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| Suites at 45 Park lane have dedicated sitting and dining rooms. |
The latest hotel from the Dorchester Collection—45 Park Lane—is so sleek and cool, you expect James Bond to walk through the lobby at any moment. Luxury Travel Advisor has just jetted back from this new, chic enclave—and though it’s right across the street from London’s grande dame and its sister property, The Dorchester, it feels worlds away.
Horizontal metal fins on its exterior give the hotel a glam Art Deco vibe, a curiosity on traditional Park Lane. Architect Thierry Despont immediately draws you inside, juxtaposing dark woods with buttery leather. Bright Deco light fixtures reflect off a striking black marble staircase. The hip crowd completes the vibe that is more Miami Beach than Mayfair, and the place is buzzing from breakfast to well past midnight.
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| The Ground Floor combines dark woods with buttery leather, courtesy of architect Thierry Despont. |
We found that the energy of the hotel revolves around CUT, Wolfgang Puck’s first eatery in Britain. The classic steak restaurant is so much a part of the lobby that the maître d’ stand is more prominent than the front desk, tucked around the corner. Puck’s place is already a hit with London’s fashionable set and well-heeled visitors from the U.S. and Middle East. We loved the selection of menu items, including a light, lemony crab “Louis” and the “three signature steaks” dish (4 oz. each of prime black angus from Creekstone Farms in Kansas, a Casterbridge angus from Devon and an Australian wagyu, grilled over hardwood and charcoal, then deliciously charred under a 1,200-degree broiler).
Nice Touch: Puck also oversees all dining in the hotel, including breakfast (a first for him), lunch, the happening Bar 45 and in-room dining.
Tip: Though hotel guests always have priority, book rooms and dinner at CUT together if clients want to dine during prime time on weekend nights. The maître d’hôtel here is Lloyd Loudy; reservations can be made at [email protected].
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| 45’s “Fins” at its entrance give it a glam Art Deco vibe. |
Bar 45 is a long, sexy affair on the mezzanine just above CUT, with high red leather chairs, edgy photos of Kate Moss and Gwen Stefani on the walls, and finely dressed bartenders expertly mixing cocktails. A fantastic menu of nibbles from Puck is on offer (be sure to try the mini-burgers—they’re the best in town, we say! And we’re not alone—nearly every table at the bar had an order of these). Unusual for London, where bars tend to close early, Bar 45 stays open till 3 a.m.
Of the hotel’s 45 guest rooms, 10 are suites, and then there’s the Penthouse, an 1,850-square-foot hideout with a wraparound terrace providing panoramic views of the London skyline.
What we loved in the guest rooms: Technology plays a starring role, with large Bang & Olufsen TVs and touchscreen phones by Alcatel-Lucent, which operate everything in the room from lowering the blinds and controlling air conditioning to ringing your host for dinner reservations.
If the Penthouse is taken, ask for the Hyde Park Suite (No. 4582) on the eighth floor, with impressive views of the park from a private balcony. The 1,830-square-foot suite includes a king bedroom and large living room. The suite is ideal for families as a second bedroom can be connected.
Our favorite digs, the London Suite (No. 4585), are also on the eighth floor. Though not as large as the others (a mere 936 square feet), the room not only boasts views of Hyde Park but eastward views of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, the City of London and Canary Wharf.
We loved that in all of the accommodations, bathrooms are sleek with light marble vanities, glossy tubs, rain showers, and bathroom mirrors with integrated TVs. Plus, for the wellness-minded, the hotel has an in-room yoga channel and each room has a yoga mat.
Fun Stuff: Fashionable purple Brompton bikes are available for guests to tool around Hyde Park. Minibars are stocked with complimentary organic beverages.
Spa treatments at 45 Park Lane are done in-room or at The Dorchester Spa, which had a complete renovation in 2009. For booking appointments, contact Spa Director Sally Pedder ([email protected]) or e-mail spa.tdl@dorches tercollection.com.
In addition to the spa, guests of 45 Park Lane are given priority and charging privileges at The Dorchester restaurants and shops. Service is excellent, and all guests are assigned a dedicated host who can arrange anything from dinner reservations to theater tickets, shopping excursions and airport transfers. For special requests, contact Host Team Manager Graziella Busse ([email protected]). Luxury travel advisors may also contact General Manager Marie-Laure Akdag via her assistant Neringa Railaite ([email protected]).