The Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair – London

Checking in at The Dorchester London seemed outdated and cumbersome. Two people checking in ahead of me and it took a full fifteen minutes till I was waited on. Then while I was at the counter, a constant stream of guests elbowed next to me and gave orders or instructions to the two distracted and disorganized employees. Old world charm. Quaintness. Very nice, I’m sure, but when I check in, I want to be in. I don’t want to wait. Italian countesses and Arab oil ministers were to my right and left. Yes, people staying here have never dialed the 1-800 number for the Red Roof Inn.

The decor for my room at The Dorchester was evocative of an earlier period. I could hear a woman talking on the phone in the adjoining room, perhaps evoking earlier periods. Either soundproofing needs improvement or the woman is loud and belongs in a B&B in Paddington. The sound proofing from a very busy street was extremely good, though. I had read that during the remodeling of the hotel, the floors and ceilings were lined with compressed seaweed and the outside walls with cork.

The Dorchester opened in 1931 but seems like it’s been there forever. It closed the end of 1988 and re-opened two years later in October of 1990 after the Sultan of Brunei spent $192 million to restore the faded luster. Rooms were reduced from 280 to 252. Some rooms have sweeping views of Hyde Park. The bathrooms were done in gray Italian marble from floor to ceiling (1000 sq. meters used throughout The Dorchester) nicely lit and as large as your average West L.A. studio apartment. All rooms have a private lobby, while the suites have a private hall as well. The accommodations are designed to be flexible. Guests can occupy a number of rooms, using interconnecting doors, without need to use the corridors. But, if they do use the halls, they don’t have to go far to find an elevator. In such a small hotel, there are still 18 elevators.

There are three employees for each room in the hotel. In December of 1991, The Dorchester was voted “Hotel of the Year” by Egon Ronay’s Cellnet Guide for 1992. One hundred chefs cook in the kitchens supplying food to 5 different restaurants which include English, Chinese, French, and traditional afternoon tea in the Promenade. The hotel keeps on hand 40,000 bottles of wine. All of this has been good enough to rate 2 out of 3 stars from Egon Ronay.

Executive Chef Henry Brosi has been in charge of the kitchens, including the bar, since 1999. He overseas 80 chefs in creating different meals for the different temperaments of the many restaurants and private dining areas in The Dorchester. You can get traditional fare in one restaurant, French in another, Chinese in still another, and even one area devoted to afternoon tea. It is England after all.

During the remodeling, air-conditioning was installed throughout the hotel and all the wiring and plumbing replaced. That’s 150 kilometers of wire and 50 kilometers of pipe. Over 6,000 books of gold leaf (25 to a book) were used in the refurbishing, at a cost of about $150,000. A total of 10,000 rolls of wallpaper were used. And, of course, all the bed sheets are one hundred percent Irish linen.
“The Dorchester’s combination of elegant luxury, sumptuous decor and unrivaled standards of personal service has made it more than a constant venue for the famous and influential-for many it has become a regular home away from home.”

During WWII, several members of the government moved into the Dorchester on a semi-permanent basis. General Eisenhower set up headquarters in the hotel in 1944. Sir Ralph Richardson used to arrive for lunch on a motorcycle. Ahh, born to be wild Ralph. Alfred Hitchcock commented that The Dorchester’s ideal location next to Hyde Park was a perfect location for a murder. Elizabeth Taylor has dragged a succession of husbands to the hotel. People who have stayed at the Dorchester include Mohammed Ali, Cher, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman (together and separately), Neil Diamond, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones (Douglas), Somerset Maugham, Al Pacino, Frank Sinatra, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Barbra Streisand, Robin Williams, and many more-including me.
It was at The Dorchester that the Royal Family announced the engagement of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip. The Prince also held his stag party in the Park Suite later that year.

Rooms at The Dorchester will run a princely sum from $800 to $6000 plus vat. Service is included in the price of the room. Of course, if you’re bothering to read about the price and service, perhaps you better find that 1-800 number for The Red Roof Inn.

The Dorchester
Park Lane
London, UK W1A 2HJ
Telephone: 44-20-7629-8888