Staring straight ahead at Marble Arch, one of London’s most famous landmarks, sits a small, luxury hotel which many of the most savvy travelers have never heard of along their way.
Madonna’s keeps a flat just across the road, and hotel staff at The Arch are as discreet as their famous neighbor.
Park Lane, just a stone’s throw away, is over-populated with 5-stars, but this side of Oxford Street has traditionally been the domain of three and four star hotels. The Arch is the exception, and staff stand out for being warm and friendly, rather than fawning. Everyone is looped in, and attention to detail, particularly guest preferences, is paramount.
Interiors are good-looking, with an intuitive layout. Furnishings are contemporary and luxurious without suffering from the common habit of over-doing it. Absent are the odd, ultra-modern paintings and the uncomfortable art-as-furniture pieces. Instead, The Arch is decorated in an understated, relaxed style; the kind of gear you’d kill to have at home.
Rooms are spacious, particularly for London, and if you’re lucky enough to snag a suite, the one called Juniper comes with a lovely decked patio. Books are a big theme throughout, with a large, sun-soaked library available for meetings or high tea, and rooms stocked with classics. Help yourself to the mini-bar, where non-alcoholic drinks, including a pint of milk, are complimentary.
The Arch is the only hotel I’ve experienced to cleverly anticipate the desire for a full bottle of fizz, standing one in the back of each fridge. Elegant wine and water glasses in each room are probably finer than most guests serve at home.
An internet radio is a real bonus, and Sky Atlantic, as well as a DVD library of Oscar winners listed by year are perfect for all those rainy London afternoons and evenings.
Little things, like full-size, powerful hairdryers demonstrate a frequent traveller (and probably a woman), had a hand in setting up the rooms. Tubs with TV monitors, wall-mounted remote controls and pillows take a simple soak to a new level of decadence. A simple, instant touch phone system connects to room service or reception and there’s no fiddling with the TV, which makes for a nice change.
Whereas most hotel rooms have thermostats set to nearly tropical temperatures, The Arch errs on the cool side, which is the right way to go.
Breakfast, for me, is one of the star attractions. Scrambled eggs on sourdough are perfectly cooked. Ask the wait staff for a signal when the pastries come out of the oven. The taste of the flaky, buttery layers will match the intoxicating smell. And a buffet of Bircher muesli, granola, nuts, seeds, dried and fresh fruit, hard boiled eggs, meats and cheese will keep you full until tea time.
The basement gym is spacious, and modern with lots of the latest toys. And for a mental workout, the business center beats most. I spent six productive hours behind its glassed walls, with a view of daffodils rising from window boxes, natural light spilling into the room. And, while it’s located just off the lobby, it’s as quiet as the crowd at Wimbledon with Murray on center court. Have a mean Americano delivered, and, if you’re lucky, when you pack up your laptop, reception staff will pat you on the back for putting in a hard day.
