insideKENT Magazine Issue 81 - December 2018 | Page 85

LONDON
LONDON LUXURY:
HOTEL CAFÉ ROYAL
by Samantha Ready
I LOVE THOSE FEW SHORT STEPS FROM THE BUSTLE OF LONDON’S PICCADILLY
THAT LEAD TO THE START OF ONE OF MY MOST FAVOURITE WEST END
LOCATIONS: REGENT STREET. I HAVE SPENT MANY A DAY AMBLING FROM THE
BRIGHT LIGHTS OF PICCADILLY CIRCUS, TO THE FAMILIAR CHAOS OF OXFORD
STREET, TAKING IN THE REFINEMENT OF MAYFAIR BOUTIQUES AND BASKING IN
SOHO’S EFFORTLESS COOL ALONG THE WAY.
So I have to confess that I was a little
embarrassed to have discovered that my
numerous London jaunts have taken me
straight past Hotel Café Royal without ever
realising the wonders that lay behind its grand
facade. It’s as if it is hiding in plain sight, and
I guess that’s kind of the point.
Café Royal first opened its doors in 1865, and
its popularity soared, as did the recognition
of its wine cellar, which was once regarded as
the best in the world, not to mention its Grill
Room restaurant.
Its unusual location between elegant Mayfair
and its pulsating creative neighbour, Soho,
created a unique melting pot of clientele, poets,
writers, artists and singers, who ate, drank and
partied alongside politicians, aristocracy and
royalty. This is the place where Oscar Wilde
fell in love with Lord Alfred Douglas; Conan
Doyle, HG Wells, Kipling, Years and Bernard
Shaw were patrons; Winston Churchill was
often seen, as was Muhammad Ali; Diana,
Princess of Wales took lunch; Elizabeth Taylor
dated Richard Burton and legendary David
Bowie retired Ziggy Stardust at purportedly
the most rock’n’roll star-studded party dubbed
‘the last supper’.
It was then, and still is now, the place to be
seen without being seen, the epicentre of
fashionable London and the most buzzing-
yet-discreet social scene, the pulse of which
can be felt through every orifice of its current
incarnation as high-end hotel, luxurious spa,
sophisticated cocktail bar, world-class
restaurant, and award-winning afternoon tea
offering.
And yet this current incarnation as a hotel
only occurred in late 2012, and it was just this
past summer that David Chipperfield
Architects (you may recognise the name from
the Turner Contemporary in Margate),
alongside Donald Install Associates, completed
its sympathetic restoration. Together, they
achieved a painstakingly perfect balance of
contemporary luxury sophistication and grand
historic charm by retaining the original public
rooms of the 1860s and 1920s.
From the moment the sleek copper and glass
revolving doors deposited us into the newly
refurbished lobby of the Hotel Café Royal, so
began a masterclass in faultless service,
abundant style, and exquisite hospitality
delivery.
Our Junior Suite was a lesson is simplistic
luxury: Portland stone-clad walls, and floor-
to-ceiling modern drapes all in calm neutral
tones offered a tranquil haven at odds with its
Central London location. The beautiful Carrera
marble bathroom was a sanctuary with its
double vanity, marble bathtub, separate WC
and rainforest shower, with the most
delectable underfloor heating completing the
package.
More calm and balance can be found at
Akasha, the hotel’s own holistic wellness
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