Blaire's 5 Best - London

Though I've been to Europe countless times, I never had the opportunity to visit London. It was always high up on my bucket list, but for one reason or another, my travels there always fell short. But let me tell you... it was worth the wait! Not only did I have the most perfect, sunny weather (almost borderline HOT!), I absolutely fell in love with this city and the amazing hotels there! Here is my review of the 5 things I liked best at each property I toured and stayed at...

The Haymarket Hotel

The Haymarket Hotel is a Firmdale hotel located in the heart of Mayfair. Mayfair is where lots of theatres and great restaurants are located. Once seeing pictures of this property, I knew I had to stay there. Here are my 5 favorite things about the Haymarket:

Its Design. The combination of colors and patterns was fun but sophisticated. If anyone knows me well enough, they know that I am obsessed with all things bright colors. The brighter the better! & the Haymarket Hotel really fit the bill. I loved it!
Its Barstools. Ok, I know this is weird, but I was oddly in love with the barstools at the Brumus Bar and Restaurant. I love dogs + fun patterns, so the navy barstools with the white dog silhouettes were something I need in my own home!
Its Location. The Haymarket Hotel is in the heart of Mayfair, so it's extremely easy to walk to the main sights, i.e. Big Ben, London Eye, Westminster Abbey as well as amazing restaurants.
Its Scent. The Haymarket Hotel provides room perfume at turn down service which is a combination of lavender and eucalyptus. It seriously smelled like heaven. I may have secretly snuck it home with me... ;)
Its Pool. I know many hotels have pools, but the Haymarket's was ultra chic! This pool was indoors with vibrant lights, metallic couches and a fun bar nearby. This room screamed party, and I loved it!

*This hotel is definitely not for everyone. Some people may be turned off by the dynamic colors and patterns. It's also not super traditional "English".

45 Park Lane

45 Park Lane is a part of the Dorchester Collection which is an extremely special partner of ours where we could get you amazing amenities. This is a super unique, 5 star property which borders Hyde Park. Here are the 5 things I liked best at 45 Park Lane:

Its Room Size. The rooms felt big and inviting, not small and cramped. This is perfect for a traveler who wishes to have more space to spread out!
Its Proximity to Hyde Park. 45 Park Lane is literally across the street from Hyde Park. This is ideal for travelers who wish to be close to the city center but have easy access to nature.
Its Bar. 45 Park Lane has an amazing bar upstairs called Bar 45. This bar is buzzing at night filled with travelers and locals alike. You can tell it has a younger vibe!
Its Sleek Design. 45 Park Lane is not for the traveler who wishes to immerse himself in London design... it's for the cool, modern traveler who appreciates leather and darker colors.
Its Views. Many of the rooms at 45 Park Lane have views of Hyde Park. Once you look out your windows, you instantly feel like you're above the treetops and out of the hustle and bustle of London.

*45 Park Lane is super sleek and modern, so if you're looking for a traditional property, this probably isn't the place.
*Also, I did not take pictures of 45 Park Lane, so these pictures are from the website and not my own.

The Dorchester

The Dorchester which is obviously a part of the Dorchester Collection is located right across the street from 45 Park Lane. What is awesome is that guests at 45 Park Lane and the Dorchester are able to eat breakfast and use facilities at either hotel! Here are the things I liked best about The Dorchester:

Its Lobby. When I was conducting my tour, so many guests and visitors were hanging out in The Dorchester's lobby. It was extremely buzzing and had a feeling of community. The décor was a refreshing twist on traditional English. In the lobby, you can have afternoon tea or even your breakfast service.
Its Rooms. The Dorchester was recently refurbished, so the rooms are updated and cozy. I saw an entry level room (well, the one you'd get if you booked through me with the Dorchester benefits!), and it was huge!
Its Location. Much like 45 Park Lane, The Dorchester's location is nestled between the city and Hyde Park. Perfect for those wanting to disconnect at his or her own leisure.
Its Entry. The Dorchester has a beautiful façade with gorgeous gardens out front. Many hotels in London are off a busy road, so this was a nice surprise and added to the grandeur of the building!
Its Restaurant Options. It seemed like The Dorchester had something for everyone! The Dorchester has many restaurants for its guests to choose from. Its selection will satisfy even the pickiest eater!

*I thought The Dorchester was a really great hotel, and there really wasn't much I disliked about it.

The Brown's Hotel

The Brown's Hotel is the oldest hotel in London which is comprised of 11 townhouses. The Brown's Hotel is a Rocco Forte hotel which is another very special partnership of BPK's. The Brown's Hotel is well located in the heart of London. Unfortunately I was only able to tour this amazing property, but here are the 5 things I liked best about it:

Its History. Being the oldest hotel in London, soooo many influential people have stayed here. If you want to walk the same halls of some legends, this is the place. Did you know the first ever telephone call was made from The Brown's Hotel!?
Its Largest Suite. As mentioned in the Haymarket write up, I love fun colors and patterns. The Brown's Hotel's largest suite is ultra perfect and super fun! And did you know its bathroom is often voted most luxurious bathroom!?
Its Secret Garden. The Brown's Hotel has a tea room that doubles as an indoor garden. It's beyond dreamy and would be the perfect place to enjoy an afternoon!!
Its Room Size. I saw an entry level room that was really big. It even had a couch in it! The Brown's Hotel strives to make you feel like you're at home while staying there, and that includes not having tiny, cramped rooms!
Its Special Touches. The Brown's Hotel has unique designs in every room that are handpicked and non "cookie-cutter". These designs range from funky lamps to pictures of famous guests who have stayed there, to name a few. It adds to the charm of this gorgeous property.

*Much like the Dorchester, there wasn't much I disliked about The Brown's Hotel. It's a beautiful property for history buffs wanting to further discover what makes London so great.

The Milestone Hotel

Where do I even start!?!... I loved The Milestone Hotel! This is a part of the Red Carnation hotel group which is another special partner of BPK's! I could blab and blab about it, but let me cut to the chase and tell you the 5 things I liked best:

Its Feeling. Do you know that feeling of being taken care of... of everyone being so happy that you are staying at their property... that feeling of "home"? The Milestone gave me all those feelings and MORE. From the second I got out of the cab and was greeted by the doorman Steven to check in to the tour of the property to my two night stay there, I felt so special.
Its Location. This is not the hotel to stay at if you want to be in the middle of London. The Milestone Hotel (known for it's actual milestone outside showing it's exactly 1.5 miles from the center of London) is located directly south of Kensington Palace. It's not too far from the city center but far enough removed to escape.
Its Stables Bar. The Stables Bar looks like it's out of the Ralph Lauren magazine! Beyond chic. And it's the coziest room I've sat in with special drinks and light bites. I absolutely loved it.
The Service. Literally every single person who worked at the Milestone Hotel went above and beyond to make sure my stay there was perfect. The front desk was amazing, the concierge was extremely helpful, the wait staff was perfect... I can't say enough good things about this place!
Its Afternoon Tea. I had afternoon tea in the ULTRA chic Conservatory. I obviously opted for the option with champagne, and it did not disappoint. The array of sandwiches, teas, pastries and biscuits were the perfect pre-dinner meal... and I say that jokingly because I arranged for afternoon tea at 5pm and dinner at 8:45pm not knowing what I was getting myself in to!! Needless to say, I did not stuff my face at dinner :)

*The Milestone Hotel is truly special. If you don't want something super "English", the Milestone does have options that are more contemporary. It also has two bedroom apartments which are perfect for families. I am seriously counting down my days until I can revisit this property!