Cruising The Past Cruise News Hotel Review: London’s elegant historic Hotel Athenaeum is our choice for the best in London.
A boutique FIVE STAR PLUS gem with a link to the past.
One can never capture the feeling of cruising the past in most hotels today. That chic traveling public is gone. Clients arriving from a trans-Atlantic crossing on the liners Queen Mary or United States are history. No one travels with maids and trunks today. One barely hopes your baggage (and the plane) makes it to your destination – except of course when flying in your own jet.
So in all great cities the experienced traveler is always looking for that special hotel.
London’s exclusive Athenaeum combines many of those values – with a very up to date modern atmosphere.
I enjoyed a week’s stay just after Christmas, with a wonderful elegant suite overlooking Green Park. It was everything you could wish for in a hotel room, if not more. From the complimentary Mini-Bar (excluding alcohol), Ren products, Frette sheets, coffee/espresso maker, slippers, bathrobes… the list is endless.
Julie Zamil of Southern California’s Willlett Travel recommended and booked the hotel. Her knowledge of luxury hotels and all aspects of deluxe travel is impressive. Her services equaled the terrific operations at the Athenaeum.
And the hotel certainly goes the extra mile for customer service, which is simply outstanding. An essence of a nearly forgotten type of Englishness: discreet, personal, friendly, interesting, lavish, quirky, down to earth and brilliant.
This is the best hotel I’ve ever stayed at in the UK – the hotel exceeds expectations.
Click here to visit the hotel’s excellent website.
And the wireless is free!
The historic, privately owned Athenaeum Hotel and Apartments is located opposite Green Park on bustling Piccadilly in central London, England. Hyde Park is 500 metres away and Piccadilly Circus is half-a-mile away. Buckingham Palace, Harrods department store and Oxford Street, the countries biggest shopping street, are within a mile, as is Westminster Abbey. Green Park is the nearest Tube station to the hotel.
Originally an Edwardian gentleman’s club, the Athenaeum was later used by Rank Pictures to accommodate visiting Hollywood stars.
The clubby Whisky Bar has 157 single-malts, and the 24-hour lounge offers light meals and afternoon tea.
There is a business centre, a wonderful spa along with a 24-hour gym with steam room, Jacuzzi and sauna.
If guests fill out the hotel’s detailed questionnaire, the hotel promises to remember every detail of their preferences for their future visits.
