REVIEW: A LUXURIOUS STAY AT THE GROSVENOR HOUSE, LONDON

The Grosvenor House London belongs to the Marriott Intenational family and more specifically, it's a JW Hotel. The JW Marriott Hotels is the 5-star elite category of hotels including a large list of impressive hotels around the world. Grosvenor is located in central London, at Mayfair – one of the most elegant parts of the city – in the worldwide known Park Lane avenue next to Hyde Park. It holds a strategic and at the same time beautiful, position a few minutes away from all the major markets of the city such as the Oxford Street, Regent Street and the New Bond Street, as well as, near the Marble Arch station of the London subway. 

 

It is a Luxury Hotel of great historical importance as, when it first opened its doors in 1929, it was the first hotel in London at that time to have a separate bathroom and entrance lobby for each bedroom, and running iced water in every bathroom – a great luxury for the time. It was named after the Duke of Westminster and each detail of the hotel’s decoration emphasizes on its historical roots. The 2008 major luxurious renovation of the hotel added to its past identity, managing to embody a few of the latest trends of architecture and interior design, ultimately having a splendid result. You'll definitely notice from the first “Welcome”! 
 

THE GREAT ROOM 

 

The characteristic prestige and historical importance of the hotel shine through its Great Room.

 

It is one of the greatest Ballrooms in Europe with a maximum capacity of 2,000 seats or 1,100 theatre style and it hosts various charity events, parties and weddings while it once was a great ice rink, even Queen Elizabeth herself used to visit. Since the 1930s, the Great Room has hosted the world's oldest charitable ball, the Royal Caledonian Ball. 

 

I was extremely honored, lucky and pleasantly surprised by the fact that I got to stay at one of the brand new, renovated Executive Suites of the Hotel on the 3rd floor. If you love and choose this lifestyle when traveling, then you probably know what a difference even the smallest of details can make, changing your whole schedule in an instant. Well, that was what happened to me. 

 

I’ve been in London countless times. I’ve walked around in almost all its neighborhoods with Notting Hill and its Saturday Portobello Road Market being my favorite. This time, since my trip was all about the Awards, I had carefully planned each day of my stay beforehand. However, the Executive Room and the Lounge on the ground floor of the hotel, changed my plans. It was time for me to spend some time indulging into the indoor luxuries and pamper myself a bit more.
 

I spent quite some time at the Premium Executive Suite, taking full advantage of its three separate rooms -  feeling like a queen. My King Size Bed was a first, warm welcome at the hotel - as always at the Marriott Hotels. The overall minimal design of the room combined with a few royal elements offers a sense of idyllic marriage between the old and modern character of the hotel .

 

I explored the bathroom before I even had the chance to take my coat off.

 

I loved all the little luxurious treats and small amenities offered at the hotel, like the amazing toiletries collection from the famous Penhaligon’s and the wonderful walk-in shower I so longed I could take with me back home. Expensive marbles, fresh flowers all around and a toilet with auto-adjusted heat – to name a few of the amazing luxury services I got to enjoy during my stay. 

The Executive Lounge of the Grosvenor House  quickly became one of my favorite spots and believe me, I have seen many. Besides the fact that it was recently renovated which means that everything is brand new, it is also perfectly organized – in other words, it was love at first sight. A rich breakfast, hot and cold dishes, snacks and finger food during the day and exquisite dinner at the end of the day create an overall great menu served daily at the Lounge. 

 

I was so excited to visit this piece of gem, that I 've prepared a separate post here. Don't miss the chance to check it out. 

 

What I love about the JW Hotels is the signature style each hotel has, based on the distinctive architectural elements of the city it is located in. Each preserves a strictly personal identity, following the standards of the Marriott Hotels at all times with a touch of luxury, of course. When traveling that often, I appreciate knowing the standard facilities offered by a hotel. Especially when it comes to facilities such as the laundry service, iron, blow dryer and services like a mini bar, restaurant and a 24-hour reception. 

 

Besides all of the above, at the Grosvenor House you can enjoy yourself a meal at the JW Steakhouse on the ground floor –  exactly like I did right after my arrival at the hotel. You should definitely pay a visit to the Park Room even if you're not staying at the Grosvenor House, just to have a cup of traditional English tea with a delicious piece of  cheesecake while admiring the wonderful view of the Hyde Park lying in front.

 

The hotel's also famous for its library which has recently been fully renovated, ready to welcome all its bookworm guests.