The Metropolitan

With all the talk of fabulous deals available - we thought we would skip the travel and have a 'staycation' break in London. So much has been written about the Metropolitan since it opened, that we decided to check out what all the fuss was about. The hotel had some great packages and promotions, so was a lot better value than we thought it would be. Arriving after work on Friday, without the long commute home was only the start of the good times! The hotel is very stylish, in a simple, understated way. The staff are very chic in black Armani suits - but unlike many 'designer' experiences, are extremely friendly and helpful. We had chosen a Metropolitan Room, so had a wonderful view of Hyde Park. The room was spacious, clean and simply decorated. Stand out points were the amazing bed (fabulous bed linen), wide selection of entertainment, complimentary Wi-Fi and the COMO Shambhala amenities in the bathroom (one's worth stealing...). We treated ourselves to a spa treatment on Friday night. The spa is not very big, but they seem to have a large selection of treatments (the Spa Manager explained that they develop their resort treatments here - hence the selection). I had their signature massage and my partner had a facial - we both have been to many spas and agreed that the standard was superb. The next morning we spoke to the Concierge, who arranged a table that night in Nobu (we had called directly earlier in the week and were told they were fully booked - so they must have the 'special touch'). Again, it lived up to all the hype - a great crowd, fabulous service and amazing food. After dinner we went for a drink in the Met Bar - certainly with all the pictures of celebrities falling out its doors over the years, it was worth a peak. Like Nobu, the crowd were 'cool' and there was a great DJ playing. The bartenders were friendly and very knowledgeable, talking us through a fabulous selection of cocktails. We had a blast and stayed till 2am. Room service breakfast was very good and they also offer spa cuisine on the menu - which is nice to see in hotels. We tried some of the cupcakes from their afternoon tea menu - which were delicious (and the waitress told us that they were also healthy - so we did not feel as guilty as we should have). Another noteworthy feature of the hotel is the gym - very good quality and range of equipment. Going straight to work on Monday felt like we had experienced a week away - you really should try a holiday 'at home' and the Metropolitan is a fabulous hotel - it lives over and above the hype.

Having booked this hotel as a late celebration, we were overwhelmed by the welcome and the extremely high standards of service demonstrated by the hotel and its staff.

The hotel is very well positioned with good access to local transport. A very modern comfortable design with all of the amenities you would expect to find in a 5 star hotel, but with a serious focus on quality service demonstrated by EVERY member of staff we encountered during our stay.

The management and staff at the hotel provided a very warm welcome and having advised them that we were celebrating our anniversary, went above and beyond our wildest expectations and provided us with a complimentary triple upgrade to a Junior Suite and indulged us with a bottle of fine champagne on the house.

What struck us most was how friendly all staff were and how determined they were to make our stay enjoyable. The quality of the breakfast was exceptional, prepared to order with a very extensive choice available.