Diplomat stays at the Conrad St James

London five star hotels be warned:  there’s a new player in town, the Conrad St James. Uniquely placed in the heart of Westminster, within walking distance of Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace, the building was converted into a hotel from government offices in 2012. Conrad took over the management from InterContinental last year.

Part of the Hilton group, Conrad is named after Hilton’s founder and, along with Waldorf, is the luxury brand of the group. Conrad Hotels & Resorts has over 20 innovative properties around the globe. Each one is uniquely designed to capture the essence of its surroundings, while the brand is known to be forward-thinking with local connections on the ground. Eye-catching art and sculpture, including a gallery of Gerald Scarfe cartoons and humorous political caricatures, reminds guests of the hotel’s proximity to Westminster. The style appeals to both business and leisure visitors to London, while also attracting the local Westminster establishment who are frequenting the hotel – especially the bar and lounge areas.

The hotel offers 256 rooms and suites over six floors. Rooms feature complimentary WiFi and the latest in-room technology. Our King Grand Deluxe Room on the sixth floor was particularly quiet and featured Conrad’s famously comfortable beds ensuring a restful night’s sleep, along with a good-sized desk which I happily worked from for a few hours, and a large marble bathroom. Executive rooms and suites include access to the Executive Lounge.

Accessed via a private entrance and lift, the signature Conrad Suite can be connected to eight other rooms to create a private wing for guests requiring total privacy and security – ideal for foreign dignitaries. The ‘in and out’ covered driveway and the fact that the majority of the security team are ex-military make this an excellent venue for VIPs.

Run by an outstandingly efficient team, the restaurant combines fresh, regional ingredients that celebrate the very best of each British season. Hidden behind a floor-to-ceiling wine wall, the private dining room can accommodate up to 20 guests, or two rooms of ten.

Conrad St James also has seven purpose-built, state-of-the-art spaces for meetings, receptions, dinners or business events. The largest space, the Whitehall Suite, can be taken as one large room for up to 300 or divided to create four individual meeting spaces, each hosting up to 60 people.

Furthermore, Conrad guests can use the Conrad app on their smartphones, choosing from the pillow menu, and the type of products they’d like to have in the bathroom on their arrival (a choice of four brands, including The Refinery, a range exclusively for men). On their way into town from the airport, guests can also use the app to check-in online, meaning they can go straight to their rooms on arrival, or even make a restaurant booking. Now that’s a sign of things to come…

Conrad St James, 22-28 Broadway, Westminster, London SW1H 0BH
T: +44 (0)20 3301 8080

http://conradhotels3.hilton.com