Claridge’s…like no place else

churchill at claridges

This review of Claridge’s Hotel in London is entirely unsolicited and I have received no compensation or consideration. 

“…not that I intend to die, but when I do, I don’t want to go to heaven, I want to go to Claridge’s.”
Spencer Tracy

Even though our flight from Amsterdam to London was only 45 minutes, it felt as though we’d spent most of the day traveling. It was le Monsieur’s turn to be a little under the weather, so by the time we arrived at the hotel, we were ready to relax for a bit. Because the room wasn’t quite ready, we were treated to a beverage in the bar…

le fumoir Claridge's

But soon we were whisked upstairs to this jaw-droppingly spacious room:

London 2

I suspect a case of mistaken identity…think we were provided for above our station 😉 which considering our casual and rumpled state upon arrival was indeed surprising. This is the most seductive hotel room I think I’ve ever stayed in. Seductive as in, “relax, unpack, you could get used to living like this…” The bed was one of the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in, too.

London 3

For once I remembered to take pictures before we’d strewn our stuff all over!

London 4
separate dressing area with yet more storage space…OMG!
My shoes are lonely. I need to find them some friends... :-)
My shoes are lonely. I need to find them some friends… 🙂

Yes, this was the splurgiest part of our trip. We were only in London for a couple of days, so decided to go a little crazy for the experience of it.

china pattern Claridge's
breakfast table…LOVE this china pattern!
Claridge's dining room
main dining room

Our room and especially the bar and dining rooms were done up in stunning Art Deco style. I mentioned to le Monsieur that at times I felt as if I’d been plunked down in a scene from “Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day.”

Breakfast in the main dining room was certainly no bargain (as tends to be the case in most non-breakfast-included lodging…captive audience) but was superb. The quality and preparation of the food was as top-notch as you’d expect, not one wrong note anywhere.

The level of service was also beyond anything we’ve experienced before. Everyone was friendly, attentive (but never obtrusive), accessible, accommodating, and made us feel welcome. Not an iota of snootiness anywhere in the place. The entire experience was extraordinary. We left feeling very, very spoiled, and I can understand why people wax poetic about this hotel.

What is your favorite hotel or lodging?

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44 Comments

  1. I saw a television series about Claridges and it indeed looked as superb as your photos. I think my favourite hotel would be the Imperial in Vienna, but then Vienna is one of the cities I love most.

  2. Not being a world traveler, I will relate my favorite USA hotel story. At the Ritz Carlton in Lake Tahoe, one morning at breakfast I asked our waiter for a small container for salt to take to our room to use for gargling. I had the start of sniffles and a sore throat. He of course handled my request. Later in the day, this same waiter had cold medicine and throat lozenges sent to our room compliments of the hotel, of course. So thoughtful and observant and showed such a concern for their customers. Riitz Carlton is alway a good idea!

  3. How utterly wonderful – glad you got so thoroughly spoilt! The layout and space you have is almost identical to the room we stayed in at Le Merdidien, Picaddily Circus a couple of years ago. It was a corner room (usually more spacious) and used to be part of a the Presidential suite before being divided up. That was old and lovely!
    How’s your jet lag, I wonder?

  4. It sounds as though it would be like dying and going to heaven. The most beautiful hotel that I have stayed in during the last few years has been the Sofitel Budapest Chain Bridge. If you have a river view, the Danube is breathtaking..

  5. My favorite lodging has been the The Ventana in Big Sur, California. There are several levels of rooms. We have stayed at The Ventana on three separate occasions. We recommend an upgraded room with a forest view. (Our favorite room had a bathroom to die for, a den area with fireplace, and a modern four poster bed. Oh–and the hot tub on the deck looking at the forest. ) Also in Big Sur is the venerable Deetjens Big Sur Inn which is very rustic and quaint. (Go to their website to view.) We like “The New Room” which is not at all new and has a gorgeous view of a small redwood canyon. Deetjens is not fancy (like The Ventana) but quite the experience. Have breakfast in the Deetjens restaurant, but for lunch ask for an outdoor table at The Ventana. If you go to Big Sur, don’t miss Nepenthe for either lunch or dinner. We like to go for an early dinner there and feast on the Ambrosia Burger.

      1. We have dined at The Post Ranch Inn but have not stayed there. I thought the cost was through the roof. However, I just checked back to The Ventana’s site and was shocked at the prices there as well. I don’t think we have ever paid $2,900/per night. I thought it was more like $600/700/per night. I’ll have to ask my husband to see if I was in la la land and not aware. We’re not going to Big Sur this summer because of the drought and hot temperatures. I think the extreme weather is really going to hurt this area in many ways.

  6. Looks lovely. Although the main image in my head is the one of me imagining you standing on the potty trying to get that bathroom shot.
    Too many wonderful hotels but one of my favorites was in Brussels…an old stable turned into hotel. Wish I could remember the name.

  7. Hotel du Collectionneur,Arc de Triomphe
    Lovely room with a fabulous breakfast! Stayed here for a few days before our Viking Cruise of Southern France. We were delighted!

  8. I’m putting these places on my bucket list! You deserve this Sue! Thanks for all you do to inspire women!

  9. Now I need to stay at Claridge’s. Looks beautiful.
    My fav’s have been the Oriental in Bangkok and the Four Seasons in Milan.Both stays were on business trips. My husband would never pay for luxury when we are sightseeing!
    Enjoy!

  10. The Chateau de Sureau in Oakhurst, CA (southern entrance to Yosemite.) It was my 50th birthday – unforgettable. Our room (bigger than my 2 br apt!) had a stepdown bathroom with a tub to wallow in. Service: the staff were mindreaders. I mentioned at dinner how delicious the cookies on arrival were, and when we came back from dinner, there was a plateful, just out of the oven.And the restaurant – 5 star – Erna’s Eldeberry House. Arguably the most delicious food ever. And did I mention our menus were printed with our names and Happy 50th Birthday. Those little touches made for a most remarkable birthday. Beyond highly recommended.

  11. Excellent! I’m so glad you indulged. You do deserve it, and you appreciate it, best of both worlds. I have serious luxury hotel love, I treat myself beyond my station:). The Four Seasons on the Big Island, the St. Regis in San Francisco, the Shangri-La in London, the Carneros Inn in Napa, all are just wonderful. But Claridges does look to be a stellar mix of Old and New London.

  12. That looks divine, good for you! I have also seen the program about Claridge’s and found it fascinating.
    My favourite hotel is JKPlace in Florence. Like staying in your rich uncle’s townhouse.

    1. JK Place is wonderful! We had a two-level room with a terrace overlooking the Duomo. Gorgeous. Much as in Sue’s story, we arrived exhausted and rumpled and they were dealing with other people and weren’t ready to check us in. I was annoyed, but then they sat us in the living room and brought us (complimentary) drinks and cookies and by the time they checked us in I was relaxed and ready to enjoy our stay.

  13. This reminds me of my stay at the Landmark Hotel in London, years ago. It deserved it 5 Star rating, for sure. Those were the days when my international travel was for business, so I got to indulge in accommodations, but had little time for sightseeing. Using my own funds, the accommodations are solidly mid level.

  14. PS: We are heading to Monterey Peninsula next week, our favorite destination. We always stay at the small places in Pacific Grove, and indulge in long walks along the beautiful coastline. Nothing more beautiful, IMO.

    1. We also love Pacific Grove and stayed in a wonderful bed and breakfast there with a gorgeous view of the water. There is a little restaurant there in town–only open for lunch that we like. It has red in the name–little red house–something like that–right in the little town.

  15. Years ago we had a HUGE suite at thePlaza Atheneé in Paris. Of course it was all paid for by the film company. I wrote about it in one of my blogs. Treasured time.

  16. I’m properly gobsmacked! What a beautiful and luxurious accommodations! A treat and delight. The bar looks especially inviting and I love the art deco style. Absolutely lovely. You should write them and tell them what a fabulous experience you had! Nice treat — I hope the end of your trip is/was just as comfortable. XO

  17. many, many years ago as a student travelling around Europe for an entire summer, I especially remember the Royal Danieli in Venice and the Amstel in Amsterdam. What luxury for an 18 year old American from Southern California!

  18. The Ritz Carlton in Berlin, Les Crayeres in Reims, and the Mandarin Oriental in London are my top three hotels that make me feel very pampered. So glad you were able to do so, too!

  19. I stayed at the Inn and Spa at Loretto in Santa Fe in February. It was wonderful. Not nearly so spacious as your accommodations at Claridge’s, but so beautiful and comfortable. And the staff were magnificent, just how you described Claridges.

    Not lux exactly but so magical: the Sylvia Beach Hotel in Newport, OR. Right on the beach. Every room is devoted to a different author, and decorated accordingly. The place is completely charming. A large breakfast comes with the room–really it is a B & B. The people (and the resident cat, Shelley) are so warm and welcoming!

  20. Clarigdes sounds wonderful, thank you for the insight.

    I use different hotels for different reasons. Sometimes when traveling I like the anonymity and predicatability of large chains such as Accor, Holiday Inn etc.

    I guess my current favourite is Harringtons Hotel in Bath, UK. It is small, family run, in the centre of the city, with a great breakfast. Plus there is a faboulous French restaurant, Raphael’s just down the block.

  21. Seeing your bathroom photos reminded me of the Rosewood San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, MX. So luxurious, insanely good food, wonderful service, a beautiful climate…and a rooftop tapas bar with a breathtaking view. It has it all.

  22. It’s part of the joy of Claridges – they treat you exactly the same no matter what you are wearing. I think they leave it to the guests to self police themselves!

  23. We were lucky enough to stay in the Royal Suite at the Fairmont Banff Springs in Banff, Canada. I could have happily lived there forever. The views, the service…ah, those were the days!

  24. The Breakers in West Palm Beach is also one of our favorites. The rooms are nice, but even better is the whole building–truly spectacular. And the pools, the beach at the hotel, the outdoor bar, the casual hotel restaurant with porch dining, and the spa.

  25. L’Hotel in Paris, where Oscar Wilde spent his last days, saying “I am dying beyond my means.” It is now beyond mine! There really is nothing like a luxury hotel to provide a sybaritic and sexy experience.

  26. The Fairmont Chateau at Lake Louise is one memory that I go to often when I think of “getaway.” I don’t know if it’s the accommodations – including having a young gentleman in lederhosen who met us at our car and took our bags, or the incredibly beautiful scenery of the majestic view just out the window at breakfast, but I felt transported.

  27. Such a beautiful hotel. Thank you so much for sharing your vacation with us. Looking forward to seeing many more pics and postsof your time across the pond. Hoping to see a pic of the elusive Tish Jett. Keep waiting for her to step out of the shadows.

  28. RIadh Myra in Fez….not a luxury on the order of those mentioned above, but a magical fairy tale experience unlike any other .

  29. I think one of the jobs of people who go to hell would be dusting that Chihuly(?) ceiling art. Gorgeous!!
    Oh my, but you were spoiled! Maybe you can request that your room be late next time you go to, for another drink. (Why am I always on about the free food and drink?) I don’t have a favourite hotel but once when I was traveling rough when I was young, I was immensely grateful for a huge suite on a ship, filthy, grotesque even, but private with a bed without bugs.

  30. We just returned from the Borgo Santo Pietro in the hills of Tuscany. Absolutely exquisite experience from the room to the grounds to the amazing food (breakfast was included) and the attentive but not fawning service. It was a lovely and peaceful destination for an anniversary celebration. Thanks for collecting all of the other hotel recommendations!

  31. What a fabulous, fabulous Claridge’s post. And the comments, from Susan’s readers, are so very valuable. Thank you all.

    Some of my hotel faves include many you’ve mentioned, including all the California hotels named above, as well as some of the old hostelries in US National Parks — from Yosemite to Yellowstone.

    Finally, we were just in Spain, and I can’t recommend more highly the Barcelona Hotel Arts (on the beach). It’s one of those hotels where you feel like they invented hospitality.

    We are all so damned lucky!