As Eloise would say, I absolutely loved loved loved my room. I stayed in a "Double De Luxe," worth the price of admission for the name alone. The bed was built for dreaming. The velvet sofa was the perfect size on which to curl up. The bathroom is beautiful, with a ginormous bathtub (big enough for Eloise and her turtle to slosh around in). The downy bathrobes are eminently stealable. (But don't do that; it would be wrong.) There were two large windows with deeply romantic window seats, framed by rich curtains--perfect for hiding from one's British Nanny, were one so inclined. Glamorous touches, like a vintage Louis Vuitton trunk at the foot of the bed, were slightly offset by the somewhat Rococo flourishes of the decor. A small matter, however.

Other particulars to keep in mind: the room service is fine, seemed slightly old-school British, if you know what I mean. They serve breakfast and tea, but no dinner.

The location is fantastic. As an aside, if you are in the mood for some shopping, I highly recommend Bamford & Sons in nearby Sloane Square--a fabulous store with all sorts of essential non-essentials, like custom-made ipods and beautiful clothes in impractical white. There's also a great photography gallery, Michael Hoppen, down the road a bit.

The hotel is on the smaller side, and not mentioned in the same breath as Claridge's, Brown's, etc. Perhaps it needs an apostrophe "s" at the end of the name to qualify. One caveat: I didn't spend much time interacting with the staff, i.e. for restaurant reservations and the like. I assume they are quite capable. They did all seem to speak Italian, for what that's worth.

Date of stay: May 2007
Purpose of stay: Leisure