Inside Brown’s: A Very British Hotel At Christmas

Channel 4 loves going behind the scenes – especially during the festive season. From retailer John Lewis to the intricacies of a festive market, beloved brand Hotel Chocolat to one of Britain’s oldest luxury hotels, every facet of the festive season will be dissected on screen for viewers this season. The latter is titled A Very British Hotel At Christmas, and delves behind the scenes of London hotspot Brown’s Hotel during its busiest time of the year.

Brown’s: A Very British Hotel At Christmas

Brown’s, a Rocco Forte Hotel, sits slap bang in the heart of Mayfair – a stone’s throw from bustling Piccadilly, leafy Green Park, the illustrious Royal Academy and historic Burlington Arcade, and a mere hop, skip and jump from the opulence of Old Bond Street and New Bond Street. Across its storied 200-year history, Brown’s has played host to countless celebrities, royalty and a mixture of discerning and high-net-worth travellers from across the globe, providing a seamless, thoughtful experience for each and every one of them.

But these experiences don’t come easy. Powered by a dedicated team of 250 staff, A Very British Hotel At Christmas will delve into meticulous planning and creativity that goes into running one of the capital’s best-loved hotels – all of which is supercharged come Christmas. Indeed, in the run up to the festive season, Brown’s is totally transformed into a winter wonderland, accompanied by imaginative festive pastries, signature holiday cocktails and opulent decorations, all marrying perfectly with the hotel’s usual home-from-home feel.

Festive afternoon tea at Brown’s Hotel

A Historic British Hotel

Opening its doors to guests as early as 1832, Brown’s Hotel is the oldest hotel in London – and with that comes plenty of historical tidbits. Perhaps the most exceptional is that, within the walls of Brown’s, the UK’s first ever phone call was made on 10 March 1876. Inventor Alexander Graham Bell was staying at Brown’s when he called James John Ford; the first words he spoke were, ‘Mr Watson, come here – I want to see you’.

Other factoids include that President Roosevelt stayed at Brown’s on his honeymoon, and both Agatha Christie and Rudyard Kipling found the address so captivating, they penned multiple novels under its roof – including The Jungle Book.

Today, Brown’s remains a beacon of luxury – but with more of a modern edge. Guests (of which there are 40,000 every year) can enjoy a blend of antique furniture and contemporary art in the 115 bedrooms, as well as a luxurious spa, state-of-the-art gym, an English Tea Room and a buzzy bar and restaurant. The latter, Charlie’s, serves more than 1,000 covers every week – so you could say it’s rather popular. And the bar – aka The Donovan Bar – is an exquisite destination and real hotspot come Christmas. If you fancy a tipple, cocktail prices range from £26 to a whopping £7,500, all designed by Salvatore Calabrese, one of the world’s leading bartenders.

Who Stars In The Episode?

In A Very British Hotel At Christmas, we meet some key players in Brown’s Hotel’s festive transformation. This includes:

• Richard Cooke, UK & Northern Europe managing director at Rocco Forte
• Khashiya Adegbite, guest experiences executive
• Andrew Sawyer, executive chef
• Salvatore Calabrese, aka ‘The Maestro’, master mixologist at The Donovan Bar
• Ross Sneddon, executive pastry chef
• Ellie Hartly, florist

A Very British Hotel at Christmas (© Ali Painter)

How Much Does It Cost To Stay At Brown’s?

If A Very British Hotel At Christmas has you itching to journey to London and rest your own head on one of Brown’s plump pillows, know that it won’t come cheap. Rooms at Brown’s Hotel start from £750 per night. Book at roccofortehotels.com

Find It: 33 Albemarle St, London W1S 4BP

WATCH

A Very British Hotel at Christmas is on Channel 4 tonight (18 December) at 9pm. Catch up at channel4.com