Ideally situated in the very heart of the English capital, The Marylebone Hotel is set amongst the characterful boutiques of Marylebone High Street and Baker Street: home to both Sherlock Holmes and Madame Tussaud. It’s also near the shops of Oxford Street and Bond Street including Selfridges and Liberty’s. For cultured types, there’s the Wallace Collection and the Wigmore Hall a short walk away. For more of a stroll, there’s space aplenty in Regents Park which houses, in one corner, London Zoo.
The hotel is part of the Doyle Collection and is located between the Georgian-built Welbeck Street and the pedestrianized Marylebone Lane. Comprising three buildings, of which one is a former London house, I sensed its appeal and character as I passed the tail-coated doorman to enter the lobby which set out the stall for what was to come. Treading on the mosaic-tiled floor past its mosaic-tiled central pillar I then reached the gilded doors of the elevator.
What particularly struck me about this hotel was the amazing number of public rooms for guests. One room subtly leads into another. Each offered its own different atmosphere. It kept unfolding while playing on the same themes yet pulling at different elements. From black, white, and gold to one with black, white, and silver. One had a walkway with a skylight offering light to the plants reflecting in the jungle-themed wallpaper opposite. There were lots of little funky nooks and crannies to hang out with fireplaces and books. Small silver octagonal tables were surrounded by luxurious shell-shaped seats all in front of welcoming fireplaces in each room. Marylebone Rooms comprised The Long Room, as well as Palm Room 1+2 at Number Six for private events while Blueroom, Courtyard, and Library were available for meeting rooms.
The 248 rooms (with rates starting from $480) come as cozy, classic, deluxe, studio suites, a luxury suite, and terrace suites in ascending order of grandeur. Three of the 48 suites have their own terraces, and particularly special is the Marylebone Suite with a vast terrace, a retractable roof, a fireplace, and a special outdoor television. I especially recommend the rooms from the 5th floor upwards which have views right across the rooftops out over Central London from which to enjoy spotting the city’s iconic landmarks.
Tucked away down a narrow corridor, lined with dark suede, my room felt all the more spacious. It had a contemporary classic feel. There was an enjoyably unpredictable play on the same tones and colors that permeated the room but in different patterns on the carpets and drapes. There were lots of duck eggs blue and earthy, natural colours. A lovely leather padded headboard stretched from bed to ceiling. There was a clever use of mirrors and glass-handled furniture. And all done to the very highest degree of finishing. My bathroom had both a bath and a shower and was kitted out with wall-to-ceiling Italian marble and duck egg blue basins offering Malin and Goetz bath products.
I dined al fresco at the hotel’s reasonably-priced 108 Brasserie on the cobbled Marylebone Lane, a quiet street where couples strolled by. My pea and courgette soup was gladly free of cream and my grilled seabream was properly filleted. All indulgently followed by a smooth mint and chocolate scoop of ice cream. For breakfast, I sat on a rich red lengthy crescent-shaped banquette in the spacious interior of 108 Brasserie. There were marble and wooden tables and black and white framed photographs. It had a wonderfully fresh, uncluttered feel. A few steps up the Salon part of the restaurant had an eclectic array of characterful wallpaper and felt so heartening with its rich golden velvet and burnt orange furnishings against the backdrop of the teal blue walls.
Next door The Cocktail Bar is a wonderful retreat. It’s cozy and elegant, warm and stylish with its Art Deco themes and red, white, and grey coloring, with its leather seats set up by a cool zinc-topped bar.
As a guest, I was entitled to use the state-of-the-art gym called Third Space which also housed an indoor 59-foot swimming pool: a real bonus for a Central London hotel. The staff seemed to operate with breezy telepathic efficiency. I noticed also that children were well catered for with special menus (under-5s eat free) and in-room teepee beds can be provided with inflatable mattresses, a camping lamp, and even some cookies. Cozy and indulgent. What a treat to stay at The Marylebone Hotel.
