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| Hospitality Today | Summer 2018
When Michael Caine’s caper film The
Italian Job was made that year, his
character Charlie Croker’s release from
prison is celebrated at what was then
London’s newest top hotel – the Royal
Lancaster. The hotel’s renovation 50 years
later tried to capture that bold new Sixties
feel in its new lobby areas and room decor.
The new Hyde Lobby Bar serves champagne,
cocktails, coffee and light meals throughout
the day. The cocktail menu reflects the
history of the hotel, featuring an ‘Italian Job’
cocktail made with Beefeater 24 Gin, Martini
Rosso, Campari and Aperol (£12). The
hotel has created its own aromatic Royal
Lancaster Gin which will be served in the
bar’s speciality Gin Martini (£12). Room categories start with the Classic
Double Room at 20 square meters, priced
from £219 per night. All of the guest rooms
have Handy phones, hidden international
plug sockets, bath robes, slippers, The White
Company toiletries, waterfall showers and
under floor heating in the bathrooms. TVs
show over 138 international channels and
33 radio stations are available.
Light lunch dishes include Seared rare beef
with spring onion and sweet soya dressing
(£10); Royal Lancaster London smoked
salmon, rye toast, confit lemon and salmon
keta (£9); Seared tuna with avocado and
crispy seaweed (£10); Scottish lobster and
crayfish cocktail, quail egg and caviar (£20). The first stage of the refurbishment started
in 2015 with the redesign of Nipa Thai, the
hotel’s award-winning restaurant. It was
finalised in May 2018 following a ‘soft re-
design’ of The Lounge Bar and The Park
Room on the first floor.
The redesign of the 18-storey hotel
encompasses the complete refurbishment
of all 411 guestrooms and suites. Every room
has a far reaching view across London. At the reopening, GM Sally Beck said:
“The hotel has had a rich and celebrated past,
having opened as one of the most chic hotels in
London in 1967. 50 years later, Royal Lancaster
London reopens to once again be one of the most
stylish hotels in the capital. Our Thai owner,
Khun Jatuporn Sihanatkathakul has been
directly involved in the new design which
Royal Suite - bedroom Royal Suite - lounge
Hyde Lobby Bar is open from 7.30am until
11pm Monday to Friday; 9am until 11pm on
Saturday; and 9am until 10pm on Sunday.