lego Store in Leicester Square (a 5-minute drive or 25-minute walk from the hotel), then to the famous Hamleys toy store on Regent Street.

In the evening, we met at the hotel’s swimming pool to share a moment of relaxation and tell one another about our respective day. The swimming pool is only accessible to children at certain times (1 hour per day during the week and 1 hour 30 minutes per day during weekend). However, if your child is smart and there are not many people at the pool, the spa manager will make an exception 🙂

Lanesborough has this crazy class that is shared by a small handful of palaces around the world. The locker rooms of the sports hall alone attest to this extraordinary refinement. I travel a lot, on average three times a month and most of the time I get the chance to lodge in very beautiful establishments, however, I must confess that I have rarely seen such attention to detail.

Every morning, for example, we had our breakfasts in the hall of the Michelin-starred restaurant “Céleste”. The carpet, antique furniture, fabrics, flowers, sofas… everything was sumptuous.

I really appreciated the kindness of the staff, which is the opposite of the « pinch and solemn » tone that is sometimes observed in other establishments of this rank. The team is young and dynamic and has the gift of assisting you without any exaggerations.

As you can imagine, we really enjoyed our stay at Lanesborough, and we strongly recommend this exceptional address.

Tamarind: one of the best Indian restaurants in London, wherein we had the chance to savour some of its delicacies for dinner. The cuisine is modern and creative, and the atmosphere was plush. You can get to this extraordinary location on foot from the hotel (just a 10-minute walk). Tamarind, 20 Queen Street, London W1J 5 PR.

Hamleys: a toy temple that will delight every child. Hamleys, 188-196 Regent Street, Soho, London W1B 5BT.

Diana Memorial Playground: a huge open-air playground where our son had a lot of fun in, and which was recommended to us by the Lanesborough concierge. Pirate ship, Indian tepees, water slides and swings, monkey bridge,… all games can be enjoyed free of charge. More than 1 million visitors visit this place every year. A must! Diana Memorial Playground, Kensington Gardens, London W2 2UH.

See you soon !