Located on a quiet semi-circular driveway, the word ‘calm’ is a most appropriate term within the name Montcalm Mayfair, a leading member of the Marriott’s Autograph Collection.
For this 5-star, 151-room hotel, including 30 suites, occupies a tranquil, upmarket neighborhood of England’s capital city. At the same time it is a mere a two-minute walk from bustling areas such as Marble Arch and Hyde Park.
General manager Tamas Jurca described it as “a place where guests can recharge in tranquillity before stepping back into the vibrancy of the capital.”
Reopened only a few months ago after major refurbishment by architects Holland Harvey and interior designers Studio Est and Studio Mica, the hotel is set within a restored Grade II-listed building that originally included four townhouses. Twin white pillars with potted plants outside the main entrance are the first clues to the elegance inside.
Its botanical-styled lobby with a floral hand-painted ceiling mural is inspired by the Georgian era’s view of gardens as places of imagination, connection and wellbeing. Here one finds a contemporary setting featuring marble flooring, intriguing artwork, attractive armchairs, sofas and coffee tables, ceramic pottery, shelves of books and a vista of plants and flowers, all combining to tantalise guests to sit and relax.
Management, restaurant and front-of-desk staff, an impressive multinational group from countries such as India, Romania, Greece, Morocco and Spain, were extremely helpful during my stay. Particular mention must be made of Dora on the reception desk with whom I enjoyed some very interesting conversations and Kiki, a gracious breakfast hostess.
My room addressed all my needs, comprising a large television, plenty of cupboard space, a coffee-table and a mini refrigerator with a wide assortment of snacks and drinks. My bathroom featured a marble-topped sink and a strong-stream shower. A painting above my bedstead offered added decor.
Breakfast is hosted at an open space to the side of the lobby with an impressive buffet laid out in one corner featuring cheeses, cereals, fruit, yoghurt and cold cuts. There is also an a la carte menu with dishes such as vegan masala omelette blending coriander with onions, tomatoes, chilli salsa, flaxseed and ground gram flour, as well as eggs Benedict/Royal with ham or smoked salmon and fluffy pancakes with blueberries and vanilla cream. Guests can also choose the full English breakfast of sausages, portobello mushrooms, smoked bacon and tomatoes. An array of healthy juices included a spinach version as a pick-me-up for the day ahead.
Discreetly located behind the reception desk is the hotel’s restaurant, Lilli by Akira Back, presenting a contemporary twist on British cuisine, merging Michelin-starred chef Akira Back’s Korean roots with Japanese technique and seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Here I enjoyed a dinner of delicious jumbo shrimp and ribeye steak accompanied by a glass of Sierra Cantabria Crianza. The menu also features beef Wellington, pan fried halibut and spicy Calabrian rigatoni. Baked Alaska and vanilla and strawberry cheesecake are among the desserts.
I also enjoyed one of the hotel’s signature cocktails, Old Pal, a blend of rye whiskey, dry Vermouth and Campari. There’s also its sweeter alternative Boulevardier, comprised of Bourbon instead of rye whiskey.
Aside from food and service, guests have the additional pleasure of enjoying the hotel’s YATRA spa, the name drawn from the Sanskrit word for ‘journey.’ Created specifically for the Montcalm Collection by COCON, and designed by Studio Est, the spa is located in a quiet subterranean setting with soothing pastel tones and features a sauna, jacuzzi, hydro pool and gym. My highlight there was indulging in a 90-minute signature massage in one its four treatment rooms, starting with a ritual foot soaking in aromatic oils. Other treatments include ‘Ojas Rejuvenation Ritual’ and ‘Chakra Body Realign Ritual’ using dosha oils, holistic healing drawing from Ayurvedic and East African tradition and lymphatic drainage and deep tissue. Post-treatment relaxation includes a tea ritual in partnership with Camellia’s Tea House.
In terms of facilities for larger groups, the hotel also has a 400-square meter basement ballroom that can accommodate up to 350 people.
Friendly staff, elegant furnishings and a relaxing ambience with an attractive spa and ground-floor restaurant, not to mention its central London location, make this hotel a prized choice for visitors to the English capital.
