I cannot say that my relationship with London was love at first sight, but once I fell in love it was an enduring love that has lasted more than 30 years. It’s a city where I did my coming of age; as a result I have many fond memories, and with all my worldly travels it’s the city I still consider home.

London is about luxury, culture, history and tradition. When it comes to pomp and circumstance no one does it better than the British.

There is one place in the city that encompasses it all: The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. And I am a fan.

One of my favourite memories of London is sitting in the restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental that overlooked Hyde Park, and watching as the Household Cavalry departed the Wellington Barracks, all suited and booted on the way to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard. I never got tired of the pageantry; to me it was a sight not only so quintessentially British but which also encompassed everything that I loved so much about this great city. This view is still one of London’s best-kept secrets. These days the restaurant itself is pure theatre, as it is home to an offering by the new culinary bad boy on the block: Heston Blumenthal. However, if you have a room with a north-facing view, you can also experience this spectacle from the comfort of your own quarters.

Sitting at the confluence of Sloane Street and Knightsbridge, two of the most fashionable streets in London, and a stone’s throw from the equally well-heeled Belgravia and Mayfair, the Mandarin Oriental is without doubt one of London’s most stylish addresses. And as one knows: it’s all about location, location, location!

Apart from its location, what is it that makes this grande dame of hotels so special? Housed in a historic, Edwardian-style building, it first opened its salubrious doors to the public in 1902 as the Hyde Park Hotel. When the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group purchased the property in 1996, after it completed an extensive four-year renovation, it promptly made its mark as an uber-luxury five-star hotel with that little bit extra in style, comfort and grace alongside the exceptional know-how for service which is so notable in the Far East. That has not changed in the intervening years; it is one of the hallmarks of Mandarin Orientals around the world, and London is no exception. Staff are eternally accommodating. As one journalist put it, “Guest foibles are not only accepted but embraced should madam need an elephant for a party she might want to throw, or have breast milk flown from London to Boston, this hotel can arrange it.”

Even when one forgets their Bible of a passport in the hotel safe, as I did, they are on it before you even realise it’s missing, making arrangements to expedite it to you. (In my case I was only down the road at Harrods, doing what I do best.) From the moment you walk through the doors you feel as though you have arrived home… the doormen greet you with smiles and nods as though they see you every day, and a cool towel and warm drink await you once you climb the opulent 100-plus- year-old marble stairs to the chic reception vestibule. The reception staff don’t make you feel as though you are checking into a hotel; the formalities are efficient but personal – as though you are receiving your messages after a long day out beating the London streets. The level of service is such that if they were able to whisk you from reception to your room without you having to walk a step further, they would. Sadly, that technology isn’t here yet, but you can be sure when it arrives the Mandarin Oriental would be one of the first to have it. The walk from reception to the elevator, however, affords you the opportunity to take in some of the historical features of the building, and quickly takes you past your “drawing room”, the very classy Mandarin Oriental Bar, where you might want to host some friends for delicious evening cocktails or just sit back and people-watch.

In June 2018 the hotel completed the most extensive restoration in its 115-year history. Internationally renowned designer Joyce Wang oversaw the redesign of all 181 guest rooms and suites, which are more sumptuous and comfortable than ever before, with jewelled detailing, art deco-inspired features including carefully curated artwork and custom-designed furniture. The studio took inspiration from the textures, forms and colours of its serene park-side location, the glamour of the early 20th century golden age of travel, and the crown jewels used during royal ceremonies hosted by the hotel in the past. Such is its royal heritage that the Queen and Royal Family still have their own private entrance.

“Working on the redesign of the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park has been an incredible and, at times, surreal experience. It had been a dream of mine to work on a building of significant heritage in a city I hold very dear.”

— Joyce Wang

As the hotel straddles Hyde Park and Knightsbridge, the views from most of the rooms or suites are of one or the other. I equally adore them both, the park for its peace and tranquillity and of course the pageantry of the Household Cavalry… However, as a self-professed “shopaholic” I love opening my curtains in the morning and the first thing I see is Harvey Nichols and the Sloane street below.

The size of my room was anything but standard, and the high ceilings, and oversized windows that allowed natural light to spill into the room made it feel spacious and airy. Attention was paid to every little detail to make this so much more than just a hotel room and there was every mod con you could wish for in this home away from home. My personal favourite as a person with a long flowing unruly head of hair was the GHD straightening irons — never before have I been to a hotel that offers these, and I have stayed in a luxury hotel or two in my travels around the world. The bathroom was a vision in pearl marble, eerily cool but infinitely comfortable, with spacious double sinks, an ample-sized bath tub for two, plus a separate shower unit with a powerful monsoon shower whose warm rains just ease the day’s stress away when you stand under it. The heated floor was a welcome surprise.

Tired and a bit jet-lagged, dreamland beckoned as soon as I sunk into the king-sized bed, which could only be described as heavenly, with luxurious crisp Egyptian cotton sheets, with a thread count just too high to contemplate, on a mattress that welcomed like an inviting hug and a pillow menu to suit every desire.

After a good night’s sleep the first thing on everyone’s mind is a good breakfast, and here the Mandarin lives up to its reputation as a gourmand delight. If you are feeling less than energetic you can have breakfast in the oh-so heavenly bed. As the Heston Blumenthal restaurant was closed for renovations during my last stay, I opted for a post-Pilates breakfast in Bar Bouloud, a French-style bistro from two-star Michelin Chef Daniel Boulud; cosy and inviting, the staff in typical Mandarin Oriental fashion were friendly and efficient. My breakfast was a relaxed affair of eggs benedict, which were cooked to perfection, and I thoroughly enjoyed every delectable bite.

After some economic stimulus in Harvey Nichols, I later on popped into the vibrant Roseberry Lounge for afternoon tea. The hotel boasts an extensive selection of the finest teas from around the world, and their dedicated tea master has also created an enticing menu of bespoke blends; it’s a tea connoisseur’s dream. To complement their selection of teas, there are trays of perfectly matched delicacies created by a team of adroit pastry chefs. If tea isn’t your thing, there is also an extensive menu of wines, cocktails and Champagne. I decided to go off-menu and order a pomegranate juice, I know not to which emporium they went to fulfil my request, but it arrived with a smile, fresh and chilled!

With all the activities in the hotel surrounds, to harmonise mind, body and soul, a stop at the luxurious gym and spa are a must. When you wend your way down to the basement, an aura of quietude overcomes you and you really feel as though you have left the hustle and the bustle of the city behind. The recently redeveloped spa not only offers a range of signature treatments from the spa’s brochure such as the digital wellness escape and the Arabian Oud renewal therapy, but a tailor-made session can be created for your needs on any given day. The spa has 13 single treatment rooms and a new spacious Oriental Suite featuring two massage beds and a Rasul water temple. The spa also now has traditional ASANTE Chinese medicine consultations and treatments, a mani-pedi studio and, if you are time-constrained, also offers a series of express treatments for the face & hair.

It is true that time never seems to be enough, particularly when you are in a place as extraordinary as the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, a timeless and elegant property with great historical traditions in an exquisite location with unflappable, extraordinary staff. It welcomes you back each and every time as though you were walking through the front doors of your very own home, so it’s clear to see why millions around the world come back again and again and again… As I said, I am a fan… Are you?