The Claridge’s is often referred to as London’s best hotel and one of the best places to stay in Europe. It’s been a long dream of mine to finally stay at what seems to be the ultimate hotel experience in the United Kingdom. Just in time when most of the property has been refurbished, I was eager to give this dazzling hotel legend a try. It was a cold winter day when I arrived in front of the main entrance. Due to the buzz and many locals entering the main doors, I got a bit lost between the bellmen greeting me and myself going to the front desk with my suitcase. Check-in was smooth and quick, however, at first, it seemed that they couldn’t find my reservation which made the situation awkward. Soon afterwards I was accompanied to my room situated on the first floor. As soon as I could realize that they have upgraded me to one of their Mayfair Suites, a glass of champagne was served to feel most welcome at my home for the next two nights. Honestly, I totally forgot about the uncomfortable situation at check-in and felt like a guest of the royal family.

My suite was everything but standard: a fresh smell paired with wonderful brown and beige colour tones were the first things I was able to register before moving around the very spacious suite. Actually, the Claridge’s is currently in a huge refurbishment phase adding more rooms on their rooftop plus a spa that recently opened (my stay was before that, so I was unable to see the pool). This Mayfair Suite has been one of the first renovated suites and I was thoroughly excited to be one of the first guests experiencing the “new” Claridge’s style. Right in front of the huge windows overlooking the Mayfair neighbourhood was a dining table for four where I had room-service breakfast once. As the centrepiece of the living room, they placed a spacious sofa with two accent chairs opposite the working fireplace that gave the room a truly palatial feel. All the furniture and sideboards were vintage and carefully restored with the modern technology behind the doors. For example, the old Chinese-inspired cabinet served as the in-room bar, while the marble countertop shelf was storage for the in-room shop and technological equipment. Everything matched the colour scheme and interior design of the hotel perfectly, though it didn’t feel dated anywhere.

Right next to the sumptuous living room was the cosy bedroom with 3-metres high ceiling, expensive wallpaper and a bed to die for. Not just the bedding was world-class, but also the mattress and soundproofing of the bedroom were some of the best I have ever experienced in a city hotel. Housekeeping did an amazing job just as you would expect it from a hotel of this calibre. The adjacent walk-in wardrobe was a heaven with the heaviest cloth hangers in the world, the first time I used a Dyson hairdryer and all accessories a hotel lover could ever think of. Walking further into the bathroom, I was slightly overwhelmed by the amount of marble used. On the other side, this is probably what you expect when paying over 2k pounds for an 82 square meters suite in the heart of London. While the bathtub and shower were in a separate area with a window, the double vanities and make-up area were left without daylight. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the bathroom layout nor the lightning, it did feel cold a bit even though the marble was warmer than a beach on the Maldives thanks to the floor heating. Toiletries are by British producer Cowshed though branded with Claridge’s logo. Overall the bathroom had everything I could wish for, even a Japanese spa toilet and extremely good shower pressure.

Due to my tight schedule in London, I wasn’t able to enjoy breakfast downstairs and only had a room-service breakfast on the second morning. I was very impressed by the choice and selection of breakfast options at Claridge’s. As a special treat, I went for the Japanese breakfast and enjoyed steamed salmon along with miso soup and hummus with avocado. The entire setup matched perfectly the vibe of the hotel and needless to mention that the quality comes up to the highest expectations. In the end, I felt that it was the right decision to have breakfast en-suite as it was far less busy than at the Foyer downstairs where breakfast is normally served. As far as the hardware is concerned, Claridge’s didn’t have any facilities to test besides a small gym that was actually a remodelled room on the higher floors. Fortunately, there is Clardige’s spa now which looks stunning and definitely worth another visit. Overall, I had a stunning time at one of the world’s most legendary hotels. However, the real wow effect and the unforgettable moment did not happen – Claridge’s isn’t a hotel I would go back to again. For the price they are charging, you get a luxurious hotel in London and you get what you expect. That’s about it and as far as I am concerned, I missed the special wow factor that makes me want to stay at a hotel again. Claridge’s for me was more like: Been there, Seen it, Done it.