I’ve spent the majority of my life living to the west of London, so every single car journey to and from the capital had me going along the A4 trunk route past the grand red brick and white stone building on Knightsbridge that is the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park.  The hotel held a mystique for me, as I never imagined staying there, because I lived relatively close by.  But now that I live on the south coast, it’s perfectly rational for me to sometimes stay in a London hotel.  And so it was, in May 2021, on the back of a cancelled trip to Copenhagen due to covid restrictions, that Mr A and I decided we should take a short UK ‘staycation’, and I asked my travel club PK’s List to get me quotes for stays in luxury London hotels. To my surprise, the Mandarin Oriental offered a very competitive package, so I booked a 45sqm “Mandarin Room” for £656/night B&B, a special rate for members of the “Fans of MO” loyalty programme.

Arriving at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is a treat because they have liveried doormen, so we felt like VIPs as we got out of our taxi.  And once inside we were very warmly greeted by all of the staff we encountered around the small but swish reception. I was genuinely taken aback by this level of warmth and friendliness in London! This meant that I wasn’t at all perturbed when we were told our room wasn’t yet ready for us (it was only about 1.30pm), so we just went directly across Knightsbridge to the Harvey Nichols department store, for a light lunch.

Upon our return we were shown to our room on the 5th floor.  Thanks to PK’s List we’d been given an incredible upgrade to the 79sqm Belgravia Suite (which retails at £2700/night), and as we entered the suite into its lounge area my breath was taken by the sheer size and luxury of the place!  The softly-toned lounge really had a home from home feel, with comfortable sofas and chairs, a writing desk and even a small collection of books on shelves.  On a low marble coffee table was a bowl of fresh fruit, a bottle of Moet on ice, a tin of biscuits from Fortnum & Mason (HM The Queen’s grocers) and a welcome note from the hotel GM.  I’m not sure which of these was standard for the suite and which were extras due to my PK’s List booking, or due to me being a “Fan of MO”.

The bedroom was even larger than the lounge – this was an incredibly spacious suite! The bed was huge (7 feet long and almost 10 feet wide), there was a sofa, a desk and plenty of wardrobe storage space.  The Belgravia Suite looks out over Knightsbridge, but superb glazing keeps the noise of the busy street below at bay.  And there was even a small balcony running the length of the suite (though for safety reasons we had to ask for the French windows/doors to be unlocked by Maintenance, to gain access).

Off the bedroom was a large bathroom featuring white/grey marble tiles (gently heated underfloor), twin wash basins, a fitted bath tub, a Japanese style toilet and a very spacious and bright shower area.  Toiletries were from a brand I didn’t know, but they were of high quality and carried the pleasant fragrance of coconut. There was even a little MO branded plastic duck on the bath tub!

After unpacking we went outside to enjoy the late May sunshine and warmth. The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park’s rear side looks onto Hyde Park, but there isn’t a rear access directly to the park. So we just used the front entrance, walked round the corner, crossed a traffic-free roadway, and we were there, surrounded by greenery and fresh air.  Being so close to a royal park is a fabulous bonus of staying at the Mandarin Oriental, and really should be a key factor when you’re choosing a central London luxury hotel, especially in the summer, when the park is so lush and the city is so hot.

The hotel doesn’t have an alcohol ‘off licence’ but we sneaked a couple of beers from the suite’s minibar, to have in the park, as we watched the swans and geese on the serpentine, or just lay in the long grass.

Returning to the hotel I was struck by how elegant even the lift lobby areas are at the Mandarin Oriental, and I even checked that other floors were the same as ours; ie it wasn’t just a special thing for a floor of expensive Suites.

And back in our Suite we had time to notice some its soft features, such as its excellent and silent air conditioning, its TVs with ultra high definition picture, the softness of the high thread count bed linen, and the utter comfort of the bed and its fabulous light and super-cosy duvet.  The Belgravia Suite had everything I could have wanted.  10/10

That evening we ate in the hotel’s principal restaurant, the 2 Michelin-starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, and the same space was where we took breakfast the next morning.  There is no buffet; everything is a la carte, which is my preference.  And despite the restaurant having a lot of dark wood panelling and floorboards, in the daytime it has a bright and airy feel, thanks to its bank of large windows overlooking the park.  Through those windows one can usually see the Household Cavalry passing by (their barracks is just down the road).  Beg your waiter for a table by the window!

We began with a small glass of delicious raspberry juice, offered by our waiter.  The breakfast menu is comprehensive and wide-ranging from classics (Full English) to contemporary healthy options (smashed avocado). I chose a “detox” green juice blend, some granola with yogurt and fruit and my old go-to of Eggs Benedict.  The granola was very good, though the greek yogurt was a bit heavy for me, and the eggs Benedict were delicious, despite a rather gelatinous Hollandaise without tarragon. The muffin was fresh and the cooked ham was great. Coffee was excellent.

We really did enjoy our breakfasts: the food was top notch, and the views were so relaxing.

I’d just lie to mention that it’s not just the park that makes the Mandarin Oriental’s location a winner: right next door is Knightsbridge Underground station, and even a taxi into Mayfair is under £10.

After our final breakfast I went to reception to ask when they needed our suite back. I was told I was free to choose a check out time, so we agreed on 1.30pm.  Again we engaged in friendly chit chat with the lovely team on the front desk – they really do have a great team at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park!

We thoroughly enjoyed our two nights here. Yes the amazing suite upgrade helped, but our overall M&O experience was exceptional thanks to the luxurious facilities, the wonderful staff, and the fabulous park-side location. 10/10