Brilliantly British, The Lanesborough

Five-star luxury service is artfully practiced at The Lanesborough, an Oeteker Collection property. Every room has a dedicated butler dutifully devoted to your comfort. Think Downton Abbey: style, service, and elegance! On arrival, your luggage is unpacked, and attire pressed. Lord and Lady will be quite comfortable, my butler had a twinkle in his eye, five bulging bags to organize for Madame!

The Lanesborough elegant Arrival!

Awarded No. 1 Hotel in London in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards, on the doorstep of Hyde Park this grand luxury mansion has undergone an inspired renovation by the famed interior designer Alberto Pinto. The hotel is home to 93 luxurious suites and bedrooms, modern British dining at The Lanesborough Grill, the vibrant Library Bar and Garden Room and the magnificent Lanesborough Club & Spa.

The Buckingham Suite

The location overlooking green and leafy Hyde Park, affords views of the Queens horses, the black beauties who parade through Hyde Park every morning, ridden by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. Located ideally in Knightsbridge and blocks from Harrods and Harvey N. Ten minutes more walk bring you to the V&A, Natural History Museum and the Science Museum in South Kensington. Buckingham Palace is also a 10-minute walk away across the park.

The lovely rooms reflect the grand era of The Regency Period, hand crafted furnishings and authentic artwork throughout maintains the historic integrity of an 1820’s private home. State-of-the art, 21st century technology concealed within the rooms provides modern day survival, giving guests the ultimate London home experience.

Dining: The reimagined flagship restaurant, The Lanesborough Grill is home to Executive Chef Shay Cooper’s modern and innovative British cookery, with a focus on seasonal produce from around the country. A richly decorated dining room, naturally illuminated during the day by a domed glass roof while seductively aglow under softly lit chandeliers in the evening, The Lanesborough Grill offers a truly memorable dining experience. Enjoy seasonal modern British menu championing regional artisans and the very best of seasonal produce from around the country. Dishes change frequently with some elegantly served table side on Gueridon trolleys, creating a sense of restaurant theatre.  Don’t miss the yummy Eton Mess, a traditional British dessert composed of a delicious jumble of crisp meringue, sweet cream, and fragrant strawberries. Who ever needs an excuse for a flute of bubbly, the theatrical Champagne pouring ceremony is definitely an act of dramatic theater!

High Tea: Bridgerton at The Lanesborough. Dust off your Regency best, as the hotel launch’s London’s first, exclusive Bridgerton-themed afternoon tea. The latest in their innovative series of seasonal afternoon teas, the limited-edition menu pays homage to the Regency era; a time of great reveling and high style, of elegant parties, balls, and grand dinners, with a contemporary twist.

High Drama: The Champagne Ceremony

Setting the scene, the Bridgerton Afternoon Tea takes place in The Lanesborough’s richly decorated dining room, naturally illuminated during the day by a domed glass roof. A Regency icon, beneath the original sky dome there is bas-relief artwork meticulously cast from 250 different moldings, and Wedgwood China mounted on the walls, evoking a sense of Regency neo-classical grandeur. It is quite elegant, we enjoyed a giggly lunch here!

The Library Bar is one of the capital’s most celebrated cocktail destinations, distinguished by its outstanding mixology and venerable “liquid museum” of spirits – offers the warm and intimate atmosphere of a private club accompanied by a vibrant ambiance that makes it a popular choice with Knightsbridge and Belgravia’s well-heeled locals as well as hotel guests. The bar is home to cognacs dating back to the 1770s, as well as spectacularly prepared cocktails by a team of award-winning experts including Bar Manager Mickael Perron. A cozy library with bookcases lined with leather bound books, subdued lighting, and deep leather wing chairs. Enjoy your drinks while a roaring fire creates a warm intimate atmosphere.

The Garden Room is a hidden oasis tucked away from the bustle of Hyde Park Corner, The Lanesborough’s, and indeed Knightsbridge’s, best kept secret. Surrounded by lush greenery, the outdoor covered terrace is open year-round with a fireplace, heaters, and blankets to keep guests warm on chilly evenings.

Alongside an impressive selection of Cuban and pre-Castro cigars presented in the celebrated walk-in humidor, the Garden Room offers cocktails, spirits, fine wines, and Champagnes, as well as light dishes served until late. Cognac lovers will appreciate the The Lanesborough Paradis – a collection of some of the rarest and finest Cognacs and Armagnacs in the world, some dating back to the 18th century. The Garden Room is the best cigar bar in London, an outdoor roofed garden cigar area, elegant and comfortable, even on a rainy day!

The Garden Room Cigar Bar

Crowned Best Urban Spa at the Good Spa Awards 2021, The Lanesborough Club & Spa is one of London’s most exclusive private members’ fitness and health clubs, offering hotel guests and club members access to internationally recognized experts in the fields of mindfulness, fitness, beauty, and wellness. This gym is not an afterthought, it’s a fully outfitted state of the art gym with great equipment, and an award-winning personal trainer.

The spa is a world unto itself – full-service treatments including a mani-pedi salon. I languished here for a few hours- well trained personnel and bubbly is offered if you want to indulge while being pampered!  Sauna, steam room and a small pool with jacuzzi and a hair salon. Imagine a full day of glammy rejuvenation, move from treatment room to treatment room!

Someone was always looking out for me, tending to my needs!

A regiment of capable Clefs d’Or concierges greet you and each room has a cheery very helpful butler on demand.

Despite the proper setting, everyone is friendly and matter of fact, which made my stay feel extra special.

My Pretty in Pink Perfect Suite

Highly Recommend The Lanesborough for fine dining, pampering and splendid service!

The Beaumont Hotel – Crumpets Comfort Carbs

Still in need of Comfort Food as we enter a slightly less confined Shelter in Place?

The humble crumpet is thought to have originated in Wales and was traditionally cooked on a griddle when bread ovens weren’t available. In early years, crumpets were firm pancakes, but the addition of yeast in the Victoria era saw them develop into soft, springy crumpets. From the 19th century, the addition of bicarbonate of soda created the crumpet we know and savor today. Yeast is responsible for the delightful little craters that are perfect for soaking up warm butter.

Crumpet | food | Britannica

The earliest reference to crumpets dates from 1382, when John Wycliffe, the theologian and Yorkshireman, translated a word in the Latin Old Testament as “Crompid cake”:”a cake of a loaf, a crusted cake spreynde with oyle, a crompid cake”. The cake bears little resemblance to today’s crumpets – except in that it was cooked on a hot stone. The crumpet is the royal queen of the toasted snack – adaptable, soothing and utterly delicious. British folk have a global reputation for their affection of crumpets, a notion that has travelled to the far corners of the world.

The Royal crumpet is the perfect base for a wide variety of flavor combinations. Ranging from naturally simple to festive gourmet, there’s no wrong way to enjoy your crumpet. While they’re traditionally known for being a British go-to afternoon tea-time snack accompanied with a cuppa tea, crumpets are an adaptable tuck. Add gooey soft cheese for a savory snack, or an egg for brekkie, or smother with chocolate spread for dessert. Many opt for the simple yet classic: soft butter, butter and even more butter. Popular sugary toppings included fresh fruit jam, clotted cream, golden syrup, honey, or my favorite lemon curd.

This recipe is from chef Ben Boeynaems at the Beaumont Hotel Colony Grill, my favorite brekkie location!

Ingredients
1 1/2 c. bread flour

1 tsp. sugar

3 Tbsp. fresh yeast or 2 tbsp. dried yeast  

1 tsp. baking soda

14 oz. room temperature water  

1 tsp. salt

Preparation

  1. Mix everything in a bowl and whisk until smooth.  
  2. Cover and leave to prove until batter doubles in size and bubbles over the surface.  
  3. Put English muffin rings into a non-stick pan on a low heat and fill each ring three-quarters with batter and cook until the top has formed a skin.
  4. Remove the ring.
  5. Flip the crumpet and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  6. Cool on a wire rack.
  7. Slather with creamy butter or fresh raspberry jam.

Crumpets were not bound by class restrictions: Unkempt urchins peddled crumpets on the streets of growing cities, providing warm and delicious snacks for the masses. At the same time, ladies and gentlemen in brick towers would delight on crumpets whilst, writing droll poetry and painting garden landscapes.

Cheers!