Just west of Berkeley Square, in the affluent Mayfair section of London, sits a hotel called the Chesterfield Mayfair. Located at No.’s 34-36 Charles Street, this boutique property is composed of three Georgian townhouses built during the mid-1700’s.
The Hotel is quintessential British. As you enter this charming property, a doorman donning a top hat will be there to greet you. Your first impression will be that of elegance: marble floors, Victorian decor, dark wood, leather, antique furniture, regal oil paintings, and a majestic chandelier adorning the grand lobby.
Part of the Red Carnation Hotel collection, the Chesterfield offers Victorian charm with modern convenience. This five floor hotel is named after Chesterfield Hill, an adjacent street—which in turn, is named after Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield.
Choosing the Right Hotel
Finding a hotel in London isn’t all that difficult. Naturally, there is a plethora to choose from in one of the largest cities in the world. The challenge, however, is choosing the right one.
To many, a hotel is simply a place to stay. They’re on vacation because they want to go sightseeing, and nothing more. For others, a hotel can play a major role in the overall experience of their trip. I, for one, fall into the latter.
There are several elements that go into choosing the perfect hotel. So…what do I look for when searching for a home away from home? And how did I end up choosing the Chesterfield?
I look for something unique! Some hotels are very basic, while others are very ritzy. Typically, ritzy hotels possess characteristics that separate them from the rest; in other words, unique. Meanwhile, a basic hotel is generally very plain. Obviously, I think we’d all choose the ritzy hotel—that is, price not being a factor. This being said, it usually is a factor. That leaves me searching for a hotel in between—something unique, yet affordable.
So . . . as you can see, I like a nice hotel—and I don’t want it to feel like a generic cookie cutter hotel, if possible. Ideally, I want it’s characteristics to fit the environment specific to it’s geographic location. Let’s say, for example: when staying in London, an old 1700’s Georgian style townhouse converted into a boutique hotel—like the Chesterfield—would fit the bill.
Location was a very important component on this trip. At no point during my London visit did I find myself in a car—not even a cab. I would be walking everywhere, and would be heavily dependent on public transportation. A hotel within walking distance to major attractions and close to an Underground station would be imperative.
Initially, it’s proximity to Green Park Station was attractive. Just a short walk from the hotel, Green Park Station serves three major London Underground lines, allowing easy maneuverability throughout the city. Particularly, in our case, it provided a direct route to Wembley Stadium. You see, we would be attending the Eagles/Jaguars game at Wembley—part of the NFL UK series—ultimately, the purpose of our trip.
As far as our walking capabilities were concerned, we were just a short walk to several top destinations: Regent Street shopping, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Hyde Park, London’s West End (theatre district), and of course, Buckingham Palace.
Being location in the section of London known as Mayfair, we would discover, was a bonus. Though London is composed of several sections, many of which fulfill the criteria I have already mentioned, there is no “main” section of London. For instance, if traveling to NYC, you might want to stay in Times Square, right in the heart of everything. But London, take your pick. We picked Mayfair, and as the old knight told Indiana Jones, we had chosen wisely. Mayfair is one of the most affluent areas in London, and as such, a week in this location truly enhanced our “British” experience.
Price was naturally a major factor in the decision process. The day price becomes no object, I’ll be checking into the Savoy or the Ritz Carlton. Heck, I may not ever check out. Until then, those places are on hold. Though there are cheaper options in London than the Chesterfield, their prices are within reason, and in my opinion, well worth it for the luxurious experience you will receive. Between it’s decor, amenities, and staff, this is a luxury hotel!
Lastly, and don’t judge, the hotel bar plays a major factor in deciding on a hotel. And, let me clarify, the criteria isn’t necessarily that the hotel has a bar, rather that it has a bar worth sitting at. For instance, I’ve been in hotels whose bar functions as a coffee counter in the morning. This is not a Conahan Experience! But give me an intimate setting to relax over a drink before making my way up to bed, and now we’re talking.
Lobby
Your experience will begin right here! A doorman dressed in a suit and a top hat will welcome you to the Chesterfield. It’s marble floors, grand chandelier, and brown leather chairs will reaffirm that you made the correct decision. If you’ve made it this far, congrats—you are now having a “Conahan Experience” of your own!
Butlers Restaurant
The Chesterfield offers full breakfast, lunch, and fine dining options at Butlers Restaurant. I can’t speak on behalf of their lunch or dinners—we were out exploring the cities attractions during these hours—but I can tell you a little bit about their breakfast.
There are three breakfast options: a continental breakfast buffet, a full English breakfast, or Butler’s specials (a selected full breakfast from the menu). I had the breakfast ticket as part of my hotel package, which entitled me to either of these options. My mornings began at Butlers, typically over a Butler’s Special—Eggs Benedict or Bubble and Squeak, to be precise. A nice aspect of the breakfast package is that you are entitled to the buffet even if you select a Butler’s special. If you do not have the package, you will have to purchase one or the other.
I should also point out the buffet is no joke. I’ve been in hotels that offer a “continental breakfast,” which means they offer toast and muffins that look like they shrunk in the dryer. The Chesterfield’s buffet is loaded with pastries, meats, breads, fruits, etc. It’s like going out to brunch. I typically do not eat breakfast at hotels, as I usually attempt to find a worthy breakfast spot elsewhere—which I generally consider part of my adventure. On this trip, however, we were taking in a lot of experiences/adventures regardless. Staying at the hotel for breakfast was fine by me—and I should add, the Chesterfield’s breakfast was excellent. Afterwards, it was out to explore the city before eventually landing ourselves in a pub somewhere.
Afternoon Tea
If you find yourself in London, you’ll probably want to experience Afternoon Tea. This quintessential English custom may not be all too popular outside of England—let’s say, for instance…Boston—but then again, who knows; there may still be a few Tory’s “floating around” the New England area these days.
Afternoon Tea is a mid-day meal composed of scones, pastries, and mini sandwiches—and lets not forget, tea. In England, it is a big deal. This daily ritual is held at various locations throughout London, but look no further than the Chesterfield.
Not only does the Chesterfield offer Afternoon Tea on a daily basis, they have a dedicated room specifically for the event—and as you will see, this room is pretty cool. It’s like sitting in an outside garden, with a Willy Wonka theme.
I am not particularly a tea drinker, but I do like pastries and sweets. Yes, I ate good! I couldn’t have asked for a better “Afternoon Tea” experience than I did at the Chesterfield. Sitting in their quaint tea room was more than relaxing, and I should add, a welcoming break in the middle of what was an event filled week. But now for the important part, the food was amazing! Just don’t ask me about the tea, I have no idea. I’ll stick to coffee!
Terrace Bar
The Terrace Bar is a room in the Chesterfield that we became well acquainted with. As I mentioned earlier, a quality hotel bar is an important component of “The Conahan Experience.” I don’t necessarily sit in a bar because I want to have a drink. Rather, I prefer to sit in a bar because it’s environment makes me want to be there. The Terrace Bar fits the latter category.
The Terrace Bar possess an environment that is reminiscent of a country club. This sophisticated bar consists of dark green furnishings, a piano player, leather lounge chairs, and bartenders serving up fancy cocktails in tuxedos. A very fitting environment in this posh section of London.
A majority of our trip was spent outside of the hotel, exploring the many attractions of London. The remainder of our time—with the exception of sleeping—was spent inside the Terrace Bar. And, no—contrary to the image you may be conjuring, I do not live in a bar! But, I did need a place to relax, and the Terrace Bar was, that place.
At the end of each day—long days—after being on the go, we would return to the Terrace Room at the Chesterfield. The staff was amazing, along with their drinks. In fact, one night, we enrolled in the Whisky and Nose tasting, along with the Gin & Tonic tasting experience. This was a nice treat! Otherwise, it was a great place to unwind and relax before going to bed.
Overview
At this point, you are probably looking for pictures of our room. I admit, I dropped the ball on this one. I took tons of pictures, yet I failed to take any inside our room. I did, however, manage to get a few pictures of our window view. That must count for something, right?
Overall, I couldn’t have been any happier with our visit to the Chesterfield. The location was perfect, and the experience was amazing. The staff always made us feel like we were distinguished guest. Not only did their professionalism make us feel special, on a personal level, we had acquiring new friends. My time in London was amazing, and filled with wonderful experiences. The Chesterfield, in itself, was one of these amazing experiences. Our overall “London experience” was enhanced by our stay at the Chesterfield. I look forward to returning again one day!
