#JDEEDLONDON | Inside the iconic Claridge’s

This iconic London hotel, nicknamed “the annex of Buckingham Palace’ is possibly the most recognizable building of Mayfair. As fabulous outside as it is inside, entering Claridge’s feels as if you just landed inside a luxurious bubble of calm and elegance in the middle on one of the busiest cities in the world. The 5-stars legendary accommodation that has been welcoming royals and celebs for centuries, boasts absolute perfection on every corner.
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THE LOBBY

Where to even begin…from start to finish, absolutely everything in the hotel was the definition of perfection and this from the moment you make your way through the revolving doors. Warmly welcomed by the lovely doormen, we then proceeded to a swift check-in with the kind receptionist, and were guided to our room shortly after . The 95m2 suite was nothing short of breath-taking: comprising of a large living and dining room, an office space, a separate bathroom, 2 dressing rooms, a huge bedroom and en-suite bathroom, it’s safe to say the room was probably the most luxurious and well-equipped we’ve ever stayed in.

At Claridge’s, beauty is also found in the details: a Dyson hair dresser, Japanese toilets, royal bed linen, hand-picked fruits awaiting your arrival in their silver basket…
It’s actor Spencer Tracy that said about the hotel “not that I intend to die, but when I do, I don’t want to go to heaven, I want to go to Claridge’s,” We might want to join him on that one.

CLARIDGE’S SUITE

As you walk down the hotel’s hallways, you’ll notice portraits of the former visitors, from Audrey Hepburn to princess Diana – imagining a previous life where lavish parties and important meetings must have taken place. But back to 2024, it was time for us to try the hotel’s restaurants and other spa offerings. We headed down to the recently renovated relaxation sanctuary. The space truly lives up to its reputation of one of the most beautiful spas in the world. Are we even still in the epicentre of hectic London? It’s quite frankly hard to believe. Rather, we’ve been whisked away into some luxurious cocoon where all our problems and worries were left at the door.

The plan for the next 60 minutes was to try the “Claridge’s Signature” massage, drink ginger tea and whisper a dozens “thank you” to our wonderful massage therapist. Whether you’re staying at the hotel or not, visiting this incredible spa is definitely high on our list of recommendations – while it is a bit of a splurge, it’s one that you will never, ever regret.

THE POOL AT THE SPA

We’ve told you about the breath-taking rooms and out-of-this-world spa but what about the restaurants, you ask? Starting off with the most important meal of the day, we enjoyed a typical English in the hotel’s foyer and its victorian decor: eggs, sausages, hash browns, nothing was left aside – we’re still unsure about black pudding, but it’s a bit of an acquired taste isn’t it?
Now, if you are a frequent JDEED reader, you’ll know we have an infinite love for coffee and, let’s say that hotel coffees usually don’t have the best reputation. At Claridge’s, on the other hand, it feels important to say that here the coffee come from “Origin Coffee” and is excellent.

A little bit before dinner, we headed down to the “The Painter’s Room” a small but oh-so-chic bar niched in an almost hidden part of the hotel. With its impressive pink marble bar, the place is perfect for a romantic date or a celebration with your girlfriends-. Fancy cocktails flirt with the classics, but you could also go for a glass of Laurent Perrier to keep it simple and efficient. Needless to say, the bartender was absolutely lovely and of great advice.

THE PAINTER’S ROOM

MAYFAIR TERRACE SUITE

For dinner, it was time to make our way to “Claridge’s Restaurant”, the hotel’s main restaurant that proposes contemporary English cuisine.
An impressive decor by Bryan O’Sullivan gives the dining room such character yet makes you feel comfortable with its big bordeaux-red cushioned benches..
Everything we had that night was frankly memorable: black truffle crumpets with cheddar, seabass and crab cakes, Carlingford oysters, a grilled halibut with caviar and a tender-as-can-be beef wellington. It isn’t without a hint of shame that we ordered a dessert, a chocolate tart to top it all off (but do calories count at Claridge’s?)

Next morning, it’s in the same restaurant that we had a second and last breakfast, essentially serving almost the same food as in the foyer but we had particularly liked the ambiance of this very room and wanted to wave it a proper good-bye.

As we packed our bags and headed downstairs for check-out, we were torn between sadness to be leaving and excitement to be coming back soon. Because one thing is for sure: once a Claridge’s client, always a Claridge’s client. This place is a thing of fairy tales.





CLARIDGE’S
Brook Street, London
www.claridges.co.uk
+44 20 7629 8860