Our Editor Shubhra Krishan spent two wonderful nights at the the Montcalm Royal London House – City of London. A quick 5-minute walk from Liverpool station, it is located on Finsbury Square, which is a quiet stretch in itself, but only a heartbeat away from some of London’s hippest attractions.
So, to the south, you have St Paul’s, the Thames and the soaring towers of the City. To the north, the galleries, bars and boutiques of trend-setting Shoreditch. The Barbican Centre is a short stroll from the hotel, so no changing tubes to go catch a late-evening performance.
This used to be the Royal Mail head office, an imposing listed building. Today, the hotel has transformed the space with signature Montcalm touches such as copper pipe lighting, exposed brick walls, original reclaimed parquet flooring, silk-lined corridors, feature staircases and turquoise leather stools.
Room With a View
Your beautifully appointed room gets a nice slice of slanting sun and overlooks a quiet garden, dotted with colourful blossoms. The suites are designed for max comfort, and the cosiness of your bed suggests a conspiracy to keep you tucked in all day.
And if you plan to do just that, stay connected with the outside world in style. The hotel was the first in the UK to offer 10 GB bandwidth capacity on demand. My room had an iPod docking station, Smart 55” TVs and a complimentary handy smartphone service, with unlimited internet data and free calls to selected countries.
The Aviary
The best feature of the hotel is the rooftop Aviary, a unique resto-bar with some of the most gorgeous skyline views. We enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast spread here, and it looked magazine-spread pretty, all awash in natural light. Come evening, and sitting here with a glass of wine under the twinkling lights conjures up a romantic allure. That; we’ll keep for next time…
Know Before You Go
The hotel has 253 luxurious bedrooms, including 50 Deluxe Rooms, 168 Club Rooms, 27 Suites, from junior suites to family suites and quad rooms, and 8 Studio Suites with kitchenettes – ideal for longer stays. There are five Business Suites available with generous work space and a laptop on request. Two stunning Palm Suites with private balconies overlook the Shard and other iconic City landmarks.
Prepare to be pampered! Your stay gets you a pre-order pillow menu, in-room Nespresso machines, an aroma of choice, and Elemis and Hermès toiletries and private butler service on request.
On the ground-floor, ‘Burdock’ features a juice bar, lounge area and restaurant. Lunch here was light and lovely, composed of a vibrant salad and comforting soup.
There’s a lovely spa for you to relax and refresh in, after a day out in the city. It’s got beautiful Versace wall tiles, a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, two treatment rooms, a sauna and steam room.
The Montcalm Luxury Hotels is a collection of individual five star properties in London including M by Montcalm Shoreditch, The Montcalm London Marble Arch, The Marble Arch by Montcalm, London City Suites by Montcalm and The Montcalm at The Brewery London City.
Review by: Shubhra Krishan, Editor & Publisher, Travel Secrets magazine
Note to our readers: Hotels keep changing and adding features. Do check for updates before you book!
Featured Images: The Montcalm Royal London House
Featured Video- The Montcalm
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