Review: The Arch London, Marble Arch, London

The Arch, London, Hotels
The Martini Library, The Arch London Credit: The Arch London

Boutique hotel The Arch London is nested away in the elegant heart of London where it mixes historic charm and contemporary class.

The Arch, London, Hotels
The Martini Library, The Arch London Credit: The Arch London

If you’re looking for a cosy yet sumptuous hideaway in the elegant heart of London, The Arch London is a perfect port of call.

Spanning seven Grade II listed Georgian townhouses and two mews homes, the hotel is officially rated five-star yet tucked away on a calm residential street in Marylebone, yet still just a stone’s throw from Bond Street, Hyde Park and the West End – a secret hideaway for those in the know.

london, hotel
The Arch London Credit: The Arch London

Step inside and you’re greeted by welcoming staff who, alongside a roaring open-fireplace, are keen to make you feel at home and get the most from your stay.

The decor is beautiful mix of understated glamour in marble and glass fused with a playful nod to its proud British identity, with delightful and bright pieces of contemporary art celebrating London’s sometimes quixotic character.

There are 82 individually designed bedrooms including 11 suites, named after London sites, one of which we are lucky enough to claim during our stay. The spacious Sullivan suite has with a huge bed fit for royalty complemented by Egyptian cotton sheets and duck down duvets, as well comfortable and elegant seating, all wrapped in the opulent fabrics, hand-printed wallpapers and bespoke artwork which characterise the hotel.

It goes without saying that the large bathroom – complete with TV in the tub – is the height of luxury (none of the tiled surfaces are cold to the touch) and the perfect place to unwind after a hard day getting to know the city. There’s a recessed study area with a large fully functioning desk if work does call but we were rather more concerned with what lay beyond the suite’s floor-to-ceiling glass doors: one of the suite’s biggest charms, the quaint courtyard. Outside space comes at a premium in this city, and fitted with seating and outdoor lighting and yet more art, it’s the perfect spot to relax away from all the hustle and bustle. We still needed the heater on a typical April day but the chance to get some air during our stay was a delight.

If you want to spend some time away from your room, The Arch London also has fabulous Martini Bar, an opulent lounge area for drinks, Afternoon Tea or informal dining, which is packed with squishy armchairs and shelves of beautiful books nestling around stone fireplaces: the kind of sophisticated drawing room we all dream of having.

arch london, hotel, london
Hunter 486, The Arch London Credit: The Arch London

Relaxed and raring to go again we turned out attention to the lovely Hunter 486 restaurant – in another nod to the hotel’s history, it’s named after the 1950s dialling code for Marylebone – and its classic British menu, which features fare such as Rose County rib eye and grilled native lobster. The restaurant has an elegant yet relaxed feel which makes diners feel right at home amid the leather booths and blown glass chandeliers.

Tucking in to the pan-fried scallops with chorizo, it was clear that the food would live up the promise of the rest of the hotel. Beautifully cooked, the lovely scallops were allowed to shine with a tasty but not overpowering garnish of roasted red peeper and balsamic reduction.

A superior room at The Arch London Credit: The Arch London
A superior room at The Arch London Credit: The Arch London

Hunter 486 has an open kitchen so guests can watch the skilled chefs at work. The kitchen also features an amazing stone oven. Reaching incredible temperatures, it promises to deliver amazing succulence with dishes such as roast whole seabass and roast black leg free range chicken. I could not resist the challenge of the braised lamb shank from the stone oven and it was, indeed, spectacularly succulent and worth a trip to Marylebone on its own. It left little room to sample the classic British puds – given, obviously, an elegant twist – such as hazelnut and apple tart and sticky toffee pudding, but a lovely and light coconut panna cotta came to the rescue to round off the meal perfectly.

After a restful night’s sleep, we returned to the restaurant for a relaxed and luxurious breakfast. Far too replete, unfortunately, to sample to cooked fare on offer, a huge choice from the continental breakfast – almost in itself a work of art – set us up perfectly for another day exploring the streets right on the doorstep of this perfectly British and charming hotel.

Prices start from £350 for a deluxe room and from £420 for a suite.

To book call 020 7724 4700 or visit www.thearchlondon.com

The Arch London, 50 Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, London W1H 7FD

Related articles

BRITAIN’s top 25 stately homes
Celebrating Charlotte Brontë at NPG
Dreams of Downton: gorgeous photos of Oxfordshire

Click here to subscribe!

Download BRITAIN Magazine to your mobile today