Havens in the
In Mayfair and Hyde Park, two hotels are quietly delivering luxury, writes Emma Newlands
It was once the epicentre of 90s celebrity debauchery, but the former Met Bar in Mayfair is now part of a hotel that is putting wellness and relaxation centrestage – serving as a calming oasis rather than hosting rowdy members of Oasis. The hotel is now known as COMO Metropolitan London, and I feel calmer as soon as I enter the spalike reception area. We’re shown to our rooms ( there are 144 including suites) which have been decorated to be as decluttered as possible.
Mine is mainly cream, with touches of brown and lime green, while vast windows flood the room with light and capitalise on the jaw- dropping view across Hyde Park and beyond. Landmarks such as the Albert Hall will later appear when the sun goes down, sparkling in the darkness.
There’s a yoga mat in the wardrobe and yoga and meditation channels on the in- room TV, while the hotel embraces the COMO Shambhala wellness concept, which promotes a healthy way of living, learning and eating well ( shambhala means ‘ peace’ in Sanskrit).
The hotel houses the COMO Shambhala Urban Escape where I enjoy a relaxing signature massage, choosing a warming option from the choice of oil blends.
Also on offer are private yoga classes – ours is taken by highly knowledgeable teacher Kelly Brooks – and there is also acupuncture, Dr Perricone, Dr Hauschka and Guinot facials – and much more besides.
And then there is the food. We dine in live- fire grill restaurant Gridiron – located in the former Met Bar and a collaboration between chefs Richard Turner and Colin Mcsherry.
We plough through a bonanza of delicious dishes, and along with my excellent main course of steak, I sample sides such as Tunworth mashed potato with thick, crisp pork crackling, ash- burnt leek with hazelnuts ( a surprisingly good combo), and beef dripping galette potatoes, which is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten.
The hotel also houses a branch of celebrity favourite Nobu, which specialises in Japanese- Peruvian cuisine.
A short walk away is another hotel in the group, COMO The Halkin, where we also stay and which is located on a quiet side street near Hyde Park Corner. A more compact offering at 41 rooms and suites, the purpose- built hotel has a Georgianstyled facade. My room again has a calming cream colour scheme,
but is slightly more classical in style than the Metropolitan, with a seating area where I eat breakfast of Belgian waffles and berries and a healthy ‘ waterfall’ juice including cucumber, celery and fennel.
The room uses the same tablet touchscreen interface as at the Metropolitan to control everything from the lighting to the ‘ do not disturb’ sign, while the bathroom boasts a huge tub where I make use of the amazing ‘ INVIGORATE’ bath salts and loofah. Duly relaxed, I bury myself in the bed’s Egyptian cotton linen and sleep like a log.
As for in- house dining, there is the New Basque cuisine of Ametsa with Arzak Instruction, a collaboration between chef Elena Arzak, her father Juan Mari Arzak, and Mikel Sorazu, Igor Zalakain and Xabier Gutierrez.
Dishes come with Heston- style names such as ‘ beef fillet and clumsy peach’, ‘ walking through the orchard’ – and whatever the pudding of ‘ Intxaurtsaltsa cube with mutant sauce’ is.
The Basque concept extends to the afternoon tea, which is served in
Clockwise from main; cocktails at The Halkin; one of the bedrooms; a room with a view at the Metropolitan
the Halkin Bar and lounge and we try some of the components, including a miniature waffle with egg. Delicious.
We’re also treated to a foodie’s delight in the form of a Sweet Tooth Tour, a concept founded in 2017 by Lynne Staartjes while studying pâtisserie at Le Cordon Bleu.
She proves a friendly, authoritative guide, and stop- offs include the floral, Instagrammable delight that is the cafe of Peggy Porschen – who made Kate Moss’ wedding cake – as well as a branch of macaron specialist Pierre Herme ( Staartjes has worked for both) where we sample some wares blindfolded to guess the flavour.
All told, the hotels offer their own takes on a tranquil haven from reality, plus utterly mouth- watering cuisine and within easy reach of London’s highlights. I’m turning off my mobile, buying up the contents of my local bookshop, and booking myself in for a month each – at the very least. ■
The hotel also houses a branch of celebrity favourite Nobu
Rates start at £ 275 at COMO Metropolitan London ( Old Park Lane, London W1K 1LB, met. lon@ comohotels. com, 020 7447 1000) and £ 340 at COMO The Halkin ( Halkin Street, London SW1X 7DJ, thehalkin@ comohotels. com, 020 7333 1000). Sweet Tooth Tours ( www. sweettoothtours. com) from £ 58pp.