REVIEW: Rosewood London (It’s pretty awesome)

This hotel is one that makes an immediate impression on you the minute you walk through the double gates.

The movie-esque entrance with gates manned by attendants in British Peacoats leads you to a courtyard complete with British house cars – Jaguars, Land Rovers, Aston Martin’s.  This is one hotel that takes elegance and sophistication to a completely different level.

Once you enter the hotel the first thing you notice are all the custom interior finishes.  Every surface in the hotel is unique and exquisitely finished lending itself to the uniqueness of this hotel.

The rooms, although quite small (not too far off from every other room in London), are finished with small touches such as leather boxes for electric plugs and room service menus, and even laundry bags made of terrycloth.  Every little detail in the Rosewood has been scrutinized and refined – and is completely different from what you’d find anywhere else.  The only other place i’ve stayed that gave off a similar impression to the Rosewood is the SOHO House hotel.

The service, is of course, impeccable.  I used the concierge service quite frequently and they knew everything from local hours of every single establishment I asked about, to recommending what route I should take back to Gatwick Airport.

The bar at this hotel is also quite a happening place, with evening lounge music served up by a singer/pianist (of course they play Elton John – this is England!).  The drinks are superb, and the mixologists working at the bar at a mile a minute are fun to watch.  The food is also superb and I highly recommend eating breakfast within the hotel one day.

My favorite part of the Rosewood, however, is Pearl.  Pearl is the house Golden Retriever, and quite possibly the most quintessentially impressive part of this hotel.  After hundreds of stays at different places, I have yet to come across a hotel with a house pet.  The idea of it was so unique that it caught me off guard but made me smile every time I walked by Pearl and her bed right in the back of the lobby. Being a dog person, I thought it just gave that extra feeling of “special” to this unique establishment.

PROS:

• Its got a house pet!
• The food is exquisite
• Finishes are some of the most impressive i’ve seen at a hotel

CONS:

• Slightly smaller rooms

SECRETS:

• Be sure to visit Scarfes Bar in the lobby, it’s got great drinks and a cool lounge vibe
• Try to stay through a Sunday, where they do a Sunday farmers market in the courtyard

OTHER COOL STUFF IN THE AREA:

• I would definitely visit the original Hakkasan London, especially if you’re vegetarian
• Champagne and Fromage is a thing in London, and it’s totally worth checking out Champagne + Fromage