Flora Thompson is in the lap of luxury as she takes a city break at London’s Lancaster Hotel.

Walking into the Lancaster Hotel there was an immediate sense of luxury.

The open fire near the reception was a welcome and relaxing distraction as we warmed up after stepping in from the chill outside.

Even though the entrance was full of hustle and bustle, an air of calm fell as we stepped into our executive club room. Once the door was closed not a sound could be heard from the rest of the hotel, or the busy central London street below.

We sunk into a lazy stupor as we rested from a day packed full of sight-seeing and shopping nearby – relaxing in comfy bathrobes and slippers as we watched dusk set over London.

The room was exceptionally clean, spacious, and comfy but its main attraction was the completely uninterrupted view. In daylight the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, The Shard, the Dome, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Gherkin and the towers at Canary Wharf are all in sight. By night their silhouettes loom amid twinkling lights. The huge windows are perfect for gazing at the city’s skyline and watching the world go by.

Below, a glimpse of the hotel’s honey farm is another point of interest. The Lancaster was the first hotel in London to introduce beehives on its lower roof in 2009. The hotel organises and hosts the London Honey Show each October to teach people about urban beekeeping.

The room lends itself as a base to explore the city, or a comfy retreat on a business trip. Most additional touches are thought of – plenty of storage space, handy shelves, mirrors, and things like a delivery of fresh milk and ice are just a quick phone call away. After a busy day we opted for a quiet night in with the television and room service.

The menu had plenty to choose from to suit all appetites and the club sandwiches really hit the spot, which we polished off with complimentary red wine and nougat kindly delivered to our room on arrival. The lounge area of the room allowed enough space to manoeuvre our armchairs around a fully laid table on wheels, delivered promptly, barely 15 minutes after our order. I drifted peacefully into a deep sleep after a warm bath and awoke to my stomach rumbling. My hunger was quickly satisfied later at breakfast with a huge range of cooked and continental options to choose from.

We took a seat overlooking an entrance to Hyde Park and tucked into cooked breakfast, cured meats, cheeses, salad, fruit, yoghurts, and pastries which set us up for the day. It is sadly common to find a buffet breakfast dry and stodgy in many hotels, but not here. The small touches and attention to detail made it obvious the chefs had taken great care in flavours and presentation. On request there are a variety of styles of egg, and a range of Asian cuisine could be prepared to suit all appetites and diets.

The hotel prides itself on its sustainable and environmentally-friendly operations which is echoed in its other dining areas. The Island Grill restaurant has a modern European menu created by head chef Darren Marshall using ingredients which alter every season. The Nipa Thai restaurant – named after the owner’s wife – has also been praised for its authentic cuisine created by an all-female kitchen brigade and head chef Sanguan Parr.

The breakfast set us up for another day of sightseeing easily reached on the Central line Lancaster Gate underground station just a hop, skip and a jump from the hotel’s doors.

The facts

  • Lancaster London has 416 guest rooms across 18 floors. They are all equipped with a quiet air conditioning system, satellite television, mini bars, en-suite bathrooms and power showers.
  • The hotel is in central London, not far from Oxford and Regent Street, the West End and the financial district.
  • Room rates start at £179 per room per night on weekdays and £159 on weekends.
  • A Romance in the City package for couples costs from £239 a night, including rooms decorated with rose petals and balloons, staff serving chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne on ice, and breakfast.
  • Afternoon tea costs £30 and is served from 2pm to 5.30pm in the lounge bar. There is a chance to relax with coffee or cocktails in the Lancaster Lounge, where traditional afternoon tea with a nostalgic fairground twist – featuring white chocolate truffle and raspberry lollypops with popping candy – is also served.
  • The hotel’s conference rooms – fresh from an £11.5m refurbishment – are available for small business meetings to large receptions of up to 3,000 people.