London and The Dorchester

It was Samuel Johnson who said, “He who tires of London, tires of life.” I can only agree; I always love London. There is so much to see and do, fascinating history, great museums, theatre, new restaurants cropping up with cutting edge chefs. I was happy to join a few colleagues and spend three nights back in London, this time with The Dorchester Hotel group.

We flew to the British Isles on an 8pm Delta flight arriving at 3pm the next day: we could sleep on the plane, arriving late enough in the day not to have to stay awake for an entire day. We arrived at The Dorchester, one of our London premier hotels, in time to refresh and regroup.

The Dorchester is so elegant; the main gallery was filled with comfortable sofas and chairs, with small groups conversing over tea or cocktails. We dined at The Grill on an incredible meal – ending with three kinds of soufflé, extreme decadence to start off our trip!

Our second day was spent outside the city. We drove for less than an hour to arrive in Windsor (pictured above). We had a brief chance to walk around and see the beautiful castle, as well as the quaint cobblestone streets with both old and new architecture. Only 20 minutes away we came to Coworth Park, the countryside manor house hotel which is part of The Dorchester group. Coming up a long drive past a meadow filled with huge trees, we passed the spa building and the equestrian center.

The hotel itself has two parts, the main manor house and the Stables, which were once actual stables but are now charming, equestrian-themed accommodations.

We were greeted with champagne and ushered into a sitting room with windows looking out to the meadow. The hotel is comfortable and beautiful, perfect for spending a few days either before or after a trip to the UK or Europe.

Coworth is situated only about 15 minutes from Heathrow, so it’s very convenient for a brief stay eith upon arrival or prior to departure from Heathrow Airport. I would suggest two to three nights for the best experience, as you will not want to leave once there!

We had high tea in the drawing room – flowers everywhere, comfy sofas, huge windows. The scones with clotted cream and jam was to die for!

The equestrian center is quite popular; polo is played here and one can take riding lessons at any level. (English saddle, of course!)

We spent some time at the spa – lots of treatment rooms, a large fitness area, an indoor pool with underwater music. The glass doors at the pool can open onto the grounds iwhen the weather is welcoming.

We reluctantly headed back to the city, and The Dorchester, and were thrilled when we found out we would be dining at Tamarind, one of the best Indian restaurants in London.

It was great fun with excellent Indian food – not as spicy as in India, but delicious!

Our last full day in London was a treat. We had a walking tour with a historian all around Mayfair. We heard all kinds of tales about the area, the famous people who lived there, a behind the scenes look at the life in London.

Privately guided tours make such a difference in enriching one’s travel experiences. We then went to have a lesson on perfume at Miller Harris. So much fun and, of course, we all bought wonderful fragrances.
We returned to The Dorchester for a Chinese lunch at their charming and hip restaurant, China Tang. Best Chinese food ever!

The restaurant always draws a crowd – decorated with Chinese art, plus some tongue-in-cheek photos as well as propaganda art. In the evening the bar at China Tang has live music – very cool, Cole Porter era.

Our last night was spent across the street from The Dorchester at the newer 45 Park Lane. This hotel is sleek, art deco in style, rich in colors, use of fabrics, and fine design. Rooms showcase artistic black and white photos of stars from the past, like Elizabeth Taylor, Katherine Hepburn, Marilyn.

We dined at Cut, Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant at 45 Park Lane, which was a buzz of activity and energy — and a fabulous meal.

It was time to return home to detox! We flew back on Virgin and stopped in at the Virgin Clubhouse at Heathrow, a great space to wait for your flight. I’m not sure when I will be in London next, but I can’t wait to go back!

To arrange your adventure, you can contact Katie Cadar.