After our recent five night stay (couple with 2 young children aged 3 and 1) my feelings about this hotel are mixed. There were aspects of the experience I absolutely loved but others that were very disappointing for a hotel of this calibre.
I will start by acknowledging that it is an absolutely stunning property. The entrance is understated but what it lacks in size is made up for in style. The restaurant, hallways and lift lobbies are also very glamorous. In particular, our three year old daughter was delighted by the black and white photographs of screen goddesses hanging in the hallway of our floor even if we were a bit confused by that particular design choice!
We used our "By Invitation" upgrade credits for this stay so paid for the premier room but stayed in an executive conservatory. As I understand it, our upgrade should have been to a regular conservatory room therefore it was very nice of the hotel to upgrade us to the level above this. So while we certainly did get a good deal, and i was happy with the rate, I think I would have been disappointed by the experience if I had been paying almost 1000GBP for what was essentially a larger than normal (for London standards) hotel room with a semi private terrace.
Aside from the questionable value, the room was beautifully decorated with a fantastic array or technology and a very thoughtful layout. Our daughter slept on the sofa bed (surprisingly comfortable) and as this was packed away by housekeeping during their morning service it kept the room uncluttered by fold-outs etc. The dressing area, although not large, provided ample room for hanging clothing and storing cases and the bathroom was very nice. The weather during our stay was not great so we didn't have many opportunities to use the terrace however it was a nice touch and would have been a welcome feature had it been finer.
On the down side, no baby equipment other than a cot was offered to us. This seemed unusual for a hotel of this calibre, particularly a Four Seasons as they pride themselves on catering to families. Some newborn nappies were left in the room with the cot but as our son was over one, these didn't fit and the gesture seemed a bit clumsy. Also the lack of a kettle and an iron was irritating. Having encountered this in other London hotels I wasn't overly surprised but I do find it seriously impacts on my comfort levels as I crave a cup of tea as soon as I wake up and I don't like having to send my clothes out to get pressed as I only decide what to wear at the last minute. To be fair, when we requested a kettle, it was provided along with cups but we had to go out and buy our own tea, coffee and milk. Each day housekeeping would remove the cups and we would have to call to get new ones delivered. By day three we gave up and made do with coffee from the nespresso machine that is placed in the lobby for the morning rush (a great service that we greatly appreciated).
The food on offer was outstanding - both room service and in the restaurant. Breakfast was particularly nice but the service was chaotic, especially when things were busy. Also the children's menu was inadequate for guests staying longer than a few days and we quickly ran out of options and had to order out.
Other positives included fresh fruit delivered daily to the room. Also I don't normally use hotel shampoo but after I'd packed for the children, baggage space was at a premium so I decided to leave my usual shampoo at home. I was extremely surprised and impressed with the Roja (a brand i was unfamiiliar with) amenities on offer. They were a good size and left my unruly hair in good shape.
Now to the service... The positives first. Every single doorman that we encountered during our stay was a credit to the hotel. The young lady who checked us in (Joelin I think was her name) was also excellent and extremely helpful. She remembered our children's names and brought extra gifts for them which really made their stay. The other staff at reception were also impressive. The hotel car drivers also earnt a nod from us. Being able to use the gorgeous hotel Rolls Royce ghost cars for short local trips was greatly appreciated and the friendly and helpful drivers enhanced the service.
Service standards were let down by housekeeping and room service staff. While the room was always cleaned well in the morning, the turndown service was haphazard. During our five nights, a decent turn down was only provided on one night (when the room was serviced by two people) with a range of glitches suggesting a training issue. Also, some of the staff delivering room service seemed untrained. One of a few examples we had was finding half of our meal still in the warmer after we had finished eating because the attendant had not taken it out or told us it was there. These stories may sound awfully picky, but a hotel charging these prices needs to ensure seamless service to hit the mark.
Overall we did have a very nice stay but I am undecided if I will return here for my next London visit.