Review: Rosewood London

How did it strike you on arrival?
Central London hotels are often squirreled away, Alice in Wonderland-style, behind nondescript front doors. Not the Rosewood. The arrival here, on one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares, elicits the same gasps as would winding up at a country manor house. The building used to be the unexciting-sounding headquarters of Pearl Assurance, but its style is more Downton Abbey than insurance agency—an archway leads underneath the columns of an ornate façade before opening out into a grand Edwardian courtyard.

What’s the crowd like?
The vibe here is unrestrained luxury for traditional taste buds—communal spaces are all marble and mahogany with a neutral color palette that won’t scare the horses. And the crowd is to match—a mature, tasteful set with plenty of cash to spare. You’re just near the Inns of Court, so you might find judges sipping gin by the fire in the snug Scarfes bar, and foodies tripping through for the city’s best pies (more on those later).

The good stuff: Tell us about your room.
Even the smallest rooms are spacious by London standards, and all have room for a king bed and a little table and chairs. Décor is elegantly monochrome with humbug-striped carpeting and interesting touches such as Shakespeare quotes engraved in the glass-topped tables. The Manor House Wing is the only suite in the world with its own post code, and it's larger than the average house, with five bedrooms, six bathrooms and its own private elevator.

We’re craving some deep, restorative sleep. They got us?
The beds are wrapped in baby-soft Rivolta Carmignani Italian linen.

How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that find its way into your suitcase?
The iPod/iPhone docking station and sound system is a nice touch, as is the Nespresso coffee machine and salon-quality hairdryer.

Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.
Bathrooms showcase more marble, and all but a handful have room for a tub, in which you can marinate in the most English of toiletries: DR Harris has been selling lavender and lemon scented bath products in London since the 18th century.

Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?
Free.

Room service: Worth it?
There’s a satisfying selection of comfort food to be devoured in bed. Lobster macaroni cheese costs $37.

Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.
There are four restaurants but the one meal you really shouldn’t miss is that quintessentially British dish, a pie, consumed on a plump red banquette seat in the Holborn Dining Room. Chef Calum Franklin’s work-of-art pastries are so good that the hotel has opened the Pie Room, making perfect, glossy sausage rolls and pork pies to take away. On another note, the spa gets busy so be sure to book ahead if you fancy a treatment.

What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?
An 11 p.m. pre-bed pie is worth the trip in itself.

Bottom line: worth it, and why?
The price tag is painful but this crowd-pleaser will impress your mother-in-law, your boss, and even pop stars like Bieber (who has stayed here).