Corinthia Hotel London

The Corinthia Hotel’s dominates its surroundings and presents a fittingly refined and chic experience in a neighborhood that's equally storied. The design throughout is palatial but dignified, with plenty of comfortable elements and calming hues. The lobby is light and airy, with high ceilings, modern chandeliers, and white walls creating the illusion of extra space. Modern art in muted tones sits side by side with columns, expertly blending classical and contemporary styles. The only real color comes from the pop of pink from flowers generously decorating the space -- which is to be expected in a hotel with an in-house florist. The hotel also has a lively social vibe, centering on Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, which is similarly jaw-dropping when it comes to style. Curved burgundy leather seats mirror the curved windows, and there are columns in here too. Unlike the lobby, the restaurant is moodily lit and ambient, with navy-black walls and handsome dark wood floors. The Bassoon Bar also exudes class with a Steinway piano and updated speakeasy vibe. The vibe throughout the hotel differs from soothing calm in the fresh lobby to spirited and lively in the bars and restaurants. Corinthia Hotel London's rates are high, but restaurants, landmarks, and shopping opportunities are all within walking distance, which may convince some to splurge. 

The Corinthia London sits in a particularly desirable neighborhood, flanked by the River Thames and St James’, in Westminster. There are numerous places of interest, eateries, and stores within walking distance. The Playhouse Theatre is a neighbor on Northumberland Avenue, scarcely a minute’s walk away, which gives you some idea of how well-positioned the property is. Embankment Station also takes a minute to reach on foot, while Charing Cross Station is five minutes away. It’s a three-minute walk to Horse Guards, a historic building in Westminster where tourists congregate for a photo of mounted troopers of the Household Cavalry. For sightseers, there’s plenty of top landmarks within walking distance, Trafalgar Square, for instance, is just six minutes on foot. It’s a short 10-minute walk to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and 15 minutes on foot to Westminster Abbey. Across the River Thames, Southbank is home to galleries, the National Theatre, the London Eye, and restaurants, and is about 10 minutes away on foot. It takes the same amount of time to walk to Covent Garden, with its street performers, stalls, and shopping opportunities. For more shopping head to Oxford Street in Mayfair, a 12-minute train journey from Embankment. Heathrow is the closest airport, taking just under an hour to reach by train or around 40 minutes driving. It's about 45 minutes by train to Gatwick Airport from the Corinthia Hotel London.

With 238 rooms, including 51 suites, the hotel offers a nice range of options, and all are impeccably styled and spacious. The style of the rooms is classic and comfortable, with familiar deep blues and olive greens pairing perfectly with the wood furnishings. Luxury elements include the white roses by the bed and huge cream headboards. Juliet balconies and city views add to the vibe. Fabrics feel particularly luxe, with soft linens and thick carpets sitting regally alongside the polished oak furniture. Carpets have a subtle honeycomb-type pattern, with slivers of gold bringing some interest and added luxury. King or double beds are comfortable, and all have Hypnos mattresses, plus rooms feature at least two cozy armchairs, while suites have larger sitting areas. 

High-end amenities include Loewe fully HD TVs, high-speed Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, minibars, Nespresso machines, media hubs with Bluetooth connectivity, touch-screen telephones, plus wardrobes, some of which are walk-in, with safes. Bathrooms are particularly special, with sleek white marble everywhere you look, deep tubs with built-in bathtub TVs, and separate rainfall showers, plus underfloor heating and ESPA bath products. 

Suites each have their own individual style, but all are spacious, most with super-king beds. Facilities in these spaces are largely the same, with a few added extras. The best options, though, are the penthouses. Each has two floors and a jaw-dropping outdoor terrace plus butler service. Penthouses also benefit from a free chauffeur service for local journeys and in-suite check-in, for maximum privacy. There are fresh flowers as well as daily newspapers and magazines. The Royal Penthouse is particularly glamorous, with a white and gold bathroom dressed up with white orchids, plus a terrace overlooking the London Eye. 

The hotel’s crowning glory is its state-of-the-art spa, which also happens to be ESPA’s flagship spa. There are 17 treatment pods as well as a 24-hour gym. The spa itself has a thermal floor and sleek black walls with a silver pool plus vitality pool. Elsewhere, on one of its four levels, there’s an amphitheater sauna, steam room, and ice fountain. Beds for lounging are heated and there are relaxation areas dotted around as well as experience showers. The wellness area includes a 24/7 gym, plus a nail studio, sleep pods, and ESPA Life store, plus Daniel Galvin at Corinthia hair salon with a private client room. There’s even a generously-sized spa lounge, which serves healthy food and drinks. 

In terms of dining, guests have multiple options, though Kerridge’s Bar & Grill at the Corinthia Hotel London takes the cake. The restaurant is by Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge and is his first in London. It’s open daily, but reservations are recommended. The hotel’s other restaurant, The Northall, champions seasonal British fare. It's open for all three meals and is especially attractive, with mirrored panels, large windows, and leather seating, as well as a marble island bar. There’s also the altogether lighter and brighter Crystal Moon Lounge which is popular for afternoon tea. Cakes and sandwiches are served on William Edwards’ fine china tea sets, and there’s further extravagance in the form of a Baccarat Chandelier. The Garden Lounge is a pleasant alfresco eating and drinking option, framed by overhanging foliage. The Bassoon Bar rounds of the list of eating and drinking options. Designed by David Collins Studio it has an impressive drinks menu created by Marcis Dzelzainis and Michael Sager of Sager + Wilde, plus Joshua Joyce of Satan's Whiskers heads up the bar. 

This large hotel has ample meeting and event spaces including the Grand Ballroom for bigger, lavish functions. There are also six smaller meeting rooms, amongst others, with plasma screens or drop-down projectors for business guests to use. All the event spaces have access to the business center, which has printing and copying facilities. In addition, all of the meeting rooms have air-conditioning and Apple Airplay.