Bird’s-eye views at Park Lane Hilton
In the swinging ‘60s it was home to members of The Beatles. Day tripper Peter Cooper checks in as a guest
For breathtaking views over London’s Hyde Park, comparable with the Essex House in New York’s Central Park, it is hard to beat the Park Lane Hilton hotel, until recently the tallest hotel in the United Kingdom.
For business, its location puts you right in the heart of Mayfair.
The 453-room hotel opened in 1963 and became a flagship of the “swinging ‘60s” with members of The Beatles staying as residents in the period. Today the original glamour has faded but the facility was always intended to also be an eminently practical business hotel, which it remains.
Indeed, it is probably unmatched for meeting and event facilities with a Grand Ballroom seating 1,250 guests and a further two ballrooms seating 90 and 200 guests.
For press events and meetings there are 11 rooms, all with natural light to accommodate between four and 50 participants, plus the 150-person Crystal Palace Suite. Room costs range from £500 (Dh2,424) for the smallest to £30,000 for the Grand Ballroom.
The best of the 56 suites are found on the 27th floor. Executive rooms also have access to club facilities with all-day beverages, continental breakfast and constantly changing snacks. This club was much improved on my previous visit more than five years ago.
We stayed in the Balmoral Suite with views over Hyde Park as not seen unless you are a pigeon. This suite is furnished in traditional style with the gold light switches and taps that were so popular in days gone by.
Tea and coffee facilities and a handy Corby trouser press are in addition to free 2.7 mbps Wi-Fi. This suite comes in at £1,700 per night, while rooms start from £284 with the best rates only available from Hilton’s very slow website.
The desk offers a choice of British or American plug points but not continental. For business centre facilities a key-accessed room with workstations, Microsoft and Macs and laser printer, is available.
However, the place to really splash out and entertain clients is the Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows restaurant on the 28th floor. It has superb 360-degree views of London through its huge panoramic windows, fine traditional French cooking and high service standards to match.
London is full of Middle Eastern visitors in summer so I felt at home. The Hilton may not be the flashiest hotel in London but it has a certain charm, and those views are its unique selling point.