Hotel of the Week: The Arch London

When I think of London’s boutique hotels, I think of afternoon tea taken in deathly quiet salons filled with chintzy sofas, stiff waiters who’ll call me "ma’am", and pigeon-chested concierges standing to attention in stuffy uniforms.

I don’t think I would feel relaxed in these sorts of hotels, I’d feel out of place without a full complement of Louis Vuitton luggage and a largely tweed-based wardrobe.

So, it was a relief to find that The Arch in Marylebone, one of the city’s newer boutique hotels, is nothing like the above. Created from seven Georgian townhouses and a couple of mews properties knocked together, it has retained many of the properties’ original features – such as the fireplace in the library and the sash windows – which give it a sense of history, but the décor is fresh and funky, the staff are young, relaxed and friendly.

Located on Great Cumberland Place, one of area’s busy arteries, inside it’s so quiet you’d never think you were just two minutes’ walk from the chaos of Marble Arch and Oxford Street, but it’s not the sort of place where you feel you need to whisper.

One of the first things you notice when you walk into the foyer  – the thing you can’t fail to spot – is the statement piece of modern art adorning the wall. This striking feature tells you immediately that The Arch, despite its five stars and membership of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is anything but stuffy.

The second thing I noticed was the delicious but subtle scent, the hotel’s own bespoke fragrance, which fills every floor. This, combined with the soft lighting, makes the place instantly relaxing.

The foyer leads into a cosy open-plan library on one side and on the other side there’s a small brasserie, HUNter 486 (named after Marylebone’s former dialling code) with an open kitchen and a stylish bar area flowing into a small ‘Salon de Champagne’. With horseshoe-shaped leather booths, sheer curtains and crystal chandeliers, the salon brings a hint of 1950s glamour back to this corner of London. It’s just the sort of place I could picture Madonna, who bought number 53 across the road many years ago.

When I arrived at 7.30pm, the friend I was meeting was the only other person in the bar. She was holding a chilled glass of white wine but greeted me with the words: "They don’t have any Pinot Grigio!"  What to do but drink champagne at £10 a glass instead?

Moving the few steps to our table for dinner, I was relieved to see that the menu wasn’t too long – I hate too much choice – but there was still half a dozen starters to choose from plus a range of salads and nearly a dozen mains dishes and a selection of pizzas. We ignored the fact the hotel is proud of its pizzas and ordered the sea-bass instead. If I’m being picky I’d say the fish was a tad over-cooked but my friend disagreed; anyway the dessert of ice cream and chocolate fondant was delicious!

And so to bed. Room 101 had twin beds dressed in plush fabrics with plump pillows and duvets, a separate dressing area with a desk, and a spacious bathroom with walk-in overhead rain shower and a bath with a wall-mounted flat-screen TV. How decadent is that?

Yummy amenities are provided by MALIN + GOETZ and the bedroom was filled with complimentary treats including a Nespresso coffee machine, Jing teas, a mini-bar filled with soft drinks and juices ,and an iPod docking station.

There’s free wi-fi throughout the hotel, an essential requirement these days for business travellers, and a small study where guests can access a laptop and print out important documents.
 
I never, ever use hotel gyms but in the interest of research I did poke my nose in the basement and I can confirm it has running machines, a very expensive looking contraption that is apparently The Latest Thing in exercise,  and a couple of areas within the arches of the old wine cellars where you could practice pilates and yoga, if you are that way inclined.

Other hotels in London might be suffering from a post-Olympic slump, but The Arch is enjoying good occupancy rates, possibly due to the fact that 79% of its customers are repeat bookers.

When they do return, guests can be sure that the hotel will remember their likes and dislikes (it keeps a record of every customer’s requests) so if they once ordered extra coke or juice from room service, for example, it promises to have stocked up by the time they arrive.

Unfortunately I’m likely to be among the 21% who never return, but only because I live in London, otherwise I’d love to go back.

www.thearchlondon.com