Tossing aside the regular morning ritual of making your bed, microwaving your porridge and showering in hard limescale water – it was time for a treat. A night of attentive luxury, fine dining and members club only feel, The Arch Hotel in Marylebone made me feel like a royal.
With everything at your fingertips, this intimate gem with hidden restaurant flair surrounds you with unassuming five-star appeal. It’s about glamour. A sense of members-only pretence, but without the arrogant entitlement.
After walking the streets of Marylebone and seeing what potential signature stores and cocktail bars I could window shop or dabble in, I arrived at the prize location of The Arch with great anticipation. The automatic wooden doors of this Georgian townhouse whisper you in before you are greeted with a calm and friendly service.
I was shown around the amenities and found myself in awe of the subtle contemporary touches. Modern art dawns the walls, while the light inviting windows make everything shine within. You quickly realise that this is a place where luxury has been created in an all inclusive intimate setting.
You will not need to go further than the bespoke space that includes the bar, Hunter 486 restaurant and Le Salon de Champagne – all of which ooze timeless glamour. However, if needs be, there’s also the martini library and space for a signature afternoon tea, a study for those last minute PC hacks, a boardroom and a 24 hour gym.
No longer the need for huge entrance halls and separate dining rooms, when you can have it all in one. It’s royalty at your finger tips. It’s not claustrophobic. And you will amaze yourself at how one space can have a signature feel in every corner.
The rooms are all about comfort and lush convenience. The bed is a cloud while the bathroom is a haven. It’s a place where you wrap yourself up in the soft dressing gowns, throw on the slippers and lap up the delicious Malin + Goetz toiletries. Have a long bath while you watch the built in TV – I mean, why not! Fall back into the room with its signature hand painted wall paper and mod cons at the press of a button like the digital maid service.
When hunger reigns, test out the bar and the likes of Hunter 486’s creations.
Setting ourselves up at the bar, I marvelled at the choices before us. Everything seemed to sparkle. A big tick box item in my books is when a barman knows what he’s talking about and yes, of course, this one did so with flair.
Ordering a martini and a Moscow mule, both of which were not on the menu, I felt an admirable sense of pride when the service before us knew every possible variation to what I was requesting. The hidden additions to mixology were showcased without my need to intervene.
Hunter 486 and its leather booths and glass blown chandeliers transport you into timeless Hollywood glamour. Suddenly feeling a little famous as you sit with your arms abridge the booth, you look around and see satisfaction in the eyes of all the guests. The open nature of the stone oven kitchen lets you feel as though you are apart of the culinary creations, yet you can’t quite believe how quiet the kitchen antics are.
And the food? Perfection. This is a hidden gem of simplistic taste and fresh sensation. Ingredients are simple but true to their name, and they shine in their untainted flavour.
The cured beef was light and soft on the palate.
The salmon tartare reigned in fresh and uninhibited intensity.
The whole sea bass flaunted the succulent result of the stone oven’s high heat operations. It needed no more than its stand-alone offering as the buttery texture melted in your mouth.
Finally, the rich fondant with salted caramel crisp was cleansed with the sweet and faultless balance of raspberry sorbet and elderflower ice cream.
And so, satisfied and a little speechless, it was time to get horizontal on that ‘cloud bed’ and digest the feeling of grace and boutique affluence.
With a perfect nights sleep, it was time for the final test and experience of that which you don’t have at home on an ordinary day. Breakfast in bed. The ultimate treatment.
It goes without saying – everything was made for a royal. Handpicked fresh tastes with a little buttery warmth. It was the perfect wake up call and finishing touch.
For one night, treat yourself to a little royalty. Feel that sense of glamour; that inner celebrity. Forget your daily morning rituals, the effort of labour, cost of water softener, and fill your night with that five-star feeling.
ADDITIONAL IMAGES: Courtesy The Arch Hotel, London