London's latest landmark | The Chancery Rosewood

The rave reviews about London’s latest landmark hotel kickstart my curiosity, not only because I love to live in hotels, write about them but also study them in great detail. For me, the hotel I stay in makes or breaks my experience of the city. The tsunami of publicity around the opening of The Chancery Rosewood, London has me licking my chops, sharpening my taste buds and charging up my camera as I fly in to London.

Full disclosure: I am a full-time Rosewood hotel group fan, and have known the high octane Radha Arora, the president of the award winning global group, for the past twenty years since his stint at the Four seasons Beverly Wilshire, Los Angeles. Though I’ve paid for all my Rosewood hotel stays, around the world, including the recent one at the Rosewood Hongkong (when I attended Asia’s 50 Best restaurant awards), I was invited for three complimentary nights to London’s Chancery Rosewood. I stayed an extra night (and paid GBP 1,900 (Rs 2,41,000); it’s the discounted rate for the extra night), and ensured that I paid fully for five of my restaurant meals, after inviting many a guest to each. Just to make sure that I erred on the side of objectivity, I patiently checked out the hotel, from the top (literally, at the roof- top Eagle bar with the Maharaja of Udaipur, Dr Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar) to the three restaurants on the ground floor. Did it live up to it’s reviews? Is there hope behind the hype?

WORLD’S FIRST

For sure, The Chancery is London’s most notable architectural masterpiece. It is a symbolic reinvention of the former US embassy into a public hospitality destination. The building’s distinctive angular, original diagrid exterior rooftop is crowned with its iconic gilded eagle sculpture, crafted from aluminium by Theodore Roszak. The architectural restoration of the all-suite property includes eight restaurants and bars, and the expansive Asaya Spa.

Secondly, it takes celebration of art to another level, and is the worlds first hotel to have a knowledgable and articulate art concierge. Not only do I revel in a short art tour of its 830 pieces of art studded across the hotel but also come away with a deeper understanding of art. The whole gamut: emerging and established artists, contemporary and classical art too.

Moreover, this is also the first time that I experience this new era in luxury travel, with each stay including fully flexible check-in and check-out times. Many more “first-time evers” to their credit with restaurant Tobi Masa marking the London debut of one of the most celebrated influential Japanese Chef Masayoshi ‘Masa’ Takayama. Carbone, the first European outpost of the New York City cult favourite, too makes it’s London debut. And the hotel’s own Jacqueline, is a one of a kind tearoom and dessert salon rooted in seasonality, scent and sculptural precision.

Even their Advanced Wellness Asaya Spa introduces Taktouk, the first hotel clinic of its kind, renowned for it’s advanced dermatological expertise with a holistic approach.

SENSE OF PLACE

It’s the Rosewood hotel’s focussed dedication to a “sense of place” that I enjoy the most. Across the world, I’ve experienced each city within the Rosewood hotel I’ve stayed in. From the meticulously picked artifacts, books and seemingly casual knick knacks in each suite to the bigger details. The Chancery straddles two worlds, not only does it pay homage to prominent American figures linked to the history of the building, but also to the UK with it’s two sprawling penthouses: Charles House and Elizabeth House.

Along with the high-end haute Japanese it invests equal passion in Mayfair’s neighbourhood delicatessen GSQ for coffee, freshly baked pastries, salads & sandwiches takeaway counter et al. Not to forget, it’s central location, walking distance from Oxford street, Bond street et al.

COMPELLING CULINARY DESTINATION

When food is as impressive in its precision and as gloriously wanton in its luxuriousness, choice is a rite of passage. Rosewood debuts eight exceptional new restaurants and bars. I make time to taste the diverse line-up of restaurants. On top of my list are the two home grown restaurants—the spirit lifting Serra which distils Southern Mediterranean cooking into to the heart of Mayfair. Serra translates to Greenhouse and the sunlight bathed beautiful restaurant aptly focusses on provenance, seasonality, and ingredient-first cooking. I dine in this open-through-the-day Serra, where chef Alex Poval’s light and bright dishes refresh.

As for “Jacqueline” (named after Jackie Kennedy Onassis) we’re blown away by the one of it’s kind tearoom and dessert salon. Here, the passionate & brilliant executive Pastry Chef Marius Dufay creates signature flower collection of pastries, inspired by single blooms, using perfumery techniques. We begin with the amuse bouche of jasmine and caviar and continue nibbling our way through a dazzling array of sweet and savoury masterpieces. The tea sommelier expertly guides us through the UK’s largest tea library of over 120 references. My joy is magnified by being in the company of my gorgeous girl friends. All three beauties with brains.

At “Tobi Masa,” pristine Japan-flown rare and fresh fish pair with luxurious ingredients (think truffle, caviar and foie gras) within a serene counter setting. His dishes are art, be it composition or temperature; whether he’s incorporating white truffle into nigiri or pairing wagyu beef with delicately seasoned rice.

SUITE ENDING

Happily, my sprawling suite is luxurious but most importantly has large windows overlooking the green of Grosvenor square and all the details in it, make it a place that feels lived in.

Thankfully it has no ipads and all those high tech gizmos, but then, sadly, it does not have a Toto toilet either. The butler team connects on whatsapp and turns up like genies, except for a few goof ups. Like the delayed delivery of my bags, soon followed up with a note of apology and a large pure silk eye mask. Ensuring perfection is one of the most respected luxury hoteliers, their GM Michael Bonsor. He is hands-on and a true hospitality superstar. It’s serendipity: just by chance I meet Radha Arora, who is visiting from LA and he reiterates: “This is the best hotel with the best address in the no 1 city on the planet.” It definitely combines sophistication, a sense of place with hyper-personalised experiences to boot!

Where The Chancery Rosewood, 30 Grosvenor Sq, London W1K 9AN, UK

Cost Junior suite: upwards of £2,200 (Rs. 2,80,783); One bedroom suite: upwards of £5,000 (Rs. 6,38,144); Signature suite: Between £10,000 (Rs. 12,76,287) and £70,000 (Rs. 89,34,009); *Pricing is dynamic, can vary with seasons.