The Peninsula London flung open its massive and unambiguously imposing doors in 2023, the first property opened by the Hong Kong-based Peninsula group in the UK. A huge gleaming cube, perched on the corner of Grosvenor Place (between Hyde Park Corner and Wellington Arch), the hotel genuinely feels like it’s built at the exact geographical centre of London. It’s the handiwork of leather-clad architect Peter Marino, known primarily for his temples of high glamour for the likes of Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Armani. As a result there is something quite fashion about the London Peninsula – its corridors and lobbies feel like the connective tissue of a super-chic department store in Tokyo or New York.
That’s not to say the Peninsula lacks a personal touch (or that it’s generic). The place is full of agonised-over details and comfort-enhancing touches. In fact, if the hotel has one defining quality it might be sheer variety. From the restaurants, to the architecture to the eye-strainingly expensive cars in the courtyard, the Peninsula London presents a billion-quid jumbled bag of all sorts. And you know what? It works.
Why stay at The Peninsula London?
If you’re looking for a London hotel stay that doubles as a statement of your own financial power, this is probably it. The Peninsula is a gigantic (it has nearly 200 rooms) masterclass in worldly luxury: the kind that doesn’t look garish or tacky, but has instead benefitted from its creators cherrypicking bits and bobs from various countries. You’ll nod appreciatively as you pick up on design touches redolent of Japan (particularly the service), the Middle East, continental Europe and – somewhat bizarrely – 1960s British motor racing and aviation.
It’s also bang in the middle of town, on a literal crossroads leading to both the noise and hubbub of the West End, and the high-end shops deluxe world of Kensington and Knightsbridge. Convenient if you fancy the cultural whiplash of a jaunt around the pubs of Soho followed by a shopping splurge in Harrods.
What the rooms are like?
We stayed in a Park View Suite, overlooking the monumental Wellington Arch, and indeed it did feel like a calm, private world of its own. Dark wood floors and Japanese-style mirrored sliding doors set a sophisticated tone, while the bathroom was a sanctuary in powder pink: underfloor heating, two separate showers, a large marble bathtub with a flat-screen TV built into the mirror, and Peninsula-branded toiletries designed by someone (presumably famous) called Timothy Han. The bed, a vast double-width Simmonds mattress dressed in Quagliotti linen, was undeniably more comfortable than most hotel beds I’ve slept on, and every convenience – from bedside wireless charging to iPad-controlled heating, air-con, and lighting – was intuitively placed.
Rooms are designed to feel residential, and they do. The effect is more ‘the living room of your rich uncle who moved to Singapore’ than ‘icy Knightsbridge hotel’. The upholstery is welcoming and quite cosy. Lighting fixtures and furniture are all unashamedly visible. Premium but friendly. Like Dolly Parton.
What to eat at the Peninsula?
As you’d expect, the Peninsula offers a range of dining options. Canton Blue is a top-of-the-range (and legitimately beautiful) Chinese restaurant. Flagship venue Brooklands is a Michelin-starred cutting-edge experience. The Little Blue Noodle Bar, meanwhile, is the hotel’s take on ‘fast food’, essentially a place for merry-making guests to guzzle jia-zhang mian when they stagger in worse for wear at 10pm. And then you’ve got the main lobby (which boasts a vertigo-inducing triple-high ceiling), offering all kinds of casual options, as well as tourist-pleasing afternoon tea set to a soundtrack of live jazz piano.
We ate at Brooklands and experienced the six-course tasting menu, billed as a journey through the British Isles. It featured Cornish crab with shiso and preserved truffle, Scottish razor clams, sweetbreads cooked to perfection, and black figs with cardamom, rosemary, and bitter orange. Good stuff. For those craving a no expenses-spared meal that borders on theatre then this is probably required booking. If you fancy something more casual, then I can also fully endorse Canton Blue, specialising in the kind of umami-rich Guangdong-style cooking that used to power Chinatown back in its glory days.
What the facilities are like at the Peninsula?
I was looking forward to using the gym here and it didn’t disappoint (sometimes they do!). Rendered in the warm-wooden tones of a smoking room, it had tons of equipment loads of space and a startling elevated view of the beautifully lit 25-metre swimming pool.
The Peninsula’s spa and wellness centre also features four thermal cabins, seven wooden-panelled treatment rooms and a salon. Changing rooms are also well-equipped, with dressing gowns, jewellery boxes, spa slippers and pool shoes.
What’s the service like at the Peninsula?
The cheery staff at The Peninsula London are trained to anticipate your needs before you can articulate them. In this sense the service does feel admirably Japanese. From check-in to dining service, everyone was efficient and genuinely attentive. And – crucially – friendly. Everyone does their job with an easy-going smile, which was a lovely surprise. I witnessed staff deal with a few guests who seemed – to use technical language – like a massive pain in the arse, and the patience and professionalism on display bordered on superhuman.
We also never had to offer our names; we were recognized instantly by face alone. There’s an art to this kind of service: it’s highly personal, yet never intrusive.
What’s the area like around the Peninsula?
Located on the cusp of Mayfair and Knightsbridge, the Peninsula places you close to Hyde Park, some of the city’s most famous shopping streets, and a few world famous museums and galleries to boot. Also, do not miss out on two of west London’s best pubs: the Grenadier and the Nag’s Head, both quite literally around the corner.
Get to one of London’s grandest royal parks in minutes, or duck into a side street for quiet, café-lined serenity – either way, for those wanting to see some of London’s biggest hits, the hotel is an ideal base of operations.
Why you should book at the Peninsula
Because the Peninsula London is that rare thing. It manages to feel both grandiose (it has – and this bears repeating – a triple-high ceiling) but also intimate. The rooms – with their tech concealed within leather-lined cabinets – are technically impressive yet extremely comfortable. And the service, as we just mentioned, is impeccably professional yet surprisingly casual. In a city full of brash luxury hotels, this one doesn’t need to shout to get its point across.
DETAILS
Address: 1 Grosvenor Place, SW1X 7HJ London
Price: Starting from about £1000 per night
Closest transport: Hyde Park Corner tube station is a two-three minute walk