LONDON
HYATT REGENCY LONDON -
THE CHURCHILL
BY SAMANTHA READY
UTTER THE WORD CHURCHILL AND SOME IMMEDIATE CONNOTATIONS SPRING TO MIND ; PROFESSIONAL , COMMANDING , RESPECTFUL , BRITISH , ICONIC ; ALL ARE ALSO TRUE OF THIS LUXURY ABODE SITUATED JUST A STONE ’ S THROW FROM LONDON ’ S WEST END .
Interestingly for a namesake hotel , Churchill had no direct connections here , in fact it was opened in the ‘ 70 ’ s after his passing . However , in a clever nod to its affluent yet tranquil Marylebone location and distinctly British offering , the bespoke design , refined décor and subtle nods to the former Prime Minister ’ s life and legacy – which extend from artefacts loaned by the Churchill family from his former home , Chartwell House ; glimpses to his private affairs from reproduced love letters to his wife
Clementine ; to a distinctly Kentish nod on the a la carte menu , which of course did not go unmissed by our honed Kent eye – add a sense of respected , traditional grandeur to an otherwise contemporary hotel experience .
Arriving in a tiny window mid lockdown shenanigans , there were two main first impressions .
The first , it ' s brilliant proposition . Literally minutes from Hyde Park and
Oxford Street , directly overlooking Portman Square , the hotel has that unique , sought after attraction of being minutes from the action – Selfridges and Mayfair ’ s acclaimed restaurants are all just minutes away , or if feeling more energetic you can stroll through Hyde Park to Harrods in about half an hour – yet still peaceful and removed from busy city life .
The second , the incredible staff . With lockdown guidance changing on a seemingly hourly basis as we checked in , the staff were frankly exceptional . Not knowing from one day to the next whether they would remain open , which facilities would be accessible ( in usual circumstances guests have access to a 24-hour gym , two Regency lounges , a Michelin star restaurant , and even a secret key obtainable from reception to access the private , gated , resident-only Portman Square gardens across the street ), and also facing their own uncertainties about their future in a ravaged hospitality industry , they were all ; from front of house to management ,
72