Review: Flemings hotel, Mayfair, London

This privately owned and effortlessly discreet hotel has recently undergone a £15 million makeover, transforming it from a rarely talked about luxury hotel into the place to be

Set on Half Moon Street just a few streets along from the pubs of Shepherd Market in one direction and the fashionable shops of Piccadilly in the other, Flemings hotel, Mayfair, has been operating since 1851 when it opened to accommodate some of the 6 million visitors who flocked to London to see the Great Exhibition.

Its ethos in the 19^th century was to serve the aristocracy and London’s gentry and the impeccable personal service guests could expect then, continues today.

Doormen greet you at the entrance of the Georgian-fronted hotel, opening the door onto the sophisticated lobby, from where you can enter the exquisite Drawing Room, with its marble fireplace and hand-painted De Gournay wall panels with Indian theme, all of which provides a lovely setting for afternoon tea.

Bedrooms are as luxuriously appointed as one might expect for a five-star London hotel – suites include velvet sofas, Tivoli radios, perfectly plumped pillows and coffee machines. There’s more than a hint of the 1930s about the place too, with the bespoke cabinetry pointing towards the style of the era.

To continue this 1930s theme, head downstairs to the Manetta Bar, just off to the side of Shaun Rankin’s Ormer restaurant, where the retro lamps, glass bar and polished rose gold fittings create a glamorous setting where you could quite well imagine rakes mingling with leading figures of London’s literary scene.

Just as well as it’s argued that it was here at Flemings that Agatha Christie was inspired to write her book At Bertram’s Hotel, set in a “dignified, unostentatious, and quietly expensive” London hotel, while Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of being Earnest is heavily influenced by his experiences on Half Moon Street. And of course, both writers are given suitable credits on the cocktail menu.

Breakfast is served in the Ormer restaurant and includes an extensive continental offering – there is a whole side room dedicated to different pastries, cereals, fruits and meats – alongside more traditional English cooked breakfasts.

With a central location, flawless service, and stylish interiors, Flemings is a smart, high-end choice for a London hotel.

Book a stay at Flemings Mayfair with Small Luxury Hotels of the World from £215 per night, based on two sharing (breakfast is extra) 0800 0482 314.