Review: Claridge’s Hotel London

Review: Claridge’s Hotel London

NAME: Claridge's Hotel London
LOCATION: London, United Kingdom
DATE: August 2021
REVIEW RATING:
BEN SAYS: City hotels don't get much better than Claridge's -- the hotel has old world charm, newly renovated and luxurious rooms, and impeccable service.
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Want to receive extra benefits for your stay at Claridge’s London through Virtuoso, including complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more? Contact [email protected] for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.

There are some cities with amazing points hotel, where I’ll gladly return to the same hotel every time I visit. London isn’t one of those places. I’ve reviewed a countless number of points hotels in London over the years, and they’ve ranged from average to quite good. For our four nights in London this time we decided to mix it up a bit. Long story short, I’m happy we did, because our stay was flawless, and this was my best London hotel experience to date.

How & why we booked Claridge’s London

For once I didn’t have much input in the hotel booking process. Ford essentially told me he had always wanted to stay at Claridge’s (it’s one of London’s most iconic hotels), he said he’d pay for it, and that’s that. Works for me!

The nightly rate for our stay ended up being ~£400 (~$550) including all taxes & fees, after factoring in a fourth night free promotion that was being offered. Ford booked us through Virtuoso, which offered the following additional benefits:

  • A room upgrade, subject to availability
  • A daily breakfast credit of £40 per person, which can be used either in the restaurant or via in-room dining
  • A £75 hotel credit once per stay
  • A welcome amenity
  • A welcome drink
  • Late check-out, subject to availability

While not cheap, this seemed like a good rate for Claridge’s, which is typically one of London’s most expensive hotels. We booked this months ago while the UK was still fully locked down, and rates have increased since then. Ford is of course happy to help with Claridge’s Virtuoso requests (you’ll pay the same rate as direct with the hotel, but will get more perks), and can be reached at [email protected].

Claridge’s London location in Mayfair

Claridge’s is located in Mayfair, at the corner of Brook Street and Davies Street. Everyone has different preferences as to where they’d like to stay.

Ford and I like to get our steps in, so we loved the proximity to Hyde Park, as we walked there every day. We were also able to walk to all of our meals, so we thought the location was great. Others will of course feel differently.

Claridge’s London exterior

Claridge’s London lobby & check-in

I could tell from the moment that we arrived that service at Claridge’s would be phenomenal. As we pulled up to the hotel, two bellmen immediately helped us with our bags and asked us for the name on the reservation. We were escorted into the lobby, where one of the bellmen introduced us to the receptionist to start the check-in process. It was a flawless handoff, as it’s not often you don’t have to even give the front desk associate your name.

Claridge’s London entrance
Claridge’s London reception
Claridge’s London reception

The lady checking us in was incredibly professional. Frankly I was a bit worried the hotel would have a stuffy vibe, given its reputation, but I didn’t find that to be the case at all. Rather service was consistently polished and professional while still feeling personable and sincere.

The front desk associate informed us we had been upgraded to one of the newly renovated Claridge’s King rooms, which is two categories above the base room. Our room wasn’t quite ready yet since we were early, but we were invited to enjoy a complimentary welcome drink at the bar (which I’ll review later), and then she’d get us when our room was ready.

We first explored the lobby a bit — while most definitely not how I’d want to decorate my home, I loved how grand it felt, and it had a real sense of place. I do think the lobby is a bit past its prime (personally I don’t love the yellow paint or the couches), but I believe the hotel’s public areas are in the process of being refreshed.

The lobby had a huge chandelier, a staircase, and some seating, though the focal point was The Foyer & Reading Room, which is the hotel’s well known restaurant open all day (it’s most popular for afternoon tea).

Claridge’s London lobby
Claridge’s London lobby
Claridge’s London lobby
Claridge’s London ground floor

The hotel has several smaller elevators spread out around the property. One is particularly cool — I was told the hotel has the last man-operated elevator in all of London, and it has been in use since 1896.

Claridge’s London old school elevator

But even the newer elevators, including the one closest to our room, were pretty cool.

Claridge’s London elevator

For that matter, the hotel’s staircase was pretty grand as well…

Claridge’s London staircase
Claridge’s London staircase

Claridge’s London Claridge’s King room

We were assigned room 524, a Claridge’s King room on the fifth floor (the hotel has seven floors). Claridge’s doesn’t have any signs in hallways pointing to where rooms are. At check-in I was a bit confused when the front desk associated gave us very detailed instructions for getting to our room, so I guess that explains why.

Fortunately our room was easy enough to find — and what a gorgeous hallway!

Claridge’s London hallway

Our Clardige’s King room had recently been renovated — the elevator attendant even informed us we may be among the first guests to be staying in the room, as renovations had been completed so recently. The hotel did an incredible job, in my opinion, as the room struck the perfect balance between classic elegance and modern luxury.

Inside the entrance to the room were two closets to the right (with a luggage rack between them), and then the bathroom to the left.

Claridge’s King room entryway

The closets were large and had a pretty cool design.

Claridge’s King room closet

The room itself was a great size, especially for London. There was a comfortable king size bed with a soft mattress, a chair with an ottoman by the window, a table with two chairs (which could be used as a desk or a dining table), a wall-mounted TV, and then a vanity along the wall closest to the bathroom.

Claridge’s King room
Claridge’s King room
Claridge’s King room
Claridge’s King room
Claridge’s King room sitting area
Claridge’s King room desk & table
Claridge’s King room vanity

I loved the attention to detail in the design of the room — look at the number of details that went into the area around the molding, for example. I also thought it was cute how there were endless books stacked on shelves along one of the walls.

Claridge’s King room

The minibar was back near the entrance.

Claridge’s King room minibar

Waiting there was a welcome amenity with a couple of bottles of water, a jar with nuts, and some fruit.

Claridge’s King room welcome amenity

The minibar was well stocked, with both drinks and snacks.

Claridge’s King room minibar
Claridge’s King room minibar
Claridge’s King room minibar

The only thing I found strange about the whole room was that there wasn’t an in-room coffee machine, which I’ve never seen before at a luxury hotel. Given how good service was here I’m sure they would have brought one if we asked, but I never got around to it.

I thought the buttons to control the lights were cute as well, and appreciated the variety of outlets by the bedside.

Claridge’s King room bedside table

While the room didn’t have a balcony, it did have pretty good views of surrounding buildings — the room didn’t face a major street, so was always quiet.

Claridge’s King room view

The bathroom was fantastic, particularly for a non-suite. There were double sinks, a full tub, a huge walk-in shower, and a fancy automatic toilet with a heated seat.

Claridge’s King room bathroom
Claridge’s King room bathtub
Claridge’s King room rainforest shower
Claridge’s King room toilet

Toiletries were from Claridge’s, and were high quality.

Claridge’s King room toiletries

Wi-Fi in the room was fast and free, and I also have to note that the air conditioning worked really well (which isn’t always the case in the UK). You can basically turn your room into a freezer if you’d like.

Claridge’s Bar welcome drinks

All hotel guests at Claridge’s receive a complimentary welcome drink at Claridge’s Bar, located just off the lobby. What a nice touch.

Hallway leading to Claridge’s Bar

The bar feels old school, and has both indoor and outdoor seating.

Claridge’s Bar London
Claridge’s Bar London
Claridge’s Bar London

There was a huge selection of cocktails, and both of our cocktails were excellent, and served with some nuts and crisps.

Claridge’s Bar welcome drinks
Claridge’s Bar snacks

You can find the Claridge’s Bar drink list here. We didn’t order anything to eat, but there was also an extensive food menu, with pizza, pasta, and more.

While we never visited, I should also mention that Davies and Brook is located across from Claridge’s Bar, and also looked pretty opulent.

Claridge’s London Davies and Brook

Claridge’s London The Foyer & Reading Room

No doubt the most popular venue at Claridge’s is The Foyer & Reading Room, which is located off the lobby. This venue is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. One complaint I’ve seen about Claridge’s is that the hotel heavily emphasizes food & beverage venues for outside guests — for example, afternoon tea here seems to be very popular.

I think that criticism is fair, in the sense that the lobby is definitely buzzing for much of the day, partly with people just coming for afternoon tea. However, this is by no means as commercialized or hectic-feeling as the Peninsula Hong Kong, for example, where you literally have people standing in a queue in the lobby waiting to be seated.

We had breakfast at The Foyer & Reading Room two mornings.

Claridge’s London The Foyer & Reading Room
Claridge’s London The Foyer & Reading Room

The breakfast menu read as follows:

Claridge’s London The Foyer & Reading Room breakfast menu

For booking through Virtuoso we received complimentary breakfast. Technically it was the English breakfast that was included, though the way it works is that if you want something else, you get a £40 per person credit towards it (since that’s the cost of the English breakfast). We never ordered the English breakfast, but we loved the variety of the breakfast menu.

The breakfast options reflect how international this hotel is — there are breakfast sets that are European, Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, etc. Our favorite was the Middle Eastern breakfast.

The breakfast included coffee and freshly squeezed juice.

Claridge’s London breakfast — coffee & orange juice

Then we were brought a bread plate, with croissants, muffins, and pastries.

Claridge’s London breakfast — pastries

Then the Middle Eastern breakfast included eggs cooked to order, plus hummus, moutabel, labneh, and tabbouleh, served with pita bread. YUM. In retrospect we should have probably ordered one Middle Eastern breakfast and one of something else, given the quantity of food.

Claridge’s London — Middle Eastern breakfast
Claridge’s London — Middle Eastern breakfast

Claridge’s London room service breakfast & lunch

A couple of mornings we decided to have room service breakfast, since that was also included through Virtuoso. One morning we had the healthy breakfast. In addition to coffee and juice, it included an acai bowl with bananas, goji berries, bee pollen, and cashews, and crushed avocado, tomato, and chili on sunflower and rye bread.

Claridge’s London room service breakfast
Claridge’s London room service breakfast
Claridge’s London room service breakfast

The other morning we had the Middle Eastern breakfast again, because it was that good.

Claridge’s London room service breakfast

One day we decided to order room service lunch, given that we had a hotel credit to spend, and it was raining outside. You can find Claridge’s in-room dining menu here. Between us we shared the shish taouk, a pizza margherita, the halloumi mishwi, and hummus. All of it was excellent.

Claridge’s London room service lunch
Claridge’s London room service lunch
Claridge’s London room service lunch
Claridge’s London room service lunch

I was also impressed by the speed of room service deliveries. For both breakfast and lunch we were told our meals would be delivered in 20-30 minutes, and in two cases the food actually arrived in less than 20 minutes.

Claridge’s London gym & spa

Claridge’s has a spa, which I didn’t have the chance to use, but you can find the treatment menu here. I did, however, have the chance to use the gym, which was located on the third floor. The gym is open 24/7, and during standard hours there’s even a gym attendant who is constantly cleaning equipment, which is a nice touch.

For a historic city hotel, I thought the gym was excellent. It was in three separate rooms — I’d guess these might have been guest rooms at some point. One of the rooms mostly had strength training equipment, including free weights and some machines.

Claridge’s London gym
Claridge’s London gym

Then the two additional rooms mostly had cardio equipment.

Claridge’s London gym
Claridge’s London gym
Claridge’s London gym
Claridge’s London gym

The gym even had a bathroom and shower room.

Claridge’s London gym shower

Claridge’s London service

The service was what impressed me most about Claridge’s. Across the board, every employee we interacted with had amazing attention to detail, was incredibly friendly (and not stuffy or arrogant), and seemed to show personality rather than following a script. While Claridge’s has 190 rooms, in terms of service it feels much smaller.

A couple of random thoughts:

  • The lovely woman who checked us in remembered Ford’s last name, and each time we walked through the lobby he was addressed by name; that’s impressive for a hotel of this size
  • You don’t have to sign for anything at the hotel, whether it’s in a restaurant, via room service, etc. (you have the choice of doing so if you want to, but it’s nice not to have to, and it also takes away the expectation of US-style tipping)

Housekeeping is also the perfect example of service here. Our room was serviced twice a day, and we’d always contact the front desk when we wanted it done, based on when we were leaving. They were always there within minutes.

The attention to detail was very impressive. For example, clearly my laptop screen isn’t very clean, because a cleaning wipe was left next to my computer.

Claridge’s London attention to detail

We were traveling with suits, but we had packed them in our carry-ons. Out of nowhere, a Claridge’s-themed garment bag showed up in our closet.

Claridge’s London attention to detail

I appreciated that the hotel had all kinds of toiletries you may forget at home, so I had used some of the cotton swabs. Not only were they refilled in the container where they initially were, but they placed an additional pouch of them immediately below the pouch that I was using.

Claridge’s London attention to detail

At turndown service there were cute notes placed on the bed about the history of the hotel.

Cute touches at Claridge’s London

Ford had called down to get an iron, and the way in which it was delivered to our room was probably the cutest presentation I’ve ever seen for an iron.

Claridge’s London attention to detail

I don’t have a single criticism of the service at Claridge’s, which is quite rare since we interacted with staff quite a bit.

Bottom line

While Claridge’s has quite a reputation, the hotel still managed to exceed my expectations. The hotel has beautifully updated and large rooms, great food & beverage outlets, and incredible service.

This was my first time staying at a non-points hotel in London (I think), and I have no regrets. While not cheap, we booked at a time when rates were lower than they usually are, and on top of that we got some extra value through Virtuoso, including a room upgrade, a daily £80 breakfast credit, a £75 property credit, and more.

If you’re looking for a great place to stay in London, I’d recommend Claridge’s — it won’t disappoint.

If you’ve stayed at Claridge’s, what was your experience like? And is there any other hotel I should check out in London next time?

Want to receive extra benefits for your stay at Claridge’s London through Virtuoso, including complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more? Contact [email protected] for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.
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  1. Emily Guest

    FWIW - I would not recommend the dining at any of the hotels. London is a fantastic city for food and there are hidden gems. While I may like to stay at the Hotel 41 and The Savoy among other locations, I don't recommend dining at any of them. The Palomar in Holborn or The Honey & Co. in Marylebone are my go to places for Middle Eastern food.

  2. Sir Walter Raleigh Guest

    Looks incredible! Sadly I have too much respect for my South Asian colleagues and friends to patronize any of these establishments.

    They'd hardly miss my tiny wallet in any case!

    1. Peter Seoras Guest

      Interesting remark, Sir Walter. You may be interested to know that your namesake kept an African slave.

  3. hp12c Member

    Rolling is key. Fold pants in half lengthwise, then roll from bottom up. Then fold jacket in half lengthwise (so that each breast is facing out), place the rolled pants at the bottom of the jacket, and roll the jacket up around the pants. Then when you arrive, unroll everything, hand them near or in the shower, and let the steam from a hot shower get any small wrinkles out.

  4. Marcus Guest

    I generally stay at the Connaught. I highly recommend it. Request a Rolls Royce pick up or drop off. Note the dress code! The Connaught Concierge, having won the best Concierge award was asked if there ever was a request he could not fulfill. Regrettably, he replied there was one. A guest had requested he obtain tickets to the Piccadilly Circus!

  5. FNT Delta Diamond Guest

    For what it’s worth, I understand the Ritz London exclusivity on the name “Ritz” has expired. I fully anticipate Marriott to open a Ritz-Carlton in London once this pandemic is done. Perhaps a rebrand of the JW Marriott Grosvenor House? For years, that’s been operated pretty close to Ritz-Carlton service standards - they just need a butler service.

  6. JetSetGo Guest

    The Connaught is my preference. Excellent restaurants to boot. Not to mention so close to Goyard!

  7. Greg Guest

    I live in London and love Claridges. I must highly recommend Davies and Brook. It has been one of the best Western dinning experiences we've had in the past 5 years.

  8. Darlene Guest

    Thank you for such a detailed review! We stayed here after an award fight on Concorde before it shut down. I looked for a hotel that wouldn't feel like a let down after Concorde, and Claridge's didn't disappoint. Our room had a separate dressing room which gave us lots of space. The breakfasts were memorable in the dining room as was the high tea.

    A few years ago we stayed at the Ritz after...

    Thank you for such a detailed review! We stayed here after an award fight on Concorde before it shut down. I looked for a hotel that wouldn't feel like a let down after Concorde, and Claridge's didn't disappoint. Our room had a separate dressing room which gave us lots of space. The breakfasts were memorable in the dining room as was the high tea.

    A few years ago we stayed at the Ritz after the Orient Express train to London. The beauty of our historic room and the dining room plus the most dramatic bar tenders mixing very beautiful cocktails made our stay very memorable. I unfortunately got food poisoning while I was there. They surprised me by delivering to my room a giant box with a long hot water bottle called a Yuyu. It is "wearable" and delivers 6 hours of heat. Very pricey and wonderful. I was very touched.

  9. Mark Guest

    Davies and Brook is operated by Daniel Humm, of Eleven Madison Park fame. We went just after it opened and were impressed - it has since picked up a Michelin star.

  10. Jamie Guest

    What a great rate ! How do you think this compares with some of your recent $1000 ( plus resort fee ) hotels you have stayed at recently Ben ?

  11. Joseph F. Edwards Guest

    She said she was unable to comment further. I don't feel I can comment on their decision. We were just commenting on how well you look.

  12. Al Guest

    Ben,
    I just returned from London yesterday and stayed at The Connaught for four nights. Also owned by the Maybourne group, The Connaught experience is absolutely over the top. Exquisite accommodations (including an Illy coffee machine) and impeccable service. The Connaught is also home to The Connaught Bar, deservingly ranked as the world's #1 bar in 2020 (google it). I know that this sounds like an ad but I was extremely impressed.
    FYI,...

    Ben,
    I just returned from London yesterday and stayed at The Connaught for four nights. Also owned by the Maybourne group, The Connaught experience is absolutely over the top. Exquisite accommodations (including an Illy coffee machine) and impeccable service. The Connaught is also home to The Connaught Bar, deservingly ranked as the world's #1 bar in 2020 (google it). I know that this sounds like an ad but I was extremely impressed.
    FYI, the Maybourne group recently took over the former Montage in Beverly Hills. I understand that the property, now called The Maybourne, is as upscale as their London properties.

  13. Emily Guest

    Oi! All of the recommendations are strong, but can we surely forget the two most iconic addresses in London: Hotel 41 and The Savoy!

    If what you want uncompromised and sophisticated English luxury in a property with great historic pedigree, these two must be on your list. In my opinion, they are the top two hotels to stay at when in London if budget no bar.

    I have stayed at many a hotels in London,...

    Oi! All of the recommendations are strong, but can we surely forget the two most iconic addresses in London: Hotel 41 and The Savoy!

    If what you want uncompromised and sophisticated English luxury in a property with great historic pedigree, these two must be on your list. In my opinion, they are the top two hotels to stay at when in London if budget no bar.

    I have stayed at many a hotels in London, mainly for work. However, when I am paying from my pocket, I stay at the Hotel 41 and The Savoy, because I want an impeccable and special experience every time during my personal travels. I cannot express in words what makes these two hotels so special - it's definitely an experience of all the senses. You MUST try them if you want to stay at the most iconic addresses in London.

  14. DCharlie Guest

    The Claridge's is a fantastic stay, steeped in history. However, it's my number 2 when staying in London, which I have to do for work almost twice-thrice a month. My top three (although top two now) as follows:

    1. Taj 51 Buckingham: As a frequent guest, I reserve the Jaguar Suite (yes - I am a petrol head) months in advance since it is frequently occupied by visiting execs. This suite was indeed designed by...

    The Claridge's is a fantastic stay, steeped in history. However, it's my number 2 when staying in London, which I have to do for work almost twice-thrice a month. My top three (although top two now) as follows:

    1. Taj 51 Buckingham: As a frequent guest, I reserve the Jaguar Suite (yes - I am a petrol head) months in advance since it is frequently occupied by visiting execs. This suite was indeed designed by the acclaimed Ian Callum. For a more modest cost, I have also enjoyed stays in the Ministers 1-bed suite in the rare occasions that the Jaguar Suite was unavailable. The warmth and professionalism of the service at the Taj is second to none - a trademark of Taj properties around the world as far as I can tell. Also, try their tea tasting or coffee tasting menu along with their in-house coffee and tea taster. As a comparison, the minibar is usually stocked with a Krug Rose and a Dom crisp. Incidentally, my favorite hotel in the world is the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur. The wife and I definitely make it a point to stay there on our visits to India. In summary, I prefer the amenities at the Taj (a great blend of historic and contemporary) and also feel that the Taj is a little more personal (warmth in service alongside professinalism).

    2. Claridge's - Fantastic but second to the Taj with respect to some minor details. I was surprised to see Krug. Typically, they used to keep Bollinger as a nod to the Royals (Bollinger was the first champagne to receive Queen Victoria's approval).

    3. The St. JOHN (an establishment owned by Fergus Henderson) until the hotel closed down. My fav boutique hotel in London along with a fabulous restaurant! :(

    1. BookLvr Diamond

      Ah, nice to hear, DCharlie, as Taj 51 Buckingham Gate is the hotel we want to try on our next trip to London! It looks great on the website, and it's great to hear a positive review from someone who has actually been there. I quite like that they offer two bedroom, two bathroom suites. My husband and I have a college-aged young person and we like to travel together, but also have our own space.

  15. shoeguy Guest

    What a great review! Claridge's has so much history and your review really showcases that and the renovations so well. The design and style aren't my cup of tea so to speak. It still looks and feels dated and stuffy. I much prefer the Rosewood in Holborn, which has a lot going for it across the board, except for the service, which I've found to be frequently cold, not personal, and transactional at best. The...

    What a great review! Claridge's has so much history and your review really showcases that and the renovations so well. The design and style aren't my cup of tea so to speak. It still looks and feels dated and stuffy. I much prefer the Rosewood in Holborn, which has a lot going for it across the board, except for the service, which I've found to be frequently cold, not personal, and transactional at best. The two perhaps aren't quite comparable, except for being luxury properties in London.

  16. William Miller Guest

    I second that. The Beaumont is our favorite.

  17. Morgan Diamond

    Agree you have the try the Connaught next - amazing!

    1. Morgan Diamond

      The Beaumont as well is one of my favourites!

    2. William Miller Guest

      I second that. It's our favorite.

  18. FNT Delta Diamond Guest

    $160 for a bottle of Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve! That’s maybe $60 maximum at a wine shop or grocery store. Even their per glass prices are insanely marked up when you do the British pounds to US dollar conversion.

    As for service, housekeeping and the like. A perfect example of why US hotel worker unions and cheap owners have destroyed service. You could never get this kind of service in the US without room...

    $160 for a bottle of Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve! That’s maybe $60 maximum at a wine shop or grocery store. Even their per glass prices are insanely marked up when you do the British pounds to US dollar conversion.

    As for service, housekeeping and the like. A perfect example of why US hotel worker unions and cheap owners have destroyed service. You could never get this kind of service in the US without room rates of $700+. And even then you’re probably only talking about Four Seasons and Peninsula. St Regis and Ritz-Carlton have never given me a screen wipe or garment bag.

  19. FlyLots Guest

    London is definitely one of the cities to go “off chain” as there are so many wonderful classic hotels there. When I go to London for work (pre-pandemic I was commuting from NY) I just stay at the Andaz Liverpool St. - it’s just easier in terms of location.

    I agree wholeheartedly with your Claridge’s review. I’ve been lucky enough to stay in many of London’s great hotels. Having said that, my favorite bar...

    London is definitely one of the cities to go “off chain” as there are so many wonderful classic hotels there. When I go to London for work (pre-pandemic I was commuting from NY) I just stay at the Andaz Liverpool St. - it’s just easier in terms of location.

    I agree wholeheartedly with your Claridge’s review. I’ve been lucky enough to stay in many of London’s great hotels. Having said that, my favorite bar none is The Berkeley. It’s “around the corner” of Hyde Park from Claridge’s and I tend to be more Knightsbridge / Chelsea / South Ken than Mayfair / St. James / Marylebone. Hyde Park is just as convenient. It’s all relative and personal opinion but I find Claridge’s excellent but of its age (maybe the Reno has changed that) while The Berkeley did their major reno into the modern era a while ago and they keep it up and have gotten even better combining the modern esthetic while remaining centered in their classic style and age. I think they’re both equally excellent in terms of F&B and spa / gym amenities. Service flawless in both.

    All the great classic London hotels share a few things including a great classic bar culture and Michelin starred dining venues. Comparing The Berkeley and Claridge’s to the other great classic hotel in the area, The Dorchester (B & C & D) i find B & C to,be on a more intimate scale than D. D is also a little to “blingy” for my personal tastes. I think these three are in the top league in London and I would put some/most of the other classics (The Ritz and The Savoy spring to mind) one rung below in the next rung along with some of the top chain choices in London.

    All a matter of personal taste with no one right or wrong opinion.

  20. Mike W. Guest

    We stayed at Claridge's years ago. It's reputation for having Kings from around the world staying led to someone calling the hotel and asking for the King. The hotel operator said, "which one?"

    All in all, the hotel, food & beverage, its staff and service are the best. Hilton and Marriott should learn from them. Sure they will!

  21. MurrayF Guest

    I am impressed at seeing Krug champagne in the minibar. Given the queen mother said she only drunk Krug it may be a nod to her.

  22. HJay2020 Member

    Thank you for the excellent review! I was ready to book (we are actually looking at London hotels right now) until the part about no in-room coffee! I do think I might check it out for afternoon tea, though. I really like the Orangery but this place is so iconic. Your review makes it seem like a very appealing choice.r

  23. Stvr Guest

    Yeah cool but you should review the new Hyatt

  24. Bill Guest

    I have always wanted to stay there. Thanks to your extensive review, I feel like I have!! I have heard its an Art Deco masterpiece so thanks for all the great shots. Excellent job.

  25. Marcus Guest

    "The attention to detail was very impressive. For example, clearly my laptop screen isn’t very clean, because a cleaning wipe was left next to my computer."

    LOL did you feel embarrassed? A few years ago there were a few documentaries on the telly portraying Claridges throughout the year. The Christmas decoration looked spectacular. The hotel's general manager has now moved on to the Corinthia I believe so maybe you could review that one next time you are in London?

  26. Ra Guest

    Our favorite place to stay in London and perhaps the world.

  27. AndyPBNYC Member

    Ben- If you like Claridge's, I strongly suggest that on your next visit you try their sister hotel, The Connaught. Formerly a very stuffy, traditional hotel with black tie dining and dancing twice a week, a series of renovations and changes of policy (changing the atmosphere and attitude to appeal to people in their late 20's had upwards) has brought the hotel well into the 21st century. The Helene Darroze restaurant on-premises is amazing. The...

    Ben- If you like Claridge's, I strongly suggest that on your next visit you try their sister hotel, The Connaught. Formerly a very stuffy, traditional hotel with black tie dining and dancing twice a week, a series of renovations and changes of policy (changing the atmosphere and attitude to appeal to people in their late 20's had upwards) has brought the hotel well into the 21st century. The Helene Darroze restaurant on-premises is amazing. The room promotions are the same as at Claridge's and during the same time periods. I've made the switch a few years ago, pretty much for good.

  28. Charlie Guest

    I've always heard amazing things about the service at this hotel. Glad to see they are deserving of the reputation!

  29. David Guest

    More constructively, there are loads of better places for a "middle eastern" breakfast in London. Delamina in Marylebone, any Ottolenghi branch around town, the Good Egg in Hackney.

  30. Airfarer Diamond

    The hotel is, as you describe, a lovely place to spend a few days. But the bar area is a little crowded on occasion. Quite full of non-residents.
    At least the Savoy, when the American Bar is getting busy, limits the entry to guests only.

  31. David Guest

    Cannot read these articles anymore on my laptop. Massive pictures, endless pop up banners. And that's once I've made my way through the hot mess that is the homepage. Sorry.

    1. Jorge Paez Guest

      Use your phone to access the daily email.
      No pop up banners!

  32. Anthony Thomas Guest

    The food prices at these high end hotels always shock me, $30 for a lox bagel... yikes!

  33. Stuart Guest

    While an incredible property you really did score as to the rate. Expect it to be closer to $800 a night with exchange when things calm down. Even the Four Seasons Park Lane and their 235 sg. ft rooms are now approaching $800.00.

    Good for catching a bargain though. But I imagine we won't see rates like that until the next pandemic.

  34. Jesse Finamore Guest

    Awesome review! One question what’s the strategy around a suit in a carry on?

    1. hp12c Member

      Rolling is key. Fold pants in half lengthwise, then roll from bottom up. Then fold jacket in half lengthwise (so that each breast is facing out), place the rolled pants at the bottom of the jacket, and roll the jacket up around the pants. Then when you arrive, unroll everything, hand them near or in the shower, and let the steam from a hot shower get any small wrinkles out.

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AndyPBNYC Member

Ben- If you like Claridge's, I strongly suggest that on your next visit you try their sister hotel, The Connaught. Formerly a very stuffy, traditional hotel with black tie dining and dancing twice a week, a series of renovations and changes of policy (changing the atmosphere and attitude to appeal to people in their late 20's had upwards) has brought the hotel well into the 21st century. The Helene Darroze restaurant on-premises is amazing. The room promotions are the same as at Claridge's and during the same time periods. I've made the switch a few years ago, pretty much for good.

3
hp12c Member

Rolling is key. Fold pants in half lengthwise, then roll from bottom up. Then fold jacket in half lengthwise (so that each breast is facing out), place the rolled pants at the bottom of the jacket, and roll the jacket up around the pants. Then when you arrive, unroll everything, hand them near or in the shower, and let the steam from a hot shower get any small wrinkles out.

2
DCharlie Guest

The Claridge's is a fantastic stay, steeped in history. However, it's my number 2 when staying in London, which I have to do for work almost twice-thrice a month. My top three (although top two now) as follows: 1. Taj 51 Buckingham: As a frequent guest, I reserve the Jaguar Suite (yes - I am a petrol head) months in advance since it is frequently occupied by visiting execs. This suite was indeed designed by the acclaimed Ian Callum. For a more modest cost, I have also enjoyed stays in the Ministers 1-bed suite in the rare occasions that the Jaguar Suite was unavailable. The warmth and professionalism of the service at the Taj is second to none - a trademark of Taj properties around the world as far as I can tell. Also, try their tea tasting or coffee tasting menu along with their in-house coffee and tea taster. As a comparison, the minibar is usually stocked with a Krug Rose and a Dom crisp. Incidentally, my favorite hotel in the world is the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur. The wife and I definitely make it a point to stay there on our visits to India. In summary, I prefer the amenities at the Taj (a great blend of historic and contemporary) and also feel that the Taj is a little more personal (warmth in service alongside professinalism). 2. Claridge's - Fantastic but second to the Taj with respect to some minor details. I was surprised to see Krug. Typically, they used to keep Bollinger as a nod to the Royals (Bollinger was the first champagne to receive Queen Victoria's approval). 3. The St. JOHN (an establishment owned by Fergus Henderson) until the hotel closed down. My fav boutique hotel in London along with a fabulous restaurant! :(

2
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