As soon as you walk through the revolving doors, past the footmen in tails, and into the calm elegance of the (beautiful) lobby, the decade seems to slip back a hundred years. Claridge's has been a Mayfair institution since the 1820s, but truly itself since the Roaring 20s, when bright young things made it their playground. Today, royalty and film stars still check in, and a century on, it still throws the best party in town. Inside, the hotel is the epitome of timeless glamour with plenty of Art Deco influence in the black-and-white floors and mirrored walls. Spend a day here and you'll float between afternoon tea, cocktails and the shops on the doorstep, barely noticing the hours roll by.
The restaurant at Claridge's is airy and elegant and often home to international chefs on residency. At the moment, it's New York institution, Dante, an homage to the simple pleasure of enjoying food together. For drinks, try the hidden away Claridge's bar for a glass of crisp champagne, or the Painter's Room, an art-deco hideaway dressed in greens and golds, for cocktails inspired by southern Europe. In the new subterranean lair, there's a sumptuous spa with a heated pool (the first in the hotel's history), state-of-the-art gym, a "Pink Room" (a modern-day hamman) and a wellness concierge to help you choose.
Behind each door, you could find anything from sharp 1930s mod decor to a softer, classic English style. There are several different sizes, shapes and configurations to choose from and whether you're in the smallest, compact room or the 1,100 sq m Penthouse, a glass-wrapped haven that looks over London's most iconic landmarks, all are polished and exquisitely tasteful. Most suites open into small sitting rooms and those higher up have balconies overlooking the Mayfair rooftops. The marble bathrooms positively gleam, and there are beautiful Bamford toiletries too.
This is prime, luxury London. Right in the heart of Mayfair, it's made for head-in-the-clouds strolling through the well-heeled streets and the boutiques on Bond Street and Berkeley Square are minutes away, the galleries and art dealers of the neighbourhood closer still. Walk west and you're in Hyde Park; east and the West End takes over (a little confusing, we know). Spend a morning shopping, an afternoon in a gallery, and an evening table-hopping between the area's most fabulous restaurants and bars.
The Afternoon Tea in either the foyer or the reading room is a beloved ritual and enjoying tea, scones and delicate pastries from the Claridge's Bakery is timeless.
Seek out the Fumoir, a bar hidden behind the lobby since 1929. With its low light, deep leather, expert martinis and almost no passing trade, you'll feel like you're in on a secret.
This is a destination in its own right: the foyer and bars draw curious non-residents, so it can feel more public stage than private retreat. Wonderful for buzz, less for escaping from it all.
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With a borough for every possible mood and sightseeing for days, London has genuinely never been better.
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