BACK IN OCTOBER 2019, The Biltmore Mayfair quietly opened its doors as Europe’s first LXR Hotels & Resorts property — Hilton’s top-tier collection of luxury hotels. The handsome 307-room hotel is located on one side of Grosvenor Square – next door to the former Indonesian Embassy and US Embassy before it moved south of the river. Previously the site of the Millennium Hotel, and after a £60 million redevelopment, the property has been refreshed beyond recognition.

Polished and sophisticated, The Biltmore combines high end contemporary accommodation, with stunning views across Grosvenor Square gardens. In prestigious Mayfair, the hotel unites twentieth century grandeur with modern architectural details. Perfect for visiting government ministers or VIPs are the 57 beautifully designed suites, in which guests can enjoy personalised embroidered pillowcases and monogrammed bathrobes. Even the hotel’s youngest residents will feel perfectly pampered in the signature suites with their own bathrobes and coloured toothbrushes. Our 460 square foot King Grand Deluxe Grosvenor Square View room was luxurious, but practical: a vast super king bed, a comfortable seating area to watch the huge television, a desk to catch up on work and lovely views of leafy Grosvenor Square. The opulent bathroom was an absolute treat: marble shower and separate bath, along with a cult Japanese toilet. This is a high-end business-friendly place, with irons and ironing boards in the rooms, so guests can be suitably attired for their next day of meetings.

The Biltmore Mayfair is also home to restaurant concepts from world-renowned Michelin-starred restaurateur Jason Atherton.  Cafe Biltmore is a relaxed restaurant with a pretty, al fresco space found at the heart of the hotel, surrounded by colourful artwork, sweeping greenery and glimmering fairy lights, making it the perfect spot to drink and dine under the stars. A fine dining restaurant and new 1920s bar from Atherton is in the pipeline and will be opening shortly. I’m secretly delighted to have another reason to return to the property.

Atherton also oversees food and beverage for the hotel’s extensive event spaces, including the impressive 500-square-metre ballroom, ideal for large-scale national day events, or receptions, with capacity for up to 700 guests. For more intimate functions, the Waterloo and Manhattan Suites can hold up to 80 and 100 guests respectively, while the Kendal Suite lends itself perfectly to up to 40 guests.

Staff are warm, enthusiastic and untiringly polite. The team assure me that they are ready to welcome diplomatic guests, and indeed have had a few through the door already. The events of the past 18 months means that The Biltmore is still a sleek brand new property, with rooms and shared spaces in immaculate condition.

Grosvenor Square is an elegant base for exploring London, and the property is a few minutes’ walk from a whole host of embassies and official residences. Five minutes away is Hyde Park and Piccadilly, and Westminster just a short cab ride away, while the major London icons are nearby too: the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery and the Strand are close enough to walk to. But ultimately, The Biltmore is a luxurious sanctuary from where guests can be based, while they work, and experience the best of London.

THE BILTMORE, 44 GROSVENOR SQUARE, LONDON W1K 2HP

T: +44 20 7629 9400   THEBILTMOREMAYFAIR.COM