Traveling the World in Search
of Truly Enchanting Places
The Connaught
Overview
From Andrew Harper
From the Hideaway Report
June 2011 Hideaway Report
In the days of the ancien régime, the most exclusive of London hotels was The Connaught, a clublike establishment ideally located in the so-called Mayfair Village. For a certain type of committed American Anglophile, the place was an antechamber to heaven. True, many of the rooms were on the small side and the baths old-fashioned, but the country house atmosphere, punctilious staff and two superb restaurants provided more than adequate compensation. The Grill Room, in particular, had a kind of aura. Its menu was defiantly traditional — oyster pie, roast grouse, bread-and-butter pudding — but it was under the supervision of French chef Michel Bourdin and had boasted a Michelin star for as long as anyone could remember.
In 2005, The Connaught was sold and the new owners decided to invest more than $110 million in a comprehensive transformation. The work has been undertaken in phases but it is now virtually complete. The most significant part of the redesign has been the addition of 31 new rooms and suites in an extension to the original hotel, bringing the total to 121.
The taxi that brought us from The Savoy to The Connaught drove down Mount Street, an elegant thoroughfare that clearly illustrates the changing face of London. The old-established galleries and shops — Purdey, the leading manufacturer of classic English shotguns, is located at the corner of Mount Street and South Audley Street — have now been joined by high-fashion retailers Marc Jacobs and Balenciaga, while outside Scott’s seafood restaurant, a venerable establishment that has recently been transformed into one of London’s chief celebrity magnets, a scrum of paparazzi lay in wait for some unfortunate victim.
At The Connaught, much had changed, but much seemed reassuringly familiar. To the right of the lobby, the former drawing room is now the trendy Coburg Bar, but the most obvious addition is Espelette, a brand-new casual dining restaurant housed within a kind of glass conservatory overlooking Mount Street. Rather than taking the elevator to our room on the second floor, we opted to walk up the hotel’s magnificent mahogany staircase, which has been spectacularly restored and now gleams and glints with polish and newly applied gold leaf.
The reinvention of The Connaught was entrusted to the well-known English interior designer, Guy Oliver, who has brought a sophisticated color palette as well as a full range of contemporary technology to the original rooms. Beds come with Italian linens and cashmere blankets, while thickly lined damask curtains ensure tranquility. The biggest change is to be found in the baths, which have been comprehensively modernized and are now faced in white Thassos marble.
In common with those in many old hotels, the accommodations at The Connaught tend to vary greatly in size and shape, so it is virtually impossible to generalize. Despite its modernization, the property still has rooms that are small and somewhat inconvenient. On one recent visit, we found that we had been allocated a long, thin room with a similarly elongated bath. It took us approximately 20 seconds to decide to upgrade to a second-floor suite.
Rooms in the new wing are dissimilar to those in the old hotel, and the intention appears to have been to create an environment suitable for those traveling alone or on business. The bedrooms have relatively low ceilings, but the baths are extremely spacious and peerlessly appointed. However, for leisure travelers, the atmospheric original building is to be preferred.
Aside from the new accommodations, the principal addition to The Connaught is the Aman Spa, which offers treatment rooms that come with private dressing areas. A small gymnasium is complemented by an indoor heated swimming pool. Although the spa is a pleasing addition to the hotel, its design has been constrained by a lack of space. Finding any land on which to build in the heart of Mayfair was little short of miraculous.
It is the hotel’s stated intention to reopen the Grill Room, but no definite date seems to have been set, and perhaps it will require a significant economic upturn to make the investment worthwhile. In the meanwhile, guests must content themselves with brasserie-style dining at Espelette, or haute cuisine at Hélène Darroze at the Connaught, which has recently been awarded its second Michelin star. Chef Darroze is originally from Landes in southwestern France, and her menu features regional and seasonal dishes.
The Connaught offers several rooms for private dining, including the exquisitely restored Georgian Room, which is the most beautiful venue for a dinner party of up to 12 people that can be imagined. The raised floral garlands on the pale pistachio walls have been lavishly re-silvered, and the effect by candlelight is breathtaking. An obliging concierge showed me around, and I made a mental note to make a reservation for my next significant wedding anniversary.
For those who vividly remember The Connaught of old, its new incarnation can take a bit of getting used to. But the renovation has unquestionably been a labor of love, and the hotel is now a remarkable blend of innovation and tradition.
Rates
Deluxe Room, from $820; Junior Suite, from $1,105.
From our Readers
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Amenities
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Air-Conditioning
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Bar
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Butler
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Concierge
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DVD Player
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Fitness Center
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Housekeeping Daily
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Indoor Swimming Pool, Heated
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iPod Docking Station/MP3 Player
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Laundry
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Massage
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Readers' Choice 2012
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Restaurant
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Robes
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Room Service
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Spa
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Steam Room
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Telephone
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TV
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Wireless Internet
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Map
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I've been to the Connaught several times now since the beginning of this year. Their facilities are fantastic and their staff are first rate. The Hotel Manager, Guillame Marly, has done an excellent job and now the renovations are over and spa is complete, many of the complaints I have read in previous posts will most likely be a thing of the past.
On a recent trip with our family, we stopped in London first and then on to Paris. Mr. Marly personally assisted us when we had trouble with our Paris hotel. Since he is from Paris, he has great contacts there with hotels and restaurants. He didn't have to help us, but went out of his way to do so. With service like this, coupled with awesome facilities and great staff, they are bound for wonderful things in the future. If you're headed to London, this is a great place to stay (with families too). BTW, being in Mayfair is a big plus.
I was there in June as well, and have been their annually since 1982. It has become very "corporate" in the worst sense of the word. Still very uneven staff, poorly equipped spa (no combs or slippers), continuous luxe brand name droppong, and weird services (2 items pressed complimentary but only with 12 hours of arrival, and they don't tell you how this works unless you ask). We booked thru AmEx platinum, the perk being dinner for two. They then insisted it was only from a restricted prix fixe menu, although this is not published anywhere. Very gruff about this annoying rigidity. AmEx disputed the prix fixe qualification. I stay there only because of the lcoation, and expect mediocre service from the hotel since Paolo Zago left many years ago.
Entirely right. We have been regular guests since 1985. Under the Zago regime, it was a place without equal. Since the renovation,it is much degraded. The spirit of the house has been lost and the clientele mostly eurotrash or the equivalent. Many of the rooms are too small and with bad or no views at all. The GM-Anthony Lee is now gone. He was the last managerial link to the Zago era. I think he tried but was overwhelmed by the power and love of flash that defines the new ownership. If you knew and loved the"old" Connaught,going there is truly painful.
Harper Member Critique -- The Connaught, London
Travel Date: Nov 2009
"We enjoyed our stay at the Connaught, although we would have preferred a different room. The size of the room was certainly adequate for my husband and I in addition to our daughter who slept on a roll-away bed. However the room (332) was too contemporary for our taste and lacked any view. The window couldn't be opened for fresh air and the doorless shower, although lovely, leaked water all over the bathroom floor. Service at the hotel was excellent. The concierge was very helpful. Breakfast and dinner were wonderful. We were promised a room upgrade in the older wing with more traditional decor next time we visit. It was a disappointment that the spa was not yet ready. However, we would give the Connaught another try when next in London, because overall it was a very good experience."ES
Yes, it is really important when making a reservation to specify either the more traditionally decorated rooms in the hotel - or the modern styled ones in the new wing.
It also is very important to be aware of the square footage of the room you reserve. Anything under a deluxe King is tiny in my opinion - and there are 3 room categories smaller than the deluxe Kings.
Also, be aware that the first and 2nd floor have the high ceilings in the rooms, which is such a nice touch.
By the 4th and 5th floor, the ceilings are quite low, by American standards.
I adore The Connaught. Because I am VERY precise about what I like, which is facing Carlos Place on the first or 2nd floor.
Deluxe Junior Suites and above are really what make The Connaught shine.
You just have to be willing to spend the money.
It's a wonderful hotel, and the renovations are in exquisite taste throughout.
Amenities are superb. Service like the concierge and the butler are excellent.
Just be aware not all the rooms are large, and that can definitely affect your perception of comfort.
I disagree that the new incarnation has any improvements. Many rooms are small, lighting dreadful, new plumbing often not working, clueless butlers, etc.I will be there in a few weeks, and have been a regular guest since 1982. I emailed for a one hour massage, to the new Aman spa at the hotel, and received confirmation for a 90 minutes massage. These sorts of things never happened in the old days.At this point the only good thing about the hotel is the location. That said, the competition isn't any better, so you are really paying for location and a certain minimum of service and comfort.
Had an outstanding stay there recently in traditional side of the hotel.
I was happily ensconced in The Prince's Lodge on the 5th floor.
Carved 4 poster bed was heavenly, had a wonderful night's sleep in it each night.
Wonderful bedroom slippers, nice oversized bath robe when I asked for a large, rather than the standard medium they hang on the bathroom door hook.
Amenities were rather small, but plentiful upon request, and replaced at both morning make-up and also turn-down in the evening.
Steam shower with seat and rainhead was nice, but the rainhead only delivered water pressure to the OUTSIDE of the head, a bit frutsrating, when I wanted a deluge!
Big tub and heated towel racks were very nice.
Computer niche area was so convenient, really a thoughtful touch to have it part of the space but tucked away from the bedroom area in its only little space like that.
Great mirrored mini-bar hidden behind beautiful cabinetry and wall paneling.
Huge flat screen tv.
My friends were in a King Deluxe room.
(We had had them move after the first room they were shown on the 5th floor had a water leak in the bathroom ceiling which they were currently working on. Seeing it like that with the paint bucket open, we said no thank you and asked for a better room, which we got) -- Room 516 which was lovely.
DO NOT GET ANY OF THE SMALLER ROOMS AT THE CONNAUGHT.
THEY ARE REALLY TOO TINY TO ENJOY IN MY OPINION.
DELUXE KING SHOULD BE YOUR LOWEST CATEGORY CHOICE AND THEN YOU CANNOT HELP BUT BE PLEASED AT 345 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE.
I did see the new 'modern' wing - which the reservations agent told me that their japanese/asian/business traveler guests love. The hallway is lovely and there is a pretty 'moon garden' outside on the first floor that is lit up at night; but I found the atmosphere of the room itself quite cold and too modern for my taste, although the 1,000 pound priced Toto toilet in the white marble bathroom was a marvel !
As we were checking out, another guest complained of plumbing leaks in his bathroom, not sure which floor he was staying on.
Hotel is elegantly appointed, immaculately clean, luxuriously comfortable, deliciously quiet (well-soundproofed).
Did not hear any of the construction outside as they are doing some repair work to the street outside the hotel during 2010.
The new Aman spa was lovely, one of the prettiest treatments rooms I've seen anywhere.
Indoor heated swimming pool with the waterfall was wonderful.
Exercise room had the latest equipment in it.
Service was excellent for the most part, with doormen, housekeeping, concierges and at breakfast in Espellette.
The one exception in an otherwise flawless 5 day stay was a perfect unpacking for our arrival that was offset witth a sloppy packing for our departure by the butler.
Profuse apologies were made by them when I sent an e-mail after getting my luggage arrived at home and opened the suitcases to find nothing individually wrapped in tissue paper as it had been done so beautifully the year before, and I am sure next time they will do it correctly again.
I wouldn't stay anwhere else in london. Great location, great everything.jclark2010-05-18 12:57:08
I just learned that the General Managers of BOTH the Connaught AND Claridges have left. This seems to reflect problems with the vision for the hotels that the owning investment group has. I think it is clear that the level of service has declined at these hotels, staffing experience has declined, and marketing of the renovated hotels has been off putting to longtime guests. At least that's my opinion.