London Hotels: The Carlton Towers & The Jumeirah Lowndes

The location of these two Jumeirah properties is fabulous for shopping! Both hotels are ideal for business travelers and the fact that the properties are a 30-second walk from each other and you can use the facilities (such as the UNBELIEVABLE fitness center, pool, and golf simulator at the Carlton Tower) makes it a really great value.

The Jumeirah Lowndes is a smaller boutique hotel, something like 80 rooms. It has a residential feel to it and the rooms are very well appointed, you don’t feel like you’re in a hotel – it’s much more like your own apartment. Has a great bar and it seems like a lot of locals hang out there. Everything about the hotel feels very private, you can tell that people can come and go and be incognito and not be bothered if they want to. There are plenty of staff and people there to greet or assist you, but they kind of leave it up to you and give you your space which is nice

The Carlton Towers is much more grand. From the moment you walk in, you see just how glitzy and how very glamorous of a place you’re entering into. There are plenty of doormen available to take your coat, help with your bags (luggage or shopping) as well as direct you to the bar/restaurant/check-in, or wherever you need to go. They have many different types of rooms and they all have the same amenities as the Lowndes, if I remember correctly.The rooms are very impressive and stylish. A majority of the hotel rooms even offer balconies with views of the city and the park/gardens across the street (which hotel guests can get key entry/ access to) Believe me, this hotel isn’t missing ANYTHING. The guests and people hanging out at the bars and their main restaurant are a very chic/fashionably dressed crowd that couldn’t be more casual while relaxing with a cocktail or having a fabulous dinner. It’s not loud or anything but there is definitely a buzz about the hotel and it has that exciting vibe that gets you wondering “”who’s here?””

When I did a site inspection at this hotel all I could think of was that this is any business traveler’s dream hotel! They have a huge business center with many different work stations and anything you could possibly need; I also think the business center is open either very late or 24 hours a day and all you need is your room key to access it. The spa and fitness center is state of the art. They offer classes like any high end gym (I remember seeing yoga, pilates, and spin classes!) The inviting indoor swimming pool is enclosed in glass so you still get sun and can see outside. The golf simulator machine deal was also a very unique amenity and I can’t recall ever seeing one of these offered at a hotel! It was like a video game for adults and as soon as I saw it I could think of about 10 clients whom I KNOW would totally be impressed by it and take advantage of it. In fact, after a long day of meetings and business lunches/dinners who wouldn’t want to relieve some stress and go hit a few golf balls? After experiencing all that the Carlton Towers had to offer, I just don’t know why you would stay somewhere else that doesn’t have those options to choose from.