LONDON
CAPITAL GAINS: MAKING MEMORIES AT ROYAL LANCASTER LONDON
BY POLLY HUMPHRIS
Small children are( mostly) a joy, but there’ s something so indulgent about checking into a London hotel with only your teenagers in tow. Instead of coaxing little legs from train stations to packed tubes and into somewhere your internal monologue has already debated looks the most kidfriendly, you sweep through revolving hotel doors into a haven of calm, all polished marble, crisp uniforms and genuine smiles. At Royal Lancaster London, a hotel that knows its worth as an independent Thaiowned gem with a stellar reputation, but also delights in giving guests, especially families, more than they expect, this experience is amplified tenfold.
First opened in 1967 as part of London’ s sweeping modernist expansion, the hotel’ s bold, curved façade made it an instant mid-century icon, but it was an £ 85 million top-to-toe refurbishment that propelled it into the present, oozing reinvented style and confidence. Today it boasts 411 rooms and suites spread over 18 floors, making it one of the capital’ s largest independently owned five-star hotels. The numbers impress, but so does the experience: spacious bedrooms framing the skyline like a film, views stretching from Wembley Arch to The Shard and interiors balancing contemporary comfort with understated luxury- from the higher floors, Big Ben lights up at dusk, while at sunrise Hyde Park stretches out like a vast back garden bathed in early morning sunshine.
The park is no small bonus. Step out of the hotel and you’ re immersed in the capital’ s largest royal green space- more than 350 acres of sweeping lawns, woodland and water. Atmospheric in any season, the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain is an engineering marvel; a circular granite loop that tumbles and rushes in different directions. Designed for exploration, younger children are able to paddle happily here, while older ones can dip their toes, soaking up the setting. The 40-acre Serpentine lake sparkles nearby and the park’ s paths are always alive with joggers, walkers and those seeking sanctuary from the bustle of London life. Another perk, Lancaster Gate Underground sits within a minute’ s walk of the entrance, placing Oxford Street one stop away and cool counterculture hub Camden Lock reachable in 20 minutes.
It’ s this marriage of proximity and sanctuary that makes Royal Lancaster London such a smart choice for families. The city is within easy reach, yet the hotel feels like a retreat- a duality captured perfectly in the Sleepover in the City package. Designed with enough flair and humour not to be deemed‘ cringe’ by even the surliest youth, it’ s the kind of city break any teen would be delighted with- their Nibs pyjamas folded on the bed, a spa kit to soothe London-weary skin, room service menus for in-room treats and jars of pick‘ n’ mix for midnight feasting. Adults
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