The view from the window is one that any visitor to New York would expect –jaw-dropping floor-to-ceiling vistas of Central Park fringed with a promising metropolitan skyline.
The only thing is, this isn't New York, it's London, and the leafy panor
ama spread out before us is of Hyde Park in full bloom. It's July and we're staying at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, in west London, but the spectacular views from our room are strangely reminiscent of Manhattan.
This, however, is where the similarities between the city that never sleeps and the hotel end. Step through the doors of the Royal Lancaster and you are transported into a world that is thoroughly British, where afternoon tea is taken at 3pm and cocktails are served at 6pm on the dot. Even the design of the hotel has a distinctly English feel about it.
Until, that is, we discover the Thai restaurant on the fourth floor, complete with a teak-panelled interior and stunning traditional Thai furnishings and ornaments. By the time we leave we feel like we've been around the world and back again, all without leaving the hotel. Somehow it all hangs together seamlessly, providing the perfect environment for a weekend break.
Getting there The hotel is so well connected that you can't help but wonder whether public transport links were top of the developer's priority list when scouting for locations before building kicked off in 1967.
Lancaster Gate underground station (Central Line) stands adjacent to the hotel, while the M4 and M40 are both within five miles. Even Heathrow airport is a mere 20-minute ride on the Heathrow Express from the nearby Paddington railway station.
There were plenty of taxis about when we stayed, and there's an on-site car park with 100 spaces (payable) if you decide to bring your car.
Room service We weren't just lucky with our view, as most of the bedrooms – and indeed the rest of the hotel too – look out over Hyde Park.
As well as having all the usual essentials, like TV with satellite channels, comfortable oak furniture and a mini-bar, the hotel's bedrooms have a desk with universal power sockets, internet access and direct-dial telephones with voicemail in a choice of nine languages. It was as if our every whim had been catered for.
What's the food like The Royal Lancaster has numerous eating options to choose from. There is the award-winning Nipa restaurant, which serves authentic Thai dishes, and the Island Restaurant & Bar, which offers everything from ice-cold beer and exotic cocktails to quick comfort food and fabulous three-course feasts.
We opted for the set menu at Nipa. The food was delicious and very reasonable. Nipa is one of only 15 Thai restaurants in the UK to have received the Thai Select award from the Thai government – for restaurants proven to have achieved the highest standards of quality and cuisine – so we knew we were enjoying the very best. Traditional afternoon tea, light snacks and drinks are available in the lounge and the lounge bar, and 24-hour room service is available to all hotel guests.
The bed test We slept past our alarm call, so there's no doubt we were comfortable – and it was big enough for all 6ft 5in of my partner.
Out and about Marble Arch and the plethora of Oxford Street shops are a five-minute stroll from the hotel, while Knightsbridge and Harrods are just ten minutes away by taxi. We were only in London a short time but we still managed to give our credit cards a bashing. The City of London's financial district is a 15-minute Tube journey away, so if you're in London for work the hotel is ideally situated.
Little extras It's the attention to detail that sets the rooms at the Royal Lancaster apart, such as the wonderfully fluffy white bathrobes and complimentary Gilchrist & Soames toiletries in the bathrooms.
The bottom line Weekday rates start from £175, while weekend rates are from £160 per room per night. These rates exclude breakfast and VAT.
The full article contains 696 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
