Royal Lancaster London a symbol of England’s rich history and benchmark for modern hoteling, stands tall and majestic over Hyde Park. This iconic hotel promises a premium experience in terms of food, lodging, and service. My stay at the Royal Lancaster Hotel was outstanding, and certainly an experience I will not forget.
The first thing that struck me when we reached the hotel was its wonderful location. A stone’s throw away from the Lancaster Gate Tube Station and overlooking Hyde Park, it promises both easy connectivity and great views. In fact, you can expect to see the most breathtaking versions of the London skyline and surrounding greenery from any one of the 411 rooms here.
As we walked through the lobby, peeking around every nook and corner, I noticed that the hotel is, in many ways, a tribute to the royal English tradition. From the rose-bearing hotel crest to the names of the suites, and the mid-century architecture, relics of the past have been fused with contemporary aesthetics. The result, you ask is Regal luxuriance!
While the ambiance and exteriors exemplify lush opulence, the hotel rooms take it up a notch higher. Fresh, scented linen, a comfy king size bed, roomy cupboards and a safe, a sofa, minibar, vanity, walk-in shower – all such conveniences are well-provided for. I loved the woody décor which shone with polished upkeep – a lovely setting! What I enjoyed, even more, was a great view of the London skyline that our room presented; I’ll never forget the feeling of waking up to such a magnificent sight!
The Royal Lancaster London has several lodging options. From the well-furnished Classic Room, to premium suites, there’s something to suit everyone’s interests. For instance, if you’re a nature lover, you can opt in for a Park Suite – these offer the best view of the Hyde Park and some extra luxuries such as a 55 inch Smart TV, in-room coffee machine, separate lounging area, a bathtub and twin sinks in the bathroom, and so much more. The top-of-the-shelf Lancaster Suite offers you an even larger TV, a spectacular view, and even champagne in ice on arrival! You can choose a room that meets your preferences and budget, and no matter your selection, you’re sure to enjoy your time in the lap of decadent luxury.
If you are able to drag yourself outside your room, you’ll find that the hotel has a splendid array of facilities as well. You can work out in their state-of-the-art gym or spend some time indulging in the tradition of Afternoon Tea. We were quite excited to give their Brilliant Afternoon Tea a try and I was very pleased that they were able to customize my cup to a gluten-free variant! The lavish spread of cakes and savouries was one of the best I’ve ever tasted, and worth every calorie. And if you are stressed about gorging on their sumptuous food, you can always relax yourself by signing up for some in-room spa treatments. Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? Surely was!
All in all, our stay at the Royal Lancaster London was rather delightful. The hotel recently completed 50 years, and I would hope it retains its charm and brilliance to reach the next milestone of 100. Kudos to the courteous staff and management for running this historic hotel with admirable excellence.
With Christmas round the corner, there was no better motivation to visit the local Christmas market and outlets to pick up some lovely things. Whether you are looking for one of a kind unique little gift or something designer and classy, York has it all. Wander through the cobbled streets of Stonegate centre to have a look at the antique shops, vintage stores, and small boutiques selling everything from pottery, jewellery and artefacts. Whatever is your budget you are sure to find something worthwhile to treasure. In case you are in a mood to shop for some classy labels and not blow up your pockets, head over to designer outlet to satisfy your craving. Wait! There is more. A visit to the famous Shambles market (It is nowhere in shambles, but a gem!) right in the heart of the city is perfect for that leisurely stroll through 70 odd merchant stalls selling local produce, flowers, antiques, books, etc. museum; you name it and you will find it. York promises to satisfy every kind of shopper ever born!
There was even a Christmas carol presentation at the Victorian place, not to mention a Christmas trail for kids to explore. Our next stop was the magnificent York Minister, one of Northern Europe’s largest Gothic cathedrals complete with stoned masterpieces and stained glass. The vast spaces come alive with the deep reverence for worship, tradition and music. There are even some inspiration corners at the Revealing York Minister that were displaying artefacts and various audio visual clips perfect to soak in the 2000 year old history of the cathedral. If you’re fit enough, one can climb up the 275 steps of the Central Tower, from where you can get a complete view of the city. Believe me it is so worth the effort.
We were very keen to see the York castle dungeon, which is a thrilling show showcasing city’s brutal history like the Viking invasion, murderous rogues like Guy Fawkes etc. However, with our 3 year old kid in tow, we had to do something less extreme, so we headed to the National Railway museum, just behind the York station. It has so many impressive locomotive exhibits dating back to 1820’s like Queen Victoria’s Palace on wheels, King Edward’s smoking saloon and even a Japanese bullet train. There are countless demonstrations, exhibitions, live theatre and science shows perfect for kids and adults alike. I can say that this was most enjoyable for all of us.
We reached the property around 2 p.m.; as soon as I entered the hotel building, it gave me a feeling of an old world charm of high ceilings that is typical of the classical 19th-century architecture and some contemporary soothing decor of leather upholstery. After checking in, we wandered out to the quaint village outlet for shopping and then to the Christmas market to simply absorb all the Christmas cheer.
Later in the evening, we headed over to their in-house bar for a drink, to relax. For dinner, we headed to their Bistro which had a very earthy warm decor of dark wooden floors, restored fireplaces, paintings and soft lighting making it a perfect setting for a relaxing evening. Now comes my favourite part of food and drinks.
I was very impressed with their selection of wines, and we were recommended a perfect wine to go with your meal. To my surprise, the a-la carte was equally delightful for a vegetarian like me and a non-vegetarian like my husband. My husband ordered some seafood which had combined the taste of some freshly caught fish cooked slowly with some of their homemade mayonnaise, shallot vinegar sauces and condiments. Vegetarians like me did not have to fret because they had fresh green Super food kale salads, Tomato Consommé for starters and baked sweet corn and courgette cakes in the main course.
All their food was cooked in a beautiful French home-style cooking enhanced with some traditional British flavours. Coupled with beautiful presentation and perfect wine, the meal was most satisfying for all the senses.
Starting with breakfast which was simply out of the world. I was felt spoilt for choice with a wide range of fresh yummy goodies laid out on the country table that included freshly squeezed juices in cute small bottles, quirky mini jars of natural yoghurt porridges, baked pastries, and homemade granolas. After digging into some continental bits, we ordered the traditional cooked breakfast and a serving of poached eggs and avocado. As they say, breakfast should be fit for a King and it was fit for so many Kings!
