WHEN COMO METROPOLITAN LONDON opened 25 years ago, it was the epitome of ‘Cool Britannia.’ Celebrities from around the globe would flock to stay in their minimalist suites overlooking Hyde Park. Today, COMO Metropolitan London is still a chic, contemporary hotel on Old Park Lane, and like the other properties from the COMO Group, headquartered in Singapore, it represents Christina Ong’s unique vision of contemporary living.

The hotel recently unveiled their ten luxury Residences, which offer private apartment-style accommodation adjacent to the hotel on Brick Street. Located in Mayfair’s heart and opposite leafy Hyde Park, the neighbourhood is filled with discreet private members’ clubs and cult restaurants, with easy access to the theatre district and some of the best shopping in the world.

The spacious two-bedroom Residences provide an ideal base for long or short stays in London, all while reflecting the comforts of home living. My open-plan apartment was on the top floor (5th) of the building, and just a minute’s walk from the hotel’s front door. Contemporary interiors feature a refreshing white palate, natural wood floors, and a flood of natural daylight.

The kitchen and marble-topped breakfast bar are stocked with all the mod cons a guest could possibly need. Both the dining table that can extend to seat eight and the seating area with its vast L-shaped sofa can double as meeting spaces. A reading chair in warm grey leather ensures plenty of space for relaxation. A vast flat screen television (and smaller screens in the two bedrooms) ensure guests can keep up with the 24-hour news cycle. The kitchen and living space of the apartment is also cleverly shut off with glass doors, shielding the bedrooms from any noise or smells from the kitchen. In line with the COMO group’s committment to holistic wellness, pale, light-filled bedrooms are modern and practical but incredibly comfortable, ensuring a great night’s sleep and a properly relaxing stay.

With Residences accessed via a separate entrance to the hotel, discretion is a significant draw.  Plus, guests benefit from access to a landscaped courtyard garden shared only with the other Residence guests, along with the usual facilities of the hotel, including 24-hour room service, daily maid and laundry service, the concierge, the COMO Shambhala Urban Escape spa, the hotel gym, plus priority when making reservations at the hotel’s Gridiron or Nobu restaurants.

Whether guests are VIPs visiting for business, or a family here for some pre-Christmas shopping, the Residences are the ideal home away from home in the capital. So Cool Britannia may long be over, but COMO Metropolitan London certainly provides some excellent long or short-stay accomodation options, right through Brexit and beyond.

COMO METROPOLITAN LONDON, 19 OLD PARK LANE, LONDON W1K 1LB

T: 020 7447 1000    WWW.COMOHOTELS.COM/EN/METROPOLITANLONDON/