London is a merry hubbub of luxury accommodations, and finding a suitable Valentine’s hotel for a night of amorous passion is a fine art.
At 7 Star Life, luxury dwellings are our forte so we very nicely decided to stay at a variety of the Capital’s newest openings so we could compile this very handy guide for a romantic staycation for those of you with exquisite tastes….
Stepping into this luxurious boutique hotel in London’s Buckingham Gate was like entering a brand new private members club. The inviting lounge area past the chic lobby smelt pleasantly of freshly unwrapped new furniture and looked like an interiors feature in Vanity Fair. My partner and I marvelled at our chic surroundings as we made our way to our opulent room.
One of 53 luxurious bedrooms and six exclusive residences, with lighting throughout by Tom Dixon, our home for the night was shamelessly plush. A regal king sized bed graced the centre of the room overlooked by an opulent bathtub perched on the edge of the open plan marble bathroom.
Dinner in the hotel’s inviting restaurant was fabulously accessed down a very flashy gold winding staircase – perfect for diners who like to partake in a spot of shameless social media photography.
The food was exquisite and unpretentious. Starters were a traditional yet joyful affair. Flavoursome smoked salmon perched on pillowy buttered bread and a fresh chicken and prawn Ceaser salad was the perfect antidote to a long day of staycation sightseeing in the city that had once slept for so long. The hearty mains also didn’t disappoint.A juicy rib eye steak was cooked perfectly, and the buckwheat and beetroot risotto was pleasing earthy and satisfying.
As we made our way back to our inviting turned down bed, I was pleased to see satin eye masks and mini lavender balms to help us drift into a happy slumber. As someone who suffers from occasional insomnia this small touch was especially appreciated. They do say it’s the little things…
This seriously glamorous new property nestled in the merry midst of Covent Garden offers 168 rooms and gorgeous suites to travellers in search of luxury yet those essential home comforts. Our beautiful suite in particular had a quaint outdoor garden area with changeable coloured lighting to suit our mood as well as a separate lounge and dining area and TV room. One of the most spacious London hotel suites we have stayed in, the contemporary yet elegant interiors made us feel we never wanted to leave.
Various board games, books and even cocktail making kits adorned the mahogany shelves and a deep bathtub beckoned us from the opulent bathroom facing what could have been the biggest hotel bed we had ever laid our eyes on.
I could sing copious praises about this exquisite suite until the luxury life-loving cows come home, but the Italian all day dining restaurant deserves equal praise.
Spearheaded by Sycamore Vino Cucina, this culinary gem is discreetly hidden at the back of the establishment and frequented by London diners in the know. Yet I feel their clientele may grow rapidly in size after experiencing the gastronomic joys they had on offer. We sipped on full bodied Italian red wine as we selected our dishes with experienced precision and were not disappointted. The burrata with plump heritage tomatoes and silky salsa verde transported us to Italy whilst the beef carpaccio dotted with tiny pickled mushrooms, potato crisps and truffle aioli vanished within minutes of its merry arrival.
As delightful as these starters were, it was the whole seabass that shamelessly stole the show, extravagantly brought to the table on a regal dish surrounded by clams and mussels.
We retired to our luxurious suite and ended the night with a romantic evening tipple consisting of a tastebud tantalising Valentines rhubarb infused Slingsby Gin. Luckily we had packed it in our suitcase as an extra exciting addition to our staycation.
As we drifted off in our ginormous bed after watching a film on our giant flat screen TV, we made a mental note to return sooner rather than later, but for a much longer stay.
I stayed at this hotel with a good friend who was visiting London from up north and we were massive fans of its modern eclectic decor and convenient location. Nestled in a sultry side street in the heart of Victoria, this stylish establishment is just a stone’s throw away from the train and coach station.
With locations in Soho and Covent Garden, this hotel chain offered 2020 hotel rooms to ICU nurses who worked on the frontline during the pandemic as part of their not for profit “Nights on us” campaign – a powerful and kind touch during such trying times.
There was no restaurant in the hotel but a convenient grocery delivery service where your favourite foods are delivered chilled – perfect for impromptu picnics milking the last of the London summer in a sun-strewn park.
For guests planing to stay longer or those with a penchant for making their own food, mini kitchens in the rooms make it ideal for heating up a comforting ready meal to eat whilst watching a feel good film on the giant flat screen TVs.
We were also impressed with the illuminated mirror – ideal for getting ready for our glam London nights out, and the odd cheeky mirror selfie.
The thought of staying at a 5 star hotel in the heart of Piccadilly dating back to 1904, filled me with obscene amounts of joy. This was why when I was invited to visit The Dilly I may have done a mini internal happy jig of merriment.
This grand property had been owned by numerous hotel groups and was rebranded as The Dilly soon after the last lockdown lifted in May.
The lobby is breathtakingly regal and features a quaint boutique flower shop with colourful ready made bouquets – perfect for spontaneous romancing.
I stayed at this glorious hotel with a fellow hotel-loving chum who helped me make the most of the welcome champagne kindly presented to us in our room. Bubbly is always a nice touch when reviewing luxury hotels, but I had never come across a handmade red London phone box made entirely of chocolate. And I’m not just talking about generic cooking chocolate generally used to make such jovial creations. This chocolate tasted like the type of chocolate made by the Holy Chocolate Gods of Switzerland using cacao beans from a magical land called Damn That Tastes Good.
Jokes aside, my beloved buddy and I demolished the whole thing throughout the evening as we admired the London-themed suite we had for the night. Being a born and bred Londoner with a great love for my city, I almost got a little emotional seeing the London-themed decor in our room.
We finished our evening with an Indian feast in the hotel’s fine dining restaurant – Mahdu. Creamy curries and grilled spiced meats were served to us in an opulent dining room filled with glamorously dressed guests and ornate artwork.
Who needs holidays abroad….?
