For a luxury stay in the heart of London with modern décor and all the extras you could hope for, Conrad London St James will do just the job.
The five star Hilton brand hotel boasts a 19th century facade within the historic Queen Anne’s Chambers and was converted into a hotel in 2012, with Hilton taking over in 2014. Upon entering the cool air conditioned lobby, you are offered a warm welcome in very modern surroundings. The décor is sleek, elegant and contemporary with a very refined feel. There is a lot of modern art throughout the hotel, which add splashes of colour with much of the focus, especially in the bar, being political to highlight your Westminster surroundings.
On the ground floor Blue Boar Bar, Blue Boar Restaurant and Emmeline’s Lounge sit,all decorated with their own individual style and offering a fashionable place in which to enjoy some company and refreshments. A traditional afternoon tea can be taken in the lounge, which is light and airy with a part carpeted and part tiled floor. The open space has white walls and silver pillars with beige tub chairs and low armchairs. Sculptures abound and a display glass table holding colourful fresh flowers to match the scatter cushions offer a very inviting atmosphere.
The Blue Boar Restaurant is all dark wood, funky lighting, dark blue and leather with silver accents, a splash of zebra print and London scenes and political art gracing the walls. Head chef Michael Riordan serves up contemporary British dishes including steaks, fish dishes and burgers and breakfast is also served here. My guest and I had a very fulfilling breakfast from the sizeable hot and cold buffet, which included your typical breads, fruits, cheeses, cold meats, cereals and juices as well as salads, pickles, gluten free options and a truck load of pastries. I opted for my ultimate hot buffet selection of sausage, beans, scrambled eggs and hash browns with a mini pain au chocolat and waffle with maple syrup on the side.
The bar has the typical low lighting, dark leather and wood panelled or brick walls but is spacious and modern with it. Character comes across with figurines of past prime ministers, which sit in boxes on the walls as well as a selection of cartoons. It serves up traditional British pub food as well as an array of drinks including craft beer, ales and wines. It also holds a House of Commons division bell to remind members to return to parliament to vote. We didn’t have a drink or food here – the bar offers casual dining – instead we paid a visit to the executive lounge using a pass we had been given upon arrival. I honestly could have spent a few hours here making the most of the delicious nibbles and drinks available but I had somewhere to be so I popped in for a swift G&T – poured by my own fair, and perhaps heavy handed, hands – and helped myself to some edible treats (mini beef Yorkshire puddings, sausage rolls, cold meats, salmon, cheeses and crackers). Complimentary food and drinks are served throughout the day where you can sit at a table and indulge in some TV.
The hotel really does well on the little extras, which do make a big difference to your stay. To our suite (one of 256 rooms and suites) we were brought three slates with different treats laid out along with prompts of local places to visit. A biscuit and macaron tray, a chocolate and macaron tray, both with inspirational messages written in white chocolate, and a gin and tonic tray all went down a treat. That isn’t all though, the uniquely designed bathroom had all the extras you might need including a toothbrush, razor and a phone in the loo. The en suite was separated from the bedroom area (we stayed in a king junior suite for the night) by a heavy sliding door and it held a bath and sink unit with a shower and toilet through clouded glass doors beyond. The room wasn’t big but was designed well enough so that it didn’t feel cramped and plenty of light came through the large windows of which there was a view of local buildings and the street. The entrance had a hard floor and double wardrobe with lots of space, a safe, slippers etc and led to a carpeted seating area. Two soft grey armchairs with a foot stall and table sat under a large black, grey and yellow painting of London streets and an espresso machine and mini bar offered refreshments. There was also a desk and chair, which sat in front of a partition, beyond which was a large TV and a ridiculously comfortable bed. I really did struggle to get up in time for breakfast in the morning but that could have also been the drinks the night before!
There are seven meeting and event rooms, which have many useful extras such as built in video conferencing, with day delegate packages available. Located right next to St James’ Park underground station, it offers easy access around the city and is also a couple of minute’s walk to the beautiful park and Buckingham Palace. It is also within walking distance of Big Ben, The London Eye and many other of London’s famous attractions.
Hilton is proud to be a major player in the Fans of London campaign, which celebrates London tourism with a series of ‘super fan’ experiences encompassing the royals, Harry Potter, Shakespeare and music. British Airways and London & Partners have teamed up with the hotel brand to produce tailored packages such as the Shakespeare super fan package, which includes a stay in Hilton London Tower Bridge, afternoon tea, a Shakespeare play to take home and a private concierge to tailor make your Shakespeare in London itinerary.
For more information on the Fans of London packages visit: hiltonfansoflondon.com
In a nutshell
Centrally located and easily accessible to many of London’s finest attractions, Conrad London St James is a modern, comfortable and convenient place to stay with luxuries and character galore.
Address: 22-28 Broadway, London SW1H 0BH / 020 3301 8080
