Review: Brown’s Hotel

In the heart of Mayfair, London lies Brown’s Hotel, a five star luxury hotel and the oldest in London. We were invited to experience a little Brown’s magic, and see what they have on offer to couples wanting a Mayfair wedding.

{Gifted stay}

The Spa at Brown’s

It was straight to the spa for us, on arriving at Brown’s Hotel. A wonderful face and body ritual using natural skincare products produced by the owner of Brown’s, Irene Forte, and with ingredients grown at their Verdura resort in Sicily. The Spa at Brown’s is underground, a sanctuary of peace and tranquillity, and I spent a wonderful two hours being exfoliated, massaged and cleansed from head to toe – a truly indulgent and relaxing Forte Face and Body ritual – carried out by the wonderful Olga. It was amazing to escape the hustle and bustle of the city to a secret haven of relaxation.

Check in

Check in was upstairs, at their small reception with stunning painted silk wallpaper. You can’t help but look up at the bright and light atrium and the stunning wallpaper that adorns its walls. We were greeted by George, who could not have done more to look after us. We made our way up the original staircase, marvelling at the chandelier of hand-blown glass and feeling the history of the place all around us.

Our suite

Brown’s Hotel is quintessentially English, and although the oldest hotel in London, its rooms and suites are far from dated. We stayed in a junior suite, facing the front of the hotel and overlooking the waving flags and white façade. Modern and neutral, the room was full of interesting books, beautiful touches and bright details. The suite was spacious, with white stone bathroom and a contemporary feel. With the suite comes your own butler and chauffeur – ideal for carrying all those bags from the shopping trips you’re likely to take!

The hotel has somewhat of a literary history, with Rudyard Kipling having written The Jungle Book within its walls. To celebrate this little fact, a soft toy monkey was left on the bed for our daughter – such a sweet touch.

The hotel has 260 staff for 115 rooms – and we were stunned with the attention and care with which they made our stay so wonderful. As well as the monkey, a small popcorn machine was left with a welcome pack, and some macarons and sweets celebrating London Fashion Week, which just happened to fall during our stay.

Afternoon Tea at Brown’s

Exploring the surrounding area uncovered art galleries and the Royal Arcade with so many tempting boutiques, a great spot to ponder and wander before a gorgeous afternoon tea! The elegant English Tea Room at Brown’s offers a range of afternoon tea menus; a traditional afternoon tea, a tea-tox afternoon tea and special teas, such as one for London Fashion week, and a festive one for the Christmas season. Queen Victoria loved afternoon tea at Brown’s, and the striking artwork in tea room adorns original wood panelling that she would have sat next to. With 17 fine teas on the menu, this is one afternoon tea that truly would take all afternoon!

The Donovan Bar

The Donovan Bar at Brown’s holds an incredible cocktail menu. Compiled by drinks maestro Salvatore Calabrese, the menu holds classics as well as original recipes from the man who has prepared cocktails for movie stars, royalty and presidents alike. The ice-like bar sits in a dark and stylish room, perfect for a stag evening or cocktail evening.

Dinner at Charlie’s

We dined at Charlie’s, which had only been open a week. It has its own entrance next to the hotel, and we slipped into a beautiful booth, enjoying the artwork and décor that brings nature inside.

Named after the founding Forte, Lord Charles, the restaurant serves British cuisine with a contemporary twist, overseen by Executive Chef, Adam Byatt. We enjoyed a Brown’s salad with candied walnuts, pink grapefruit and blue cheese dressing, smoked salmon, and then spiced monkfish which melted in the mouth and steak, followed by a salted caramel custard tart. It was a beautiful meal, and once again, the staff were so attentive and the food sublime.

Turndown was lovely, with a card left for us showing the next day’s weather – essential in London – as well as some lotions, and we slipped under the silk duvet and had a fantastic night’s sleep.

The tour

An omelette and buffet breakfast was followed by a wedding tour with George, where we discovered more of the history of the hotel. The back of the hotel was originally the front, and holds a meeting room that is used by politicians as well as holding the telephone that Alexander Graham Bell made the first call from.

Weddings at Brown’s Hotel

The beautiful wedding rooms are decorated in neutral and pastel colours with chandeliers. Light and bright, they can be transformed to accommodate your theme and palette and the largest room, The Clarendon Room, can host up to 120 for a drinks reception, 70 for a banquet. They even hosted a Hello Kitty themed wedding – nothing is off limits for them!

We had a beautiful stay at Brown’s Hotel. The service is excellent, there’s so much to learn, and we would highly recommend eating at Charlie’s. A wonderful stay.

Brown’s Hotel

Albemarle Street
London
W1S 4BP

General Enquiries – [email protected] Tel: +44 20 7493 6020