Corinthia London - Changing the Face of 21st Century Luxury

When it comes to 'Grande Dame' hotels, London has its fair share. From The Langham and Brown's to The Dorchester and The Savoy, there are rich pickings for those who can afford it. So when the latest 'demoiselle' on the block comes along, she needs to offer something far beyond her youthful looks. We're talking about Corinthia London, sitting pretty in a Victorian building that was once home to Europe's largest hotel, the Hotel Metropole, as well as the British government's Ministry of Defence, and, later even its spy agency. One look at Corinthia London's impossibly glamorous reception and there's no wonder the premiere of Skyfall was held here. (Rumour even has it that the building stood over a complicated network of underground tunnels serving half of London post-World War I) After a lonely spell standing empty and unloved, the building was given a lavish multi-million pound makeover, opening for business as Corinthia London in 2011. Since then, she has flexed her own brand of luxury, an astute blend of modern and traditional luxury that's as much about pomp and grandeur as it is about state-of-the-art experiences. Somehow the Baccarat chandeliers and soaring Victorian ceilings work well with the cutting-edge media hubs and sci-fi technology. It all feels very grand and urbane yet strangely cosy. Perhaps it's the soft tones and swathes of natural light that make Corinthia London feel like a place you'd like to spend a fair bit of time in. And that's the point.

The rooms and suites are subtly appointed with every possible luxury and modern amenity you could ever dream of, but it's the two-storey Penthouses that really caught our imagination. They offer something precious in London. Space - and lots of it. With dimensions ranging from The Actor's Penthouse at 100 m2 to The Royal, measuring in at a frankly vast 465 m2, it's safe to assume that they're considerably larger than the average London flat - and naturally no expense's been spared to make each one look and feel sumptuous and unique. Each of the seven Penthouses reflects the traits of a quintessentially British character with ingenious touches to match - the Explorer, Whitehall (we are right next to Downing Street here), Actor, Writer, Musician, Royal and Hamilton (in honour of Horatio Nelson 's lover, Lady Hamilton, and within sight of Nelson's column across the rooftops). Be warned though, because you could go home wanting to do a spot of redesigning. For what's a house without an internal elevator, a rare wine cellar, palatial-sized beds, a sunken bath, multi-media hubs in every room, a decorative staircase, 24-hour butler service and views across the Westminster rooftops? Just some of the perks of parking yourself in a Corinthia Penthouse for a few days….

Before you leave and even if you don't stay but just fancy a taste of Corinthia London, we'd heartily recommend a day in the hotel's ESPA Life at Corinthia. You know what I'm going to say. This is no ordinary spa, it's the Next Generation. We're back to the space thing again, because simply put, few could rival this four-storey spa that holds room for a suite of nearly 20 treatment rooms, a pioneering 24-hour Technogym and fitness centre with intuitive equipment and expertise, a Daniel Galvin Hair Salon, a Margaret Dabbs London nail studio, and an incredible Thermal Floor complete with indoor swimming pool (rare for London hotels but then so's the rest), vitality pool, ice fountain, marble heated loungers and private sleep pod and amphitheatre sauna. That should cover the leisure side then.

If your wellbeing is out of kilter and you need to sort out niggling pains, an old injury, stress-related illness or just plain old burn-out, don't worry because - you've guessed it - there's just the thing for you. Naturopaths, traditional Chinese medicine acupuncturists and herbalists, osteopaths, personal trainers and spa professionals, you name it, there's an expert on hand to help you with a tailor-made programme. ESPA Life at Corinthia is nothing if not an 'enlightening' spa and it's not afraid of offering guests innovative neuro-scientific techniques that explore the complex link between brain and body, on the quest for a healthy work/life balance.

A jaunt at Corinthia London is a very swanky way to spend time in London and you get an awful lot of luxury for your money. If you're stuck for a special gift for someone you love, you'd score serious brownie points with a mini break here.

As a Quintessentially Member, you are entitled to some exclusive benefits at Corinthia London, starting with the right to a guaranteed early check-in or check-out, or a guaranteed upgrade to the next category at the time of booking. This is valid for bookings made from now until 2nd April 2018*. Available from Superior King to Whitehall Suite.

*Except for blackout dates:

18th to 22nd February

If we've piqued your interest and you'd like to learn more about ESPA Life at Corinthia, The Penthouses and Corinthia London's other excellent offerings, please contact our specialists at Quintessentially Travel: [email protected] / +44 (0)20 7022 6560