The Dorchester at Christmas: Is this London’s most luxurious festive sleepover?

The Dorchester is thing of a London institution, known arsenic overmuch for its celebrated regulars arsenic its unapologetic grandeur. It was a favourite enactment of Elizabeth Taylor’s, with its Harlequin Penthouse suite present renamed eponymously successful her honour.

More precocious Kate Moss, Alexa Chung and their It miss contingent were known to hop betwixt its restaurants and bars connected nights retired successful the Noughties. While nowadays it attracts a dependable travel of mostly planetary visitors for its spoiling service, palatial suites, and exacting standards. And this is what it promises to present with bells connected for Christmas.

The edifice unveiled a large makeover earlier this twelvemonth with an overhaul of its rooms and a much modern scheme, truthful this wintertime marks its archetypal festive play with the caller look.

The decorations went up connected 16 November (staff enactment overnight similar elves truthful that guests tin aftermath up to the festivities) and this marked the commencement of its ‘Magic of Christmas’ themed events and offerings which see personage carolling events, handmade festive day tea, and a gourmet five-course Christmas menu.

An overnight enactment successful the festivities DURING THIS PERIOD? costs implicit £1,000 — it comes successful the aftermath of a caller bid of ultra-luxe edifice openings successful London charging the sum for their caller suites (part of a alleged ‘gold rush’ successful the industry). So conscionable however overmuch does a 24-hour enactment present connected the festive feels and glitz for the terms tag? We slept implicit to find out.

Its determination gives The Dorchester edifice a superior vantage during the festive period: it is positioned connected Park Lane successful plum presumption other Hyde Park and adjacent to St James Park. Winter Wonderland is presently successful afloat plaything successful the former, truthful the lights of its ferris instrumentality and rides twinkle successful the region from front-facing rooms. And if you’re feeling brave capable to articulation the jostling throngs, you tin scope Oxford Street successful conscionable 10 minutes to spot much airy displays and store for gifts.

Marble Arch is connected the country of the aforesaid extremity of Oxford Street for the Tube, though galore of the hotel’s well-heeled guests volition get by a backstage car booked done the team. There is simply a Dorchester Bentley for those who privation an A-list arrival, oregon 1 of the doormen is connected manus to assistance you hail a taxi astatine the hotel’s rank.

Back to the polished confines of the hotel, and the frontage has been updated with fairy-lit firs beneath its shiny metallic signage to invited you. And arsenic you participate the expansive lobby connected immoderate fixed play successful the pb up to 25 December, you’ll consciousness arsenic if it is screaming “It’s Christmasss” astatine you.

A immense histrion sparkles with oversized pastel baubles and its prima scales arsenic precocious arsenic the humungous chandelier hanging from the precocious ceiling. There is simply a blistery cocoa presumption waiting for you to drawback a cupful to lukewarm your cockles with by the reception desk. And connected weekends your ears volition beryllium filled with the sounds of carol-singers belting retired Mariah Carey successful the Promenade’s 24-hour eating room, oregon possibly a brass set oregon pianist pumping Yule Tide classics. This past play determination was a performance headed up by Alexandra Burke

If that’s not festive overload enough, the immense gilded array successful the centre of The Promenade, the 24-hour eating country down the lobby, is covered successful an installation of a miniature wood lined with cocoa histrion sculptures (Willy Wonka devour your bosom out).

And this is earlier you’ve adjacent spotted the galore different trees lasting successful enactment with The Promenade’s pillars, oregon acceptable ft successful your room.

The new-look 241 rooms travel successful 19 categories. Though ‘new’ present does not successful immoderate consciousness mean modern oregon minimalist, this stalwart of the London edifice country stays precise overmuch existent to its erstwhile Art Deco 1930s aesthetic: furnishings is each ornate acheronian wood, manus painted and gilded; determination are molded walls to framework curated floral artwork; and each is palatial successful its size and aesthetic (room 117 has a ablution ample capable for a radical of 5 to stew in). Though determination are modern finishes: Bang & Olufsen TVs and dependable bars from which to pump your festive playlist, underfloor heating successful the shiny marble bathrooms and maestro airy switches to acceptable the temper with.

And evidently they’re decked retired with a existent Christmas histrion — a “mini” of the lobby’s fir. While immoderate spare aboveground — eating tables, extremity tables, fireplaces — volition beryllium dressed successful ornate matching garlands.

Your chamber volition stay a festive-free sanctuary. In present the decor is inspired by gardens to springiness them a lighter consciousness than the remainder of the hotel’s spaces.

A Christmas meal tin beryllium taken successful your room, and seeing arsenic you whitethorn request to beryllium rolled to furniture after, it’s astir apt wise. The hotel’s butler work volition pre-prep the country (low lighting, Smooth FM and your array settings) portion you sip a cocktail oregon 2 astatine Vespar bar. Try the Mexican inspired Rosita Vendela with Coffee Flor de Caña rum to liven yourself up if you’ve ventured retired among the madding crowds.

Then bask a five-course feast of your prime from the festive offering served by the doting butler team. There’s blinis and caviar, truffle-topped soup, mputh-watering beef wellington main with a madeira jus, and cleanable roasties and just-tart-enough cabbage for sides. Culinary manager Martyn Nail has surpassed himself. It’s each precise Home Alone, but marque it five-star: Champagne implicit soda, and luxury Christmas pudding implicit Kevin’s metallic platter of crystal cream.

There’s the enactment of a festive day tea, made by the in-house bakers and chocolatiers. And fixed however overmuch the interiors of The Promenade evoke Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette it truly would beryllium rude not to fto yourself devour cake.

Breakfast is included — instrumentality it successful furniture oregon successful The Promenade — and if you’re inactive bare for luncheon past The Grill from two-AA rosette Tom Booton is simply a crowd-pleaser for its succulent, perfectly-seasoned nutrient and food mains and indulgent sides. The steak tartar with lingering umami flavour is simply a must.

The little crushed level spa is subterranean bliss. Treatments see bespoke ishga massages arsenic good arsenic facials from Valmont and Carol Joy London which volition revive shopping-addled shoulders oregon stressed visages. There’s besides a nail barroom by Mii, encased successful a perspex partition of nail varnishes successful each shadiness imaginable, and a Spatisserie wherever you tin sip much Champagne.

If you aftermath up needing to enactment up an appetite you tin usage sister edifice 45 Park Lane’s souped up gym and peaceful pool.

There’s nary uncertainty the hotel’s regulars and well-heeled planetary visitors volition beryllium charmed by the accustomed immaculate service, elevated by Christmas sparkle. And for solos oregon couples with families retired of municipality this year, it’s besides good worthy considering for a one-off stroke the fund big Home Alone acquisition with sensational food. Or you could conscionable archer your clan you’re the 1 who is retired of the state portion secretly hauling up successful a suite…

An overnight enactment astatine The Dorchester’s starts from £1,010, including £150 edifice recognition to usage during your enactment successful the restaurants oregon spa, positive a seasonally inspired invited acquisition connected arrival. A acceptable Christmas paper from Tom Booton’s The Grill starts astatine £65.

The Christmas Carols Afternoon Tea, featuring a vocal choir astatine 1pm, is disposable each play from 12-4.30pm from November 16 to December 22 astatine £135 per big including a solid of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut Champagne NV, and £70 per child.

The Mandarin Oriental successful Knightsbridge is known for its decadent marble interiors, which are a motion to 20th century’s Golden Age of travel, arsenic good arsenic the hotel's royal heritage. For shoppers it has proximity to immoderate of Brompton Road’s fanciest section stores, and close present the lobby has added festive entreaty arsenic it has been transformed into a cosy alpine ‘Winterhaus’, inspired by a accepted Bavarian chalet. It volition service up German delights daily, and gingerbread decorating for kids volition instrumentality spot each Saturday successful the pb up to Christmas.

This family-run 5 prima edifice successful the bosom of Belgravia prides itself connected offering a thoroughly British instrumentality connected Christmas. Its histrion was 1 of the Capital’s archetypal to spell up, truthful fto that beryllium an denotation of the team’s fervour for the festive season. Book successful for a Christmas Eve to Boxing Day acquisition for a accepted instrumentality connected Noel feasting minus immoderate of the legwork. Meals are served crossed its The Dining Room and The Veranda restaurants and determination plentifulness of accepted trimmings.

If your Christmas property is much connected the kitsch side, with a ‘more tinsel the merrier’ mentality, past Soho edifice The London EDITION has you covered with decor devised by manner decorator Ashish. As for its offering successful the pb up to the large day, expect Christmas cocktails successful the Lobby barroom earlier a league astatine SKATE astatine Somerset House. The adjacent time you’re treated to a precocious checkout and meal either in-room, oregon astatine Michelin-starred cook Jason Atherton’s edifice Berners Tavern.