COMO The Metropolitan, London
STYLE AND SUBSTANCE
A sister to the slightly plusher, COMO Halkin in nearby Belgravia, this five-star hotel sits alongside a millionaire's row of luxury hotels on Park Lane, Mayfair and has welcomed guests including Usain Bolt, Keifer Sutherland and Daniel Craig. Owned by Singaporean, Christina Ong dubbed "The Queen of Bond Street" who wanted to integrate some elements of spa "wellness" into a busy city centre hotel for those guests who choose it.
The gorgeous uplifting aromatherapy scent greets guests in the the hotel lobby, where the check-in process is given an even more luxurious touch with a hot towel infused with the same uplifting aroma. The hotel boasts a spa, Como Shambhala, where guests can indulge in a Shiatsu, remedial or aromatherapy massages or age-defying facial using Dr Haushka or Guinot products. One-to-one yoga classes are also available on request and the hotel boats a fully equipped gym to work off the evening's calories.
SLEEPING MATTERS
Light floods all 144 rooms and suites through floor-to-ceiling windows whilst the uncluttered design, everything is kept out of sight, to create a haven of calm.
The kingsize beds are sheathed in 400-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets with a very helpful touchscreen bedside hub for lights and reception services.
All rooms are equipped with Nespresso machines and rainfall showers with the signature rooms offering panoramic views across the 350-acres of Hyde Park.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The hotel boasts one of the London's Nobu restaurants, with Executive Chef Mark Edwards heading up the Japanese-Peruvian cuisine.
Take a trip down Britpop memory lane in the newly opened GridIron restaurant, formerly the Met Bat, which was a favoured haunt for supermodel Kate Moss and the Gallagher brothers in the 1990s. Wth leading British chef Colin McSherry at the helm, the menu has a focus on in-season, ethically-sourced ingredients and has a laid-back chill.
Fire-cooked specialities include grilled squid with roast cod and rare-breed Sirloin on the bone but the sides taste just as good as the mains, particularly the giant chips, kale, carrots and burnt leek. The Monkfish tempura is also mouth-wateringly good.
If the walls could talk....
DRINK IN THE SIGHTS
Head to nearby Hyde Park for an invigorating walk around the Serpentine lake or make for nearby Belgravia and take wander round white-washed Eaton Square, home to past Prime Ministers, where apartments go for up to £100m. A new period drama, written by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellows, will pay homage to the area.
Belgravia boast a number of gourmet food shops including Peggy Porshen, who created Kate Moss's wedding cake and Paris-based Pier Herme, whose Macarons are said to surpass Ladurée. COMO Halkin offers 10% off Sweet Tooth Tours (www.sweettoothtours.com) where you will be taken on a glutinous pitstop of the areas luxury eateries. Buckingham Palace is a 10 minute walk from the hotel.
NICE TOUCH
All rooms come complete with yoga mats and there is a dedicated yoga and meditation channel for some early morning zen.
ABOUT THE AREA
Bordering leafy Hyde Park, Mayfair in the City of Westminster is one of the most expensive districts in London and the world. Claridges, The Dorchester - where Prince Philip held his Stag do - and The Ritz are all close by. The area has featured in a number of novels including P. G. Wodehouse's The Mating Season (1949) and is the partial setting for Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility.
The nearest tube stop is Hyde Park corner or Green Park.
Rooms at the COMO Metropolitan start at £299 for a double and £349 at COMO Halkin.
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