45 Park Lane - Dorchester Collection

Review of 45 Park Lane - Dorchester Collection

BusinessClass.com review by Varun Sharma
Updated 8. Dec 2022

When it comes to contemporary boutique hotels in Mayfair, look no further than 45 Park Lane. This property sits just a few metres from its sister hotel The Dorchester, on London’s most famous thoroughfare. 45 Park Lane has just forty-five perfectly designed and appointed rooms & suites – and arguably the finest Penthouse Suite in the city.

On September 1st, 2011 the hotel opened - a member of Dorchester Collection - and Michelin-star winning Austro-American chef Wolfgang Puck brought chic Los Angeles cuisine to the hotel with his restaurant - CUT. A luxury hotel and a beacon of culture with a lively history, 45 Park Lane blends art with landmark architecture in Art Deco style to offer guests a relaxed and luxurious stay in the heart of London’s historic Mayfair – also providing an excellent base to explore the England's capital city. 

With a less formal atmosphere than its majestic neighbour, 45 Park Lane has the feel of an exclusive contemporary members' club. This state-of-the-art hotel is popular with locals and jetsetters. Dating back to the swinging 60s, the hotel building is modernist in architectural style with its huge, curved edge designed by Walter Gropius - who founded the Bauhaus School and whose designs include New York’s MetLife Building. In 1965, the hotel had a foray into the world of Playboy, becoming the Playboy Club and casino, though that chapter has been consigned to history with no signs apparent in today’s sleek offering. The design of the building was later reimagined by New York-based French architect, Thierry Despont, who added the shiny aluminium fins that wrap around the building - affording its aerodynamic look.

45 Park Lane also features BAR45, a glamorous, intimate and laid-back coffee or drinks space - the Library, the Media Room and The Spa at 45 Park. This new addition to the hotel offers provides guests with a 20-metre indoor swimming pool, steam room, sauna, gym and of course, relaxing & rejuvenating spa treatments.

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Location

10/10

As the name suggests, 45 Park Lane occupies a perfect spot right in the middle of leafy Park Lane, a cool gem in a long line of more formal five-star hotels. With verdant views opposite, the hotel overlooks Hyde Park and is moments from Marble Arch (to the north) - the shopping on Oxford Street including Selfridges is comfortably within walking distance. Green Park is found a few minutes stroll to the south via the heart of London’s Mayfair - which boasts the luxury boutiques of New Bond Street and Jermyn Street.

A myriad of streets leads off the boulevard to the rear of the hotel including Curzon Street - home to the famous art-house cinema. A stroll to Soho past the pubs and back street boutiques takes just 20 minutes. 

The hotel is located 25 kilometres from Heathrow Airport, just a short car journey from the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras Station, the Heathrow Express terminal at Waterloo Station and from Victoria Station - which provides a direct rail link to Gatwick Airport.

Accommodation

10/10

45 Park Lane offers just 45 rooms and suites - and the Penthouse Suite. Handsome rooms and suites offer boutique chic, Art Deco in feel, blending taupe colours with black accents. Creamy window blackout shades are opened electronically from the screen on the inroom telephone - revealing commanding views of the city oasis, Hyde Park.

Bathrooms decked out in floor to ceiling marble have efficient underfloor heating, double sinks, rain showers, marble encased bathtubs, in-mirror televisions for extra ensuite luxury and high-tech, hands-free Japanese toilets. Bathroom products are from the beautifully scented Noble Isle brand. Crisp white bed linens cover comfy beds and Bang & Olufsen hardware keep rooms up to the minute in the latest technology.

Hidden touches including a skipping rope and a yoga mat for stretching out after long walks/jogs are concealed in a wardrobe and make for a welcome surprise, perfect for in-room, spa or Hyde Park fitness sessions.

Entry level rooms are bijou, quickly stretching to larger rooms and suites on the higher floors. Some of the pricier ones have balconies with extra fabulous views, including The London Balcony Suite with its wraparound balcony. 

A private lift affords exclusive access, whisking VIPs to the top floor and 170 square metres of design heaven in the Penthouse Suite. Complete with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, this suite reaches the height of luxury with a wrap-around balcony, floor to ceiling windows and the best views in the house. This suite enjoys 360-degree panoramic vistas of London landmarks, The Shard, The London Eye and Hyde Park. A dining set-up and seating area on the private terrace afford much sought-after outdoor space. Inside the suite, more glass, chrome and Art Deco clash with soft furnishings - including a light tan leather chaise longue and walnut antiques. Relax in this special suite with a quaff of Louis XIII cognac and enjoy extras like an in-room iPad, unlimited movies and a bottle of Krug Champagne.

Service & Facilities

8/10

The service at 45 Park Lane is welcoming, polite, discreet, and respectably ‘friendly’. The coiffured and smartly dressed staff are as sleek as the decor. Guests are appointed an incredibly helpful host on check-in who is on hand throughout the stay. The host serves as butler, concierge, and encyclopaedia of local knowledge. This around-the-clock personal assistant service makes 45 Park Lane the perfect address for those in town on business. To that end, there is also a state of the art Media Room for meetings - where fine dining is also available. 

Parking, room service and laundry are all available and Wi-fi is complimentary throughout the hotel.

The Spa at 45 Park Lane is a new sensation. With the longest swimming pool on Park Lane - at 20 metres, sauna, steam room, hydro pool, relaxation area and fitness centre - complete with 25 pieces of Technogym equipment - this new addition to the hotel is superb. Aestheticians use Valmont and Aromatherapy Associates for their treatments. 

Of course, guests of 45 Park Lane also have use of the beautiful spa at The Dorchester. The spa offers a host of facials, massages, grooming and general beauty treatments - for both him & her - using the luxury brands including Carol Joy, Aromatherapy Associates and Valmont. There are nine treatment rooms including two doubles. There are special treatments available for pregnant mothers, a dedicated manicure/pedicure suite, and an aromatic steam room - there to clear the mind and cleanse the soul after a long day shopping or work. The spa offers yoga lessons, personal fitness sessions in the gym and even an accompanied morning power-walk in Hyde Park. 

Brompton bicycles are available at 45 Park Lane to scoot around Hyde Park or the streets of Mayfair.

While 45 Park Lane is a somewhat grownup abode, there are interconnecting rooms and in-room amenities for children - available on request. Being so close to Hyde Park and in walking distance of many London attractions is a boon for families. There is no dedicated children’s menu at CUT, though Chef will happily rustle up meals to suit.

The hotel is fully accessible for disabled guests. The hotel does not allow pets; however service dogs are welcome. 

Style

8/10

Smartly attired doormen usher guests inside the hotel through the rotating door, where above a polished chrome canopy a huge sign spells out 45 Park Lane, making an indelible impression for first time visitors. The 1920s lobby sets the scene for the Art Deco look consistent throughout the hotel. Its signature butterscotch and chilli-hued leather chairs are teamed with tasteful wood, set against a chrome and black lacquer staircase.

Rooms replicate these style accents with black lacquered tables and vases, chrome in the bathroom, mirrored details and vanilla-coloured shades and carpets with black and brown geometric pattern. Pops of bright colours appear in occasional flower arrangements.  Modern art adds splashes of colour to the bold yet understated feel. 

Art is a serious business at 45 Park Lane and guests are offered an art programme that includes exhibition tours and painting lessons led by artists, with special access to their personal studios. Works by world renowned artists and photographers - including Damien Hirst and Richard Young - adorn the hotel walls. 

A nod to Hollywood glamour also hangs on the walls featuring vintage photographs of stars including Audrey Hepburn and Vivien Leigh. 

Restaurants & Bars

9/10

Open since September 2011, the hotel’s (only) restaurant CUT at 45 Park Lane was the first restaurant in Europe for celebrity chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck and is recognised for exceptional sourcing of outstanding steaks. In a cool twist on a contemporary American steak house, Damien Hirst artwork hangs on the walls and there is much more than meat on the menu including seasonal salads and a variety of fresh seafood dishes. Steak is the ‘signature’, and the restaurant offers the finest Japanese Wagyu beef in town. The extensive list of meat from USDA Prime Beef to Australian, British and Japanese Pure Wagyu provide ensure there are endless choices to experience a sublime steak at CUT at 45 Park Lane. 

CUT Out is a cosy outdoor dining terrace tucked away on Curzon Street serving al fresco fare with sleek white linens and lanterns aglow as the sun goes down. Executive Chef Elliott Grover conjures up a crispy fried tempura whole sea bass in a sizzling sweet and sour sauce, perfect with a flute of Champagne. 

Those in the mood for a leisurely breakfast will be pleased to see that CUT offers LA-style lighter fare – seven-grain granola and açai bowls, with berries, coconut, and mixed seeds - and constitutes a healthy start after a hefty steak dinner the night before. There is a ‘smoothie of the day’ available along with every freshly-squeezed fruit juice imaginable as well as an extensive list of egg dishes from egg-white omelettes to eggs Royale with Beluga Caviar.

Aperitivo hour is best experienced at BAR 45, which offers a selection of Art Deco cocktails and a renowned selection of handcrafted Negronis. There is even an option to create a bespoke Negroni based on your personal preferences of vermouth and gin.

Sustainability

The Dorchester Collection hotels pledges to minimise the environmental impact of their operations endeavouring to conserve energy, water and minimise waste, also by employing conscious practises in selection of materials for refurbishment and build projects. 

The hotel retains a green team that upholds the company’s responsibility to environmental issues. The hotel actively plants trees and limits water wastage on property.  

What We Love

  • Atmosphere - The look & feel of 45 Park Lane is stunning. The art deco design and laid-back atmosphere conjures up the delightful feeling akin to a private club - rather than a hotel.
  • Rooms & Suites - Among the most sizeable in London. These are not “rooms & suites” but apartments that look over Park Lane. Contemporary, comfortable and with CUT and the facilities of The Dorchester (just 1-minute walk away), this has to be one of Mayfair's finest “boutique” hotels
  • CUT - Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck is known as the “restaurateur to the Oscars” and CUT is his trendy LA-style steakhouse. Yes, steaks! steaks! steaks! (best in London?) but also dishes for non-meat and indeed non-beef eaters! Great atmosphere, great artwork, great service - all-day, in & outdoors, great cocktails and an all-round great culinary experience! 

    Varun Sharma
    Editor-in-Chief
    BusinessClass.com

What They Love

  • Intimacy - I love that 45 Park Lane is a small luxury 5 star hotel with everything that is needed to equal any 5 star luxury hotel in the world. The intimate nature of our hotel allows us to create a really personalised experience for everyone so that over time, they become more like friends and not just a guest of the hotel.
  • Art - We have a fantastic art programme here at 45 Park Lane, running back to back exhibitions all year round featuring both up and coming and established artists. We’ve been honoured to host David Bailey’s Vision and Sound exhibition at the hotel this year, and we have a very exciting new line up confirmed for 2023.
  • Spa - The Spa at 45 Park Lane is a truly stunning haven in the heart of Mayfair. We are so fortunate to be able to include an exceptional wellness offering to our guests, who are able to take advantage of the 20-metre swimming pool, state-of-the-art gym, relaxation room, and treatments by leading brands Valmont and ishga.

    Lee Kelly
    General Manager
    45 Park Lane

 

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About the author
Varun Sharma
Editor-in-Chief
With over 25 years of experience in luxury travel journalism, Varun is responsible for all the content you see on BusinessClass.com. He works closely with all the hotel and airline brands that appear on the website. BBC-trained, Varun has appeared in print, on radio, television, and now online media - having worked for outlets including the BBC, Telegraph (UK), MSNBC, Travel Channel and Cond...
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