Christmas At The Langham, London: Hotel Review

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for a visit to one of the most wonderful hotels in the capital. Rebecca Cox checks in to check out The Langham. 

The Langham Hotel Review

STAY

The Langham is over 150 years old, and it has spent the last century honing its craft to perfection. It’s just as grand as London’s other hotel stalwarts; the iconic marble pillars have welcomed thousands, if not millions of guests into the intimidating lobby over the decades. But it’s modern, too; there’s nothing stuffy about The Langham’s sleek and clean interiors, from its bright and warm corridors to its super-luxe suites. 

It’s worth upgrading to an Executive Room or above to gain access to The Langham Club on the hotel’s third floor, where you can enjoy complimentary drinks and snacks all day. You’ll enjoy the increased floor space and facilities in the superior room categories too (the hotel has 333 in total, so there are plenty to choose from). For Christmas, why not treat yourself to a stay in one of the plush suites, with a long light-flooded bedroom, a deluxe marble bathroom, separate lounge and extra toilet. The lounge in mine was decked out in chic Christmas decor including a tastefully decorated tree, plus a complimentary bottle of champagne to get the festivities started. 

The Langham has partnered with Liberty London for Christmas so you’ll find picture-perfect wreaths and trees throughout the hotel’s communal spaces, and guests can enjoy 15 percent off at Liberty for the duration of their stay when booking the festive package. 

EAT

The Good Front Room Restaurant at The Langham

Book into The Good Front Room during your stay for an incredible Caribbean-inspired festive feast from Chef Dom Taylor. The menu includes spiced plantain soup; Barbacoa turkey ‘brown stew’ with chestnut stuffing; and dark rum and raisin pork belly. I went for the ackee and saltfish cake, a taste of Jamaica (perfection) and the parsnip and kale peanut butter roast (which no nut-roast could ever better). The real culinary joy can be found in the side dishes, from the green banana gratin to the rice and peas, not forgetting, of course, the scotch bonnet hot pepper sauce. Christmas at The Good Front Room, available daily, 18:30 to 21:30, three courses for £90pp. langhamhotels.com

The Good Front Room at The Langham

Artesian

It’s easy to find great drinks in London’s top hotel bars, but it’s harder to find an atmosphere. Here you’ll find both. The four-time winner of the world’s best bar attracts a cool crowd and serves up genuinely interesting (and most importantly, appetising) mixes, making it the perfect venue for a fun festive cocktail evening. If you don’t have New Year’s Eve plans yet, this is one of the hottest tickets in town. artesian-bar.co.uk 

DO

The Langham is just a stone’s throw from Oxford Street so it’s a bit of a haven for Christmas shoppers who are brave enough for the crowds. Of course, you could do a supermarket-sweep-style take-down of Liberty with your discount, or shun the shops completely and just take in the Christmas lights of Mayfair once the shops have closed and the crowds have dispersed. (Personally, I prefer not to leave the confines of a luxe London hotel from check-in to check-out if it’s a fleeting visit.) 

THE FINAL WORD

A chic and traditional London hotel Christmas stay with the added flavour of world-class modern fusion food and drinks: festive staycations don’t come merrier than this.

BOOK

Guests staying at the hotel between 8 November and 31 December in a Classic, Superior, Deluxe or Family room will be welcomed by a bottle of Champagne in their room and can enjoy a 15% discount at Liberty for Christmas shopping experiences | Rates for The Festive Package: £570 based on two sharing a Classic Room | langhamhotels.com