Written by Menswear Style in Travel on the 10th November 2014

This hotel would certainly have been the place where Mr Selfridge would have entertain friends and family. With such Great Gatsby-esque decor and period interior design features, you'd be forgiven for thinking this hotel had been here for over a hundred years - but in fact, it's yet to celebrate its first birthday.

From the moment you arrive, walking past the superbly dressed doormen wearing bespoke tailored heritage fabrics and flat caps by a company called 'No Uniform' and through a corridor made from rose bronze, you get the feeling that this is a luxury 5 star hotel that is going to be very special.

Following an extensive renovation to sensitively transform the 1914 Edwardian Belle Epoque building, the original architectural features have been painstakingly restored by an expert team of craftsmen, including the magnificent Grade II-listed street frontage and dome, and the grand Pavonazzo marble staircase which rises up through all seven storeys of the hotel beneath the 166-foot cupola. 

Guests enter the Rosewood London Hotel via a grand carriageway which leads to a distinctive courtyard giving a sense of arrival more akin to a private manor house than a hotel. The lobby areas continue to have a wow factor with true glitz and glamour throughout. As you'd expect from a newly opened hotel, everything is spotless, clean and fresh.

You almost feel like you've found an undiscovered hidden gem that you should only share with your closest friends. After being introduced to our very own butler we were taken to our suite for the evening. Having a butler at hand is a great idea and a refreshing personal touch. Don't worry, he doesn't stand outside your room, he keeps busy serving a number of suites and you can call him from your room at anytime with any requests. 

The Room 

Our suite (Noble House) included high ceilings, a den, a grand living space, a ginormous bathroom and a large bedroom. At times we thought we were staying in a large house. Especially since there were 3 entrance doors to our suite. Nice touches includes The Rake Magazine (so many hotels don’t include men’s magazines) and complimentary gin and whisky decanters.

The other suites available offer some of London’s finest accommodation and include the Grand Manor House Wing. Accessed via a private elevator and its own street entrance, it is the only hotel suite in the world to have its own postcode. Six bedrooms, a dressing chamber, a library, a dining room and several sitting rooms are lavishly arranged over 6,318 square feet of living space. The Garden House features a stunning garden terrace overlooking the London skyline while the stately Chancery House possesses elegant grandeur. 

Holborn Dining Room & Delicatessen 

Dining in this restaurant makes you feel like you’re on a Mad Men set and it has a great relaxed atmosphere putting you at ease. Previously the East Banking Hall of Pearl Assurance, Holborn Dining Room & Delicatessen was designed by Martin Brudnizki. One standout feature of the restaurant includes a bar and a dining counter, each topped with aged copper and patina brass.

The kitchen is overseen by Executive Chef Lee Bull, former Head Chef of Le Caprice and Scott’s, with David Burke, previously Executive Chef of Le Pont De La Tour. Mervi Lehtinen is the General Manager, whilst James Murray, takes the role of Maître d’hôtel. The bar is run by Jarryd Adams, former Head Bartender at Harry’s Bar and Bar Supervisor at Rex. 

The lunch and dinner menu, comprised of traditional British dishes made from the finest locally sourced ingredients, is divided into eight sections: Cured Meats, Cold Counter, Hot Counter, Crustacea, Hot Kitchen, Sides, Sandwiches and Afters. Starters include; Pressed Ham Hock and Goats Cheese & Red Onion Tart from the Hot and Cold Counters, whilst main courses such as Dorset Rock and the Royal Seafood Platter can be selected from the Crustacea section.

Scarfes Bar 

We walked into this full and vibrant bar for a cocktail after dinner. We managed to grab the last 2 seats at the bar and enjoyed live jazz music late into the evening. There was a cool Boardwalk Empire feel to the room and the interiors featured paintings by Gerald Scarfe, renowned British artist and caricaturist. Gerald’s collection of amusing and conversation-provoking paintings, highlighting his best work, adorn the marble walls turning the Scarfes Bar into a living canvas, described by Gerald as “my personal art gallery, where you can see my life on these walls.”

Sense Spa 

The Sense Spa is minimalist for the size of the hotel but it has everything necessary to make you feel totally relaxed before and after your treatment. The spa is centred around the relaxation lounge, where you can lose yourself and completely forget you are in central London. Take a relaxing stroll on the wooden walkways over rippling water to your treatment room where the exceptionally capable therapists tailor-make every part of your experience. 

The hotel also offers a decent sized gym if you want to work off your breakfast. It combines a contemporary design with the latest cutting-edge gym equipment from Technogym providing a calming and luxury environment for the ultimate workout.

We visit The 5 Star Luxury Rosewood London Hotel and review their Holborn Dining Rooms, Scarfes Bar, Sense Spa and Noble House Suite.