Hilton Hotel, London, Mayfair Suite | Photo: London Hilton Park Lane
London Hilton on Park Lane might just be the best in the Hilton brand. That’s impressive, considering Hilton is one of the most prestigious hotel brands in the world. So when my boyfriend and I planned to stay there for a romantic weekend getaway, I just hoped it could live up to the expectations.
I wanted the hotel to make me feel like the queen I always aspire to be. Boasting an Executive Lounge offering complimentary drinks and canapes in the evening, luxury rooms, and a spa (which is fully equipped with a steam room, sauna and a range of luxurious treatments), it was hard to go wrong.
The view from the London Hilton | Photo: London Hilton on Park Lane
Location
4/5 ★★★★
London is buzzing and offers one of the most LGBTI friendly scenes in the UK. Good thing the London Hilton is sat close enough to the action to not miss out, while being far enough away that you aren’t trapped in the party scene.
Situated in the glitzy neighborhood of Knightsbridge, it’s surrounded by major city landmarks like Harrods and London’s West End.
But the London Hilton is also well-connected, with buses taking you to the LGBTI district of Soho, as well as famous shopping hub Oxford Street. Hyde Park Corner is also a 5 minute walk away.
While Harrods is a stone’s throw away, the hotel’s location is quite far from local convenience stores. If you’re desperate for a midnight snack, there’s always the mini-bar.
The real treat comes at night, when we ascended to the hotel’s top floor, Michelin starred restaurant. The views of London from atop here are stunning – especially at sunset. While we didn’t sit down to dine (cheating is eating before the club), the spectacular skyline really created the romantic night we needed.
My boyfriend and I taking a selfie in the Mayfair Suite.
LGBTI life
3/5 ★★★
While there are major scenes scattered around London, there are very few bars or clubs around the hotel. But this is where those transport links kick in. A bus ride will take you to Soho, where you can enjoy everything from sophisticated cocktail bars to party havens like G-A-Y. Not far from there is one of the oldest LGBTI nightclubs in the world, Heaven.
Vauxhall is just a tube ride away. This area is home to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, which provides excellent drag performances. If you’re still wanting to party after that, the Fire and Lightbox clubs are just a little walk away.
The scene might not be on your doorstep but if you’re not scared of buses, you have nothing worry about here.
The London Hilton offer a hospitable and personalized touch.
The room
5/5 ★★★★★
Our room was absolutely lavish. We stayed in the Mayfair Suite, which had a modern bathroom, large living area and a decent sized bedroom, including a very comfy King Size bed. The windows flooded the room with natural light and offered great views from its 10th floor location.
It was fully serviced with a pay per view TV, telephone, mini bar, high speed internet, dressing gown and slippers, all framed with safe and stylish furniture.
After a hard day shopping, the bath was our savior. It was deep, relaxing, and came with lovely sustainable smelling products. A massive Hollywood mirror lit up the marble bathroom, fitted with a sink and a shower with a clear glass door. Absolute bliss.
Some of the fabulous drink options you can expect from their famous basement bar, Trader Vic’s. | Photo: Johnny Stephens Photography
Food and drink
5/5 ★★★★★
The food at the London Hilton on Park Lane was elegant, sophisticated and gourmet. We sampled the canapes in the Executive Lounge on the Saturday night and ate an amazing breakfast at Trader Vic’s on Sunday morning.
The underground Tiki bar is a sight to behold with its excellently designed interior that will whisk you away to the Pacific. While it was slightly too early to sip on their world-famous Mai Tais – Trader Vic’s are said to have invented them – breakfast was exactly what I wanted. They offer everything from cereal, to pastries to full English fried favorites. The food is sublime.
London Hilton Park Lane Spa To You. | Photo: London Hilton on Park Lane
Services and amenities
4/5 ★★★★
The London Hilton has a range of services available to handle all of your concierge, travel and relaxation needs. I decided to indulge in a full body Swedish massage that lasted 45 minutes. I really, really needed to crack out the back pain from sitting in an office chair/putting up with the GSN office all week.
Yet the real service comes from the people looking after you. The staff are welcoming, very friendly and made my boyfriend and I feel right at home in the hotel. I can quite honestly say it was the most glamorous experience I’ve enjoyed in my adult life. To the extent that my boyfriend exclaimed in their busy Executive Lounge: ‘Oh my god! This is all surreal, I can’t believe this is happening to me!’ (He’s not as common as he sounds, I promise)
Ranking of Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London: 4/5 ★★★★
