Editor’s Review – London Marriott Hotel, County Hall
London Marriott Hotel, County Hall is located on the Southbank of the River Thames adjacent to the London Eye and a short stroll from Westminster Bridge and Parliament. Situated in the former offices of London County Council (more recently the Greater London Council), the luxury 5-star hotel is ideally placed for both the corporate and leisure visitor.
On entering the lobby, the heritage of the building comes to the fore with wood panelled walls and corridors gracing the reception area. The hotel comprises of six floors with 192 rooms, 14 suites and 11 meeting rooms. There is a fully equipped health club and spa on the 5th floor and a 25 metre pool surrounded by palm trees on the 6th floor.
Check-in was fast and the reception staff were extremely friendly and courteous. We arrived before our room was ready and were provided entry to the Executive Lounge on the 5th Floor. The lounge provided majestic views across the Thames and came with complimentary drinks and light bites.
Our room was a suite on the 6th floor, with balcony offering stunning views over The Thames and Big Ben. As part of our silver lining package stay we were greeted with a wonderful selection of gifts including an umbrella and luxury face creams. The room was beautifully furnished with contemporary furniture and artwork. One end of the room had a Queen-size bed with wonderfully comfortable mattress and pillows and HD Television. The other had a lounge-area with sofa, coffee table, comfy chair and another HD television. The suites amenities include air conditioning, Nespresso and tea making facilities, iron and ironing board, safe, a well-stocked mini-bar and even a selfie stick! The bathroom contained the usual facilities and toiletries by Floris of London. The wallpaper was quirky, displaying a black and white map of Central London.
In the evening, we had a meal in the Hotel restaurant – Gillray’s Steakhouse and Bar. The restaurant is typically English, with freshly sourced ingredients from around the country. The view across the Thames to the north bank and Parliament in full illumination was a fine setting for what proved to be an extremely delicious, filling meal. As an appetizer, we were given a Yorkshire pudding stuffed with cheddar cheese – which was interesting yet tasty. For starter, I had asparagus and roasted garlic soup with a poached egg and my partner had pan fried scallops. The soup was a glorious bright green colour and the composite flavours came together wonderfully. For mains, we both went for the fillet steak, which were seasoned to perfection. To round off the meal, we had an indulgent sticky toffee pudding with clotted ice cream and an exquisitely sweet crème brulee with poached rhubarb. The staff were polite and welcoming and when time permitted stopped to chat, enhancing what was already a very pleasant meal.
After an extremely comfortable night’s sleep, Gillrays was the venue for breakfast. There was an excellent and varied selection, which included continental options – fresh pastries, meats and cheese and a full cooked menu. It was a very relaxing, laid-back way to start the day.
For an initial temporary period of time, the hotel is offering the “Silver Lining Package” meteorological service, with a resident meteorologist being on hand to provide 24/7 weather advice and to help take the unpredictability out of the British weather. In addition to the real time forecasting, the hotel will provide the gift packages and reactive services depending on the weather. If rain is due, wellies and raincoat will be delivered, a hair stylist will be on hand for windy days and enjoy use of hand held fans and cooling sprays on hot days. The service also includes a potential weather appropriate itinerary for those looking to explore the City. The forecast that we received, as part of the service was for cloudy conditions, as such I received a manicure and my partner a neck, shoulder and back massage, both carried out in the comfort of our room. Each lasted about 30 minutes and both were carried out with extreme professionalism and were first-rate in knowledge and technique. This is a unique service which should take some of the guess-work out of the weather and contribute to a far more enjoyable stay in the Capital.
The Marriott London Hotel, County Hall is a luxury 5 star hotel perfectly located to enhance the stay of anyone looking to enjoy the sights and sounds of London. Beautiful wood panelling and contemporary décor in a listed building combined with friendly helpful staff ensure that all aspects of a stay are as comfortable and welcoming as possible.