16 globaltravelerusa.com MARCH 2019
GT tested
CORINTHIA HOTEL LONDON
Reviewed by Francis X. Gallagher
Arrival/Check-In: We arrived in Southamp-
ton, crossing the Atlantic on board the Queen
Mary 2. As Cunard does not pre-arrange car
pick-ups prior to departure, I decided to book
my reservation with LimoPlus per a recent article
I read on globaltravelerusa.com. The trip from
Southampton to London was quick and easy
with our driver, Kumaran, taking back ways
when needed. When we arrived at the Corin-
thia London, we were welcomed like we were
coming home — this was my third visit since
the property opened in 2011. As we had a lot of
bags from the crossing, full of casual and elegant
attire, staff took our bags and swiftly escorted us
to our suite, one of the property’s London Suites.
Guest Quarters: The room was lovely and the
building painstakingly restored. It was formerly
part of the War Department, housing Winston
Churchill’s office (at least when he was not in the
underground bunker — worth a tour if you are
near 10 Downing Street). Prior to the Crown’s
ownership, the property was the Hotel Metropol.
The suite was bright with clean, white walls
and trim. We entered through a large door into a
hallway. Immediately to the left, a powder room featured an exquisite
built-in door that matched the façade of the wall. Down the hallway
our path branched left and right (notice the art all over the suite).
To the left, an expansive living room held an open-sided bookcase
that divided the room from a full dining room. Perusing the books,
I noticed they were entertaining coffee table types. This is where I
housed my command center with my laptop, briefcase and chargers;
my only complaint was the distance from the electrical outlets to the
dining table, which meant my cables stretched across the passage all
the time.
To the right, another hallway led to a massive bathroom with twin
sinks, a shower and tub. The shower, once I got used to the operation
of the nozzles and faucets, was superb, with lots of water pressure and
various spraying options.
The bedroom was equally large with a comfortable king-sized bed
and lots of pillows and comforters. The dressing room seemed to be
right out of a design book, with plenty of room for everything and
creative shelving for luggage. A vanity with a mirror separated the his
and hers sections, and the generous space made it easy to prepare for
a night on the town.
Services/Amenities: The entertainment and dining at the Corin-
thia are a must. We enjoyed drinks and dinner at Kerridge’s Bar &
Grill where the place was hopping, the staff was there to please, and
the menu was as unique as the building itself. I had the venison from
the restaurant’s rotisserie, and I understand all the dishes were equally
tasty. The sommelier and I selected a Chablis to go with our starters,
and it was perfect. Pauline and Denis Banks, whom we met on a pre-
vious cruise, were our guests, and we had an enjoyable time. Another
night we retired to the Bassoon bar for crafted cocktails and shared a
yummy cheese and meat platter accompanied by crispy bread.
Other lovely things to do include the spa and a proper British tea
where you can speak to the on-site Futurists in Residence regarding
your questions and thoughts about future trends.TOP TAKEAWAYS:
◆ Did I tell you about
my butlers? They helped
with a charger converter,
using the hotel car (a
lovely Jag) and other great
services — you just text
them. Giulia was helpful!◆ Corinthia London may
be one of the best-kept
secrets, with a location
across the river from the
London Eye and walkable
to everything.CORINTHIA HOTEL
LONDON
Whitehall Place
Westminster, London
SW1A 2BD
United Kingdom
tel 44 20 7930 8181
corinthia.comPHOTOS: © CORINTHIA HOTEL LONDON