London, a city renowned for its opulent lifestyle, has always been associated with high prices. However, lately, the cost of living in the city has soared to new heights. Restaurants in Mayfair are charging exorbitant sums for simple meals, with one establishment demanding a staggering £900 for a single steak. Aragawa, a newly opened Japanese restaurant, has also joined the ranks of these overpriced eateries, serving a Wagyu steak at an equally absurd price.
The Peninsula London, the capital’s first purpose-built five-star hotel since the Bulgari opened in 2012, offers a night’s stay for a seemingly more reasonable £1,300. This, however, only grants access to a basic room. The true cost of experiencing the Peninsula‘s lavish amenities, including afternoon tea, cocktails, a fancy dinner with a premium bottle of wine, and breakfast, will quickly escalate your bill well beyond £2,000.
A Legacy of Luxury: Unveiling the Peninsula London
The hotel, perched gracefully on the edge of Belgravia overlooking Hyde Park Corner, is the culmination of 30 years and a £1.1 billion investment. Sir Michael Kadoorie, the chairman of the company and a descendant of the family that opened the first Peninsula hotel in Hong Kong in 1928, finally secured the ideal location for his brand of Asian hospitality when the former headquarters of McAlpine, a civil engineering firm, became available. The hotel is not yet fully operational, with the spa, swimming pool, and luxury boutiques scheduled to open later this year.
From Cocktails to Chinese Cuisine: Indulging in Asian Hospitality
A cocktail is an essential part of any luxury hotel experience. The Peninsula London offers a stylish and intimate Asian-themed bar, aptly named Little Blue, where just 20 guests can enjoy the ambiance. The bar features an elegant porcelain bamboo tree and serves house cocktails ranging from £20 to £22. I opted for a Gentlemen, a refreshing mix of cherry, orange, absinthe, cinnamon, and bourbon, reminiscent of a whisky sour.
Upstairs, Canton Blue, a dimly lit Chinese restaurant, boasts an exquisite interior inspired by the 19th-century Keying Junk, a vessel that traversed the route from Hong Kong to New York and London. The restaurant’s signature dish, the Silver Hill Peking Duck, is a culinary masterpiece, featuring perfectly crisped skin and a hefty price tag of £135 for two.
A Culinary Journey: Brooklands and its Star-Studded Offerings
Brooklands, the hotel’s other main restaurant, is a tribute to Sir Michael’s passion for Concorde and classic racing cars. The Brooklands experience begins in a dedicated lift lobby showcasing an original nose cone from the supersonic plane. This sense of “theme park,” albeit in refined taste, continues upstairs, where a massive 13.6-meter Concorde replica crafted by London architects Archer Humphryes hangs over the dining room, while a pilot’s seat resides within a perspex box.
Brooklands boasts a Michelin star-level ambition, under the direction of chef director Claude Bosi, renowned for his work at Bibendum, and chef de cuisine Francesco Dibenedetto. The restaurant offers a seven-course tasting menu showcasing British ingredients such as Exmoor caviar, Devonshire skate, and Scottish ceps, for £215. A wine pairing option, featuring six glasses, is available for an additional £145, or four glasses for £105. A five-course alternative is also available for £195.
A Farewell to Luxury: Reflecting on the Peninsula Experience
In the rooftop Brooklands bar, the car theme continues, with seating and wall panelling inspired by the interiors of a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. As your experience at The Peninsula London concludes, the bill paid and the echoes of “Mr. Prynn” fading, you step back into the “real world,” having spent a brief period immersed in a parallel universe of unparalleled luxury.
While the cost of a night at The Peninsula London might seem exorbitant, for those seeking a fleeting glimpse into the charmed lives of the world’s wealthy elite, it can be considered a worthwhile splurge.
