In May 2011 Corinthia London opened its doors after a £300 million refurbishment to reveal one of London's most elegant hotels. Guests at this historic 306-room hotel in Whitehall are greeted by a grand marble entrance and can enjoy a four storey spa.
With 294 bedrooms, multi-level penthouse suites and terraces offering spectacular views of the River Thames, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall, the £300 million restoration of the Corinthia Hotel London has brought the building to its original grandeur and purpose - it was first built for the Gordon Hotels Company in 1883 as the Metropole Hotel, one of London's most glamorous hotels. Arranged around an elegant central courtyard foyer, facilities include a choice of restaurants, luxury spa, bar, meeting rooms and the refurbished grand ballroom - used for state balls in the 1880s. The adjoining 10 Whitehall Place property has been redeveloped to include a large ESPA spa as well as a suite of 12 exclusive residences.
Served in the grand Lobby Lounge, afternoon tea at the Corinthia is a classy affair. Diners are initially greeted by the magnificent site of the 'Full Moon' chandelier, created by Parisian designer Chafik Gasmi and made up of 1001 glistening Baccarat crystals. The menu focuses on quintessentially British cakes, including Battenberg, Eccles cake and Bakewell tarts. Taking into consideration Londons major events, special seasonal options are also often added, such as floral fancies inspired by the Chelsea Flower Show or couture biscuits in honour of the latest catwalk trends from London Fashion Week. Sandwich options include smoked salmon, coronation chicken, Lancashire cheese and piccalilli, and cream cheese and chive while a selection of plain and fruit scones are served with house preserves and clotted cream. Guests can choose between an array of teas, including bespoke blends created especially for Corinthia London's Tea Palace, and there is also the option to enjoy a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne.
Adding another notch to his London portfolio, David Collins has designed the exquisite Massimo restaurant within the grand 5 star Corinthia Hotel London in Whitehall Place. Serving a Mediterranean seafood a la carte menu with fresh pastas and premium ingredients and featuring a 50 seat Oyster bar as well as an 18 seat private dining room with its own kitchen. Reviews have been mixed, The Independent claiming it to the 'The Perfect Restaurant', heaping praise on this "vast, elegant, Deco-ish brasserie... with its own lost tribe of interesting, arty-looking customers" while The Telegraph reviewer Matthew Norman welcomed "the cheering possibility that no restaurant visited in 2012 will demand to be forgotten as swiftly and completely as this one". Ouch. However, his fellow Telegraph writer Zoe Williams found the dining room "magnificent, with great globular chandeliers that beam with luxuriousness.
Excellent seasonal British fare and one of the best burgers in town.
The Northall at Corinthia Hotel LondonThe Northall at Corinthia Hotel London,
Corinthia Hotel London, 10a Northumberland AvenueLondon, WC2N 5AEBritish Cuisine
Corinthia Hotel , 10a Northumberland Avenue, Westminster, London, WC2N 5AE
Offering excellent seasonal British fare within the five star, classically designed Corinthia Hotel, The Northall is a celebration of British cuisine and, though it doesn't shout about it, it has one of the best burgers in town. As you'd expect from a luxury hotel that can hold its own against The Ritz, the dining room is beautiful with high ceilings, large windows, plenty of natural light, and fresh orchids, oh and service is excellent and with a smile. The breathtaking dining room is decorated in plush burnt orange leather offset by glittering mirrored panels, expansive windows, and an island marble bar. The menu, which focuses on seasonality and sustainability, uses ingredients sourced from trusted artisanal suppliers, and fine organic wine producers. One of two top notch restaurants at the Corinthia - the other, Massimo, specialises in Italian food - the Northall offers views over the gardens and the Thames. It's not cheap so if you're trying to keep costs down, opt for their fixed price lunch menu. Their pre-theatre menu is also popular, just leave time to sip on cocktails in the Bassoon Bar beforehand - it's a must.
The cocktails in the Bassoon Bar are very good, expensive, yes, but very, very good. Not only that but the bar has a piano which is both a musical instrument, complete with ivories to tinkle, and a bar where drinks can be purchased. Amazing. No surprise that the bar within the luxury Corinthia Hotel London has attracted an A-list clientele - Colin Firth, Jemima Khan, Cuba Gooding Jr, Mariella Frostrup have all stayed here. This is a grand hotel, in fact, the 19th-century building was one of Victorian London's original grand hotels. At the Bassoon Bar this heritage is alluded to in the cocktail list which includes colonial-inspired drinks including the Victorian Moijto, Pimm's Cup and English Tea Punch. Homemade sodas are carbonated to order in the tumbler - which sounds as colonial as it gets. The decor is art deco, courtesy of David Collins (also responsible for the Connaught Bar and Artesian), but it's the cocktails that people will come for, to sip stylish drinks in one of London's most glamorous hotels.
The people at Espa take grooming pretty seriously, and quite rightly, when it comes to appearances it's often best to leave it to the experts. You'll certainly feel in safe hands at Corinthia's Hotel spa, where they have selected a team of world-class professionals and respected health and beauty experts. Daniel Galvin takes charge of hair styling, personal trainer and athletic expert Stephen Price looks after the gym and Max Tomlinson is responsible for integrated complimentary health. The 3,300 square metre spa is dark, chic and modern with black Italian marble and cutting edge treatment facilities, including an enclosed glass amphitheatre sauna, an ice fountain, a hammam, relaxation pods, a silver steel swimming pool and a black mosaic steam room. They have a great range of therapies on offer, from the super efficient 'Rush Hour Beauty' treatments, to the more intensive lifestyle programmes which treat everything from sleep disorders, to weight management and fertility and conception problems.