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The Independent UK

Travel

Samuel Mathewson

The Peninsula London hotel review: It’s all in the details

Peninsula London Luxury Belgravia

In a nutshell: A near-perfect stay in London’s first billion-pound hotel where every detail matters. The buzzphrase ‘quiet luxury’ feels fitting for the city’s first offering from this international group.

The neighbourhood

With its lobby looking out on Wellington Arch and Hyde Park Corner, The Peninsula hotel is at the heart of London’s wealthy Belgravia. The terrace of the top-floor restaurant has enchanting views stretching further across the city. Although, this was the hotel’s second choice of position for the terrace – the first choice would have overlooked Buckingham Palace.

Hyde Park is on your doorstep, and it’s a great spot to explore whatever the time of year, whether full of families in the sunmmer or strung with lights for Christmas. Harrods and Harvey Nichols are also a short walk away, with boutique shops and chic cafes to stumble upon in the smaller streets that branch out through Knightsbridge.

The look

The design is considered and pared back
— (The Peninsula London)

The 12th hotel in the Peninsula group, London’s offering opened on 12 September, following the advice of a feng shui master. Flanking the doors both to the lobby and the central courtyard are great stone lions, which were blindfolded until opening, keeping their power at full force, to protect the hotel and its visitors.

From the art choices in the intimate, East Asian-themed Little Blue cocktail bar to the homage paid to British aviation in the eighth-floor Brooklands restaurant, there are plenty of design gems to uncover. Plus, there are lots of little touches that go the extra mile – even the butter served at breakfast is moulded to mimic the shape of the white hats worn by hotel staff.

The corridors to the bedrooms are brooding – think walls lined with dark wood, tasteful black and white landscape photography and the whispers of staff quietly greeting guests. The grand Lobby, which is where breakfast, afternoon tea and the all-day dining menu is served, is wallpapered with murals of flora and fauna reminiscent of the rolling English countryside.

The vibe

Attention to detail is not solely reserved for interior design here, as hotel staff are meticulous in creating a seamless experience, from check in to recommending dishes in the restaurant, bringing extra milk for tea and replacing dropped napkins. Providing outstanding care and attention for guests, staff are even on hand 24 hours a day via WhatsApp, whether you need a midnight snack or a top up of bubble bath. We were delighted with a night time goji berry tea brought to us as part of the turndown service.

Bed and bath

Bedrooms reflect the overall serenity of the hotel
— (The Peninsula London)

The rooms give the impression of understated luxury, not gaudy or opulent but elegant and considered. A muted colour palette of yellows, oranges and dusty blue in the bedroom reflects the overall serenity of the hotel. The bathroom was a highlight, with a large bath in the centre and a door to either side – one to the large marble panelled shower, stocked with Peninsula branded toiletries, the other to the toilet, with a console that controls the heated toilet seat, bidet and dryer. The bath is very generously sized and you can control the TV and radio from the waterproof console. One of the best features is spa mode, which dims the lights immediately and plays calming music, for the ultimate self-care moment.

The bathrooms at the Peninsula are almost as good as a spa
— (Samuel Mathewson)

The dark-wood-panelled dressing room and closet area has robes, slippers, umbrellas, a hairdryer and other amenities for getting ready. Practically everything in the room can be controlled via the tablets on the bed stand. I could dim the lights, close the curtains, choose a movie and control the aircon, all while sinking into one of the most comfortable beds I’ve slept on.

Food and drink

The Brooklands restaurant pays homage to British aviation
— (The Peninsula London)

There are three restaurants at The Peninsula hotel: The Lobby, Canton Blue and Brooklands. The booths in Canton Blue are adorned with plates in symbolic colours, and we were seated in the yellow booth – the colour of royalty and power. The dim sum here was splendid – particularly the steamed scallop dumplings. We also had blue lobster noodles, a delicious truffled tofu and wagyu fried rice.

Dining at Brooklands in the culinary highlight at The Peninsula London
— (Samuel Mathewson)

The culinary jewel in the crown at The Peninsula is Brooklands, headed by Claude Bosi who has a two-Michelin star restaurant in Chelsea. Brooklands is a modern British restaurant with aviation-themed decor, including Concorde napkin holders and cloud-relief tablecloths. We indulged in the seven-course tasting menu, which was a visual and gastronomic feast, made with British ingredients sourced from across the country. Highlights included a Cornish squid and artichoke salad, Lake District lamb three ways and the ‘best of the British apple’ dessert, which was exceptionally fresh and balanced. Glasses of Peninsula’s own champagne paired excellently with our dishes, and we received the warmest service from wait-staff.

Meanwhile, The Lobby has an all-day dining menu featuring classic dishes such as steak (the dry-aged sirloin was perfectly tender), caesar salad, burgers and sandwiches. Breakfast is also served here – the coconut yoghurt parfait was a lovely lighter option, while there’s also breads and pastries with jams, and a traditional English breakfast with crispy bacon.

Public areas

The public areas are sumptuous, inviting and comfortable. Luxury workout spaces, a pool, private cinema and spa facilities are opening in December 2023, too.

A range of small boutique shops are planned to open soon, too, while there’s already a luxury jewellery store and flower shop open for business within the hotel. There is also a cafe serving cakes and pastries, one of which is fashioned into the likeness of The Peninsula’s lions.