The Dorchester, a luxury institution firmly regains its leading positioning among London’s finest luxury hotels (REVIEW)

The Dorchester opened in London on the prestigious Park Lane in the heart of Mayfair, on 18 April 1931. During the 1930s, it became known as a haunt of numerous writers and artists such as poet Cecil Day-Lewis, novelist Somerset Maugham, and the painter Sir Alfred Munnings. The palatial building lends a sense of majestic and it is fascinating to see how The Dorch has actually metamorphosed into a destination on its own – with the most diverse wellness and food & beverage offerings – from fine dining, to a roof-top al-fresco and a Cake & Flower shop.

Queen Elizabeth II attended the Dorchester when she was a princess on the day prior to the announcement of her engagement to Philip Mountbatten on 10 July 1947. The hotel has since become particularly popular with film actors, models and rock stars, and Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton frequently stayed at the hotel throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

The hotel became a Grade II Listed Building in January 1981, and in 2006 it joined the Dorchester Collection, which nowadays includes some of the finest luxury hotels in the world – 45 Park Lane (London), Coworth Park (Ascot), Hôtel Plaza Athénée (Paris), Le Meurice (Paris), Hotel Eden (Rome), Principe di Savoia (Milan), The Beverly Hills Hotel, Hotel Bel-Air. All hotels are owned and operated.

Since opening, The Dorchester has gained and maintained an impeccable reputation for its superlative service standards. Patrons would often be impressed by the sheer number staff but also about their very distinct expert training. Hollywood actor Charlton Heston, a frequent guest at the hotel, once commented on the service at the hotel: “The cooks and bakers, the clerks and porters, the maids and the flower ladies, the bell men are the hotel”.

Mention must be made that there has always been an incessant pursuit for perfection, with a company culture deeply rooted in its service excellence through outstanding hospitality professionals. Discovering, nurturing and motivating talent is an Art at the Dorchester Collection which has been perfecting it over the years. It is so much more than just training staff! It is about instilling the love for the métier (craft) – the passion to serve!

It is also the unique approach of Dorchester Collection for ensuring an ideal environment for its human resources to evolve and excel, while building the career of a lifetime. It is the job safety and stability which Dorchester Collection builds over time through trust and reliability. The pandemic period as well as the post-pandemic period that took insecurity, lack of safety and stability to skyhigh levels. Dorchester Collection has demonstrated its commitment for many years, i.e. during the entire pandemic, the company has retained all its staff, paying them, even if hotels were closed.

The Dorch is equally loved by the staff and the guests. Generations have, by now, grown up with The Dorchester – whether they are staff or guests. While siping on a coffee in the Promenade, a senior waiter approached a family seemingly very much  at home at The Dorch. He addressed the young gentleman in his 20s, who was having tea with his parents. ”I used to serve your favourite chocolate waffles many many years ago.” – obviously leaving an impression on the entire family

It is the very same waiter whom I noticed later in the evening suggesting to the same family that they experience the brand new Artists’ Bar – in a most effortless and natural manner, without least hint of intrusion. With the transformation of The Dorch, the entire team has become more bonded and in synch. One can only be proud to work for such an iconic property and despite the post-pandemic hardships Dorchester Collection has been at the fore-front of luxury hospitality.

In spite of the appearances of its luxurious interiors, The Dorch has always been open and most welcoming, with a unique energy and vibe – the team being most enthusiastic, energised and genuine at any given time. One is welcome with the same courtesy, whether popping in for a coffee, having dinner or maybe a treatment at the Spa. With the current renovations, the transformation is focusing on even further enhancing the calibre of the staff – from carefully studied gestures to their own grooming (including exquisite uniforms). You will feel appreciated, respected and taken care of.

From its early years, The Dorchester has been at the fore-front innovation, breaking with traditional. The hotel used to organise prestigious literary gatherings, such as the “Foyles Literary Luncheons”, an event the hotel still hosts today. During the Second World War, the strength of its construction gave the hotel the reputation of being one of London’s safest buildings, and notable members of political parties and the military chose it as their London residence.

In 1931, Harry Craddock, a well-known barman, invented the “Dorchester of London” cocktail  at the bar which used to be known as the Dorchester Bar. As The Dorch is soon to complete its massive ongoing renovations, there are now four distinct bars, catering to the most diverse tastes and preferences. The centre piece of all public spaces is the Artists’ Bar, with its dramatic champagne bar (lots of crystal chandelier details) and the original (all mirror) Liberace piano which the hotel bought at an auction.

It should come as no surprise that a few years ago, The Dorchester launched its very own rose (The Dorchester Rose) – with a custom colour. Earlier this year, the hotel launched eyewear and slippers capsule collections with specialists Sestini and Edhen Milano, respectively. The hotel will soon be launching new cosmetics bathroom amenities by a specialist UK company. Later this Fall, the hotel will debut one of its brand new fully-customised Bentley Flying Spur, rife with branding details of The Dorchester.

Today, The Dorchester has five restaurants: The Grill, Alain Ducasse, The Spatisserie, The Promenade, and China Tang. Alain Ducasse’s restaurant is one of the UK’s five 3-Michelin-starred restaurants. Afternoon tea, a tradition which has taken place at the hotel since its opening in 1931, is served every day of the week at five in the afternoon in The Promenade and the Spatisserie.

The hotel’s extensive basement is one-third of the size of the hotel above the surface, housing among many utilities but also the state-of-the-art luxury Spa of the hotel.  The upper eight floors were erected in just 10 weeks, supported on a massive 3 feet (0.91 m) thick reinforced concrete deck that forms the roof of the first floor. 

Shortly after the opening, Sir Percival David, a leading admirer of Chinese porcelain, moved his growing collection from the Mayfair Hotel to the Dorchester, where he kept it in his suites for many years. Danny Kaye began appearing in cabaret at the hotel in the 1930s, initially earning £50 a week. Many blues and jazz artists appeared at the hotel, including Alberta Hunter and the Jack Jackson Orchestra. In 1934, Hunter was the vocalist on Jackson’s recordings of Noël Coward

During the Second World War, the strength of its construction gave the hotel the reputation of being one of London’s safest buildings. On its opening, Sir Malcolm McAlpine declared it to be “bomb-proof, earthquake-proof and fireproof,” and the only damage inflicted on the building by the Luftwaffe during the war was several broken windows. 

Gold leaf and marble remain distinct features of the public rooms of the hotel, including the restaurants, with features more reminiscent of an English country house than a hotel. Following renovation, the hotel was fitted with double glazing, and triple glazing on the Park Lane side to further improve soundproofing, both indoors and outdoors. Controls and switches are functional and easy to use. 

The Dorchester now features 182 rooms and 65 suites (some new suites have been recreated) In the rooms, specially made Irish linen sheets cover the four poster beds, with cherry wood furnishings. The bath tubs, cited as “probably the deepest in London”, are made of Italian marble in the Art Deco style. All rooms in the hotel either provide views of Hyde Park or of its landscaped terraces.

The Dorchester has five restaurants: The Grill, Alain Ducasse, The Spatisserie, The Promenade, The Rooftop and China Tang. There are three bars, the brand new Artists’ Bar, Vesper Bar, Rooftop Bar. The design of each venue has been carefully conceived, with a sophisticated blend of contemporary and classic, yet with a twist. No inch has been left untouched down to the smallest details. The quality of furnishings and finishes is breathtaking ! Technology has not been overlooked, every aspect being enhanced, keeping in mind ultimate comfort

For Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, holds three Michelin stars. When refurbished along with other parts of the hotel in 2007, the redesign purposefully retained its 1940s influence. The restaurant serves contemporary French cuisine using seasonal French and British ingredients.The restaurant features a special table for up to six diners called the “Table Lumière”, lit by 4500 fibre optic lights. It is surrounded by a thin white curtain which allows diners at the table to view out into the restaurant but prevents other diners from viewing in.

The choice of tea offered to the guests is diverse, and includes the hotel’s own Dorchester Blend. The service includes a first course consisting of finger sandwiches with sliced cucumber, cream cheese, and smoked salmon, all served in silver trays, a second course consisting of scones with clotted cream and jam, followed by a pastry tray with a selection of freshly made patisseries.

The hotel has continued to be associated with actors, rock stars and people in entertainment. Numerous film actors and people have auditioned, been interviewed or have stayed at the Dorchester over the years, and it is strongly associated with cinema, particularly American film. From the 1940s onwards the Dorchester was a common rendezvous for film producers, actors and casting agents.

In 1964, John Lennon was invited to attend one of the Foyle Literary Luncheons after he received acclaim for his book In His Own Write. John and Cynthia were unaware of the high profile of the event and attended with a hangover, with Lennon disappointing the crowd which had gathered at the Dorchester who were expecting a speech, simply muttering “Thank you very much, it’s been a pleasure”. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were regulars at the hotel throughout the 1960s and 1970s and spent their honeymoon in the Oliver Messel suite in March 1964.

Pierre-Yves Rochon’s vision presents light, fresh and thoughtfully composed rooms and suites designed in varying colourways inspired by an English garden, from pale leaf green and rose fog pink, to heather blue and lemon yellow. New signature and junior suites will be introduced, allowing for spacious and more residential style accommodation for guest comfort. Beds are among the most luxurious I have experienced in 15 years and 400+ properties reviewed. Soundproofing is flawless and AC adapts to the precise desired temperature in seconds.

The Dorchester’s famous façade has been a prominent landmark of this dynamic international city for over nine decades. New lighting will rejuvenate the exterior, creating a welcoming glow across Park Lane. Guests arrive onto an enhanced forecourt, featuring a beautiful green granite underfoot and a landscaped, verdant garden area located underneath the renowned plane tree. The arrival experience will extend into an open lobby, flooded with natural light and bookended by two imposing artworks.

The Promenade captures guests’ imagination as they move beyond the lobby into the heart of the hotel and the setting for vibrant dining experiences, including The Dorchester’s afternoon tea – without any doubt one of the finest Afternoon Teas in London. The pieces, uniquely individual and crossing a range of diverse media and techniques, all offer a new take on nature and have been created to evoke the sensation of strolling through a perfectly curated and cultivated British landscape.

Martin Brudnizki has redesigned the hotel’s legendary cocktail institution ”Vesper Bar” . Here guests will encounter a bar with movie star looks and a supporting cast of talented bartenders ready to curate evenings of mature fun. The bar’s new interior is inspired by the spirit and elegance of the roaring thirties, a time when manners were still important and yet mayhem was celebrated. The new layout allows for a dedicated Park Lane entrance and an outside terrace with views towards Hyde Park. Ornate design runs throughout the bar, including a 1930s Palladium leaf ceiling creating a warm effect as Martini hour transitions into the evening.

An upper area of the bar and cosy ‘snug’ provide more privacy without compromising on the atmosphere. A series of Cecil Beaton pieces will hang within the bar to honour a long-standing connection between the photographer and designer and the hotel, and to remind guests of this glamorous decade. Some of Beaton’s original drawings and celebrity photography will be brought together with work by contemporary artists, such as Rosie Emmerson, who were inspired by both Beaton and the energy of that time.

With its own entrance on the Deanery Street corner of the hotel, Cake & Flowers, is an entirely new offering to entice the curious and sophisticated. Feature windows will come alive with captivating masterpieces that showcase the passion and mastery of in-house designer florist, Philip Hammond, and executive pastry chef, Michael Kwan. Within, shelves and cases will be filled with lively delights; signature pastries and cakes to take away, uniquely presented gift hampers, floral bouquets and a selection of champagnes and artisan chocolates.

The Dorchester will be ready to reveal more of its newly renovated rooms and suites, late Spring 2024. The rest of the hotel remains fully operational, including the Spa. As The Grill, Alain Ducasse and China Tang completed refurbishments in recent years they will continue to remain open as normal. The Ballroom, with its own entrance on Park Lane, the magically theatrical Penthouse & Pavilion, and the Chef’s Table continues to be available for corporate and social events.

The Dorch is currently owned by the Dorchester Collection, which in turn is owned by the Brunei Investment Agency (BIA).  The Dorchester Collection owns and operates nine luxury hotels in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Switzerland and Italy. Later this year, the tenth hotel will open in Dubai – only operated by the Dorchester Collection. Since its inception in 2016, Dorchester Collection could have expanded faster, instead it took time to perfect its expertise. Investments, including those intangible, have never ceased.

The Dorch looks and feels younger, yet still exceptionally relevant and desirable! It is more fun and with a re-branding based on self irony and think outside the box. The execution of the transformation and the re-branding process could not have been achieved without a multi-disciplinary professional group structure and without such a complex strategic approach to human resources.

Oliver Petcu in London

 

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