Entering our park-view room on the ninth floor of the Athenaeum, our jaws dropped not because of the suite itself, but because it immediately lived up to its name: the south-facing hotel rooms offer tremendous views of the lush treetops of Green Park, and if you’re lucky enough to stay in on one of the top floors (nine is the highest), it’s pretty splendid. What’s more, the hotel has been designed to incorporate the park’s proximity: the compact, comfortable rooms and ground-floor reception feature floor-to-ceiling windows and plenty of mirrors to complement and exaggerate the nearby greenery. Entering the hotel feels almost like you’re stepping inside an opulent conservatory.
Throughout the hotel there are nods to grand decor, but it’s not overdone. Twinkly light fixtures, velvet Chesterfield headboards and touches of gold are not going to be to everyone’s taste, but they feature in the light-flooded rooms and add glamour to mostly white walls and bedding – this hotel is in Mayfair, after all.
That emphasis on elegance is also reflected in the kind of service you get at the Athenaeum. Front of house members, at the reception during check-in and in the restaurant, were congenial, warm, but the atmosphere here is formal: there’s no small talk, no chit-chat during breakfast service – everything feels very proper.
While the surrounding neighbourhood boasts plenty of bougie places to eat, the hotel’s ground-floor restaurant is a worthy alternative, particularly for afternoon tea. Book in advance and select either a sweet or savoury menu: both come with those classic crustless sandwiches and some cracking scones, but the savoury option swaps the cakes and macarons for smoked chicken eclairs and quail nduja scotch eggs – delicious.
Neighbourhood
Mayfair is fancy – everyone knows that. Its streets are filled with swish restaurants, designer shops and tiny commercial art galleries, but despite the luxury on every corner, it does have plenty of character: Shepherds Market, for example. The spot is tucked away in south Mayfair and feels like a world away from the raucous Hyde Park Corner. Instead, the lane and street feature a pub which is usually overflowing and little restaurants with al fresco dining areas that feel more like they’re in Paris than central London.
Nearby
- Nijū: A typically pricey Mayfair sushi restaurant, but one which focuses on ‘katei ryori’ (home-style) cooking and features top-quality nigiri and sashimi.
- Dukes: A true classic of London’s bar roster, Dukes is the place to splash out on a ridiculously strong, unbelievably delicious cocktail.
- Curzon Mayfair: This Grade II listed cinema’s future has been in jeopardy for quite some time, but it’s still operating right now and is the best place in Mayfair to catch a movie, so head to this big screen while you can.
Time Out tip
Mayfair is slap-bang in the middle of London, but one way to utilise the Athenaeum’s prime location is by exploring all the gorgeous parks that surround it. Why not hop on a bike and cycle through Hyde Park and over to Kensington Gardens, and check out Notting Hill and Bayswater?