The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is the perfect base for exploring London. Located just across the street from Hyde Park, it’s a prime location in Knightsbridge makes it the perfect base for exploring London’s finest dining and shopping experiences. It’s just a 5-minute walk to Harrod’s to the west or a 20-25-minute walk to Mayfair and St. James to the east.
This historic hotel was recently renovated after a fire, so it’s like staying in a brand new hotel but with historic glamour and charm. The designers incorporated different elements inspired by Hyde Park like tassels that resemble horse tails, all while creating a fresh modern look. The hotel is also close to Buckingham Palace and the Royal Mews, so if you head down to breakfast at the right time, you can watch the Queen’s horses walk right past the window.
The Mandarin’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Dinner by Heston, also fuses the modern with the old. The menu is inspired by historic recipes, including the famous meat fruit that looks like a clementine, but is actually with chicken liver mousse.
The bar has a great list of cocktails served with a side of theatrics. One of the cocktails that we ordered came in a wooden chest, which when opened, emitted a cloud of smoke. Even the traditional classic cocktails like a gin martini with a lemon twist are perfection. You might even see a recognizable face or two here. Once, we were in the bar for a late-night drink after dinner and happened to be seated near Ariana Grande and her entourage. What happened next is one of our favorite stories to tell at a dinner party.
You also won’t want to miss the spa. You can take the elevator directly down to the spa from your floor without having to walk through common areas of the hotel in a robe.
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA, United Kingdom
Note: Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park provided support for the reporting of this story.