I am looking for a luxury 5 star hotel close to shopping, cafes and movie theaters. Also, i like hotels with spacious rooms and a cosy feel to them. I got afew suggestions to stay at 1- Mandarin Oriental hotel 2- Sheraton towers knightsbridge 3- Carlton towers 4- Dorchester hotel HAs anyone stayed in any of these? HOw was your stay?

We just returned from Europe and stayed at the London Intercontinental i Mayfair, quite close to the Dorchester. Interconti rooms are spacious, well appointed and the hotel staff was most attentive. The hotel is near a hop-on-and-off bus stop, Marble Arch, Hyde Park and Shephard's Market... a quaint area filled with wonderful restaurants and pubs.

Have stayed at the Dorchester and it was superb, but not cosy, and not very close to shopping. Their service is unsurpassed, and afternoon tea at the Dorchester is a must. I can also recommend the Mayfair Intercontinental (different from the London Intercontinental mentioned above)--large room and close to shopping, but not very cosy, either. Our favorite is the Radisson Edwardian Hampshire in Leicester Square. We had a large room overlooking the square, which is the center of the universe, and the hotel does have a cozy atmosphere. The service was excellent, but not quite the Dorchester. You might also try the Brown Hotel. We have not stayed there, but it sounds like it might meet your requirements. I don't think the first three on your list would meet the "cozy" requirement (I'm not sure whether "cozy" referrs to the room or the hotel).<BR><BR>Other large five star hotels close to shopping and restaurants are the Ritz, Savoy, and Meridian Picadilly, but again these are large hotels with more of an art deco feel than traditional English. There is always Claridges, but it is more stuffy than cozy.<BR><BR>You will find cafes, movie theatres, and shopping in almost all areas of Central London, but our favorite shopping is the Saville Row, Jermyn Street, Burlington Arcade areas just off Picadilly. So we prefer the area around Leicester Square and Mayfair. <BR><BR>Hope this helps.

My vote goes also for the Dorchester. And I also agree with Cyrano that its location isn't very good. It's difficult to find restaurants nearby but their afternoon tea is excellent, service is great and they have the best matresses I have ever slept on. They are so confortable you don't want to get out of bed!But I found my room to be very cosy.<BR>I don't recommend you the Savoy, a great disappointement. It needs a great renovation, it is no longer what it used to be, despite the excellent location. Rooms are very tired and the service isn't good.

Just to add a sugestion: whay don't you check Browns Hotel? It looks very cosy and I read good reports on it. I'm trying it on my next visit to London.

I stayed at Brown's Hotel last month and would recommend it. I understand that some of the rooms on the upper floors are small, but I had a third floor room that was spacious. The small lobby and the public rooms do give a very cosy feel (the famous tea is served in the library). The location is excellent for shopping (the upscale Bond street shops are feet away and Fortnum & Mason is a five minute walk), the cafes and movie theaters of Piccadilly Circus are also a short walk away.

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Charlotte-<BR>I have stayed at the Sheraton Towers Knightsbridge- rooms are huge-<BR>get a view overlooking the garden in the back--no noise.<BR><BR>Location is excellent-right next to a tube station and Harrods acrosss the street--<BR><BR>BUT- hotel is NOT COSY- it has a contemporary feel in the lobby area and the bedrooms are super nice --I would say transitional furniture.<BR><BR>Would I go back-??? Yes, in a heartbeat if I wanted to throw some bucks away...<BR>The location to me was worth it's weight in gold.

I stayed at the Dorchester in March of 2001. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here. The hotel is grand and I agree that the beds are the best ever. I got the package that included breakfast and it is enough to keep you going for the day! I also think the tea was wonderful. The staff was very accomodating with the exception of one snooty porter, which made me chukle, actually. I loved the heated towel racks, very deep tub that filled in 30 second, great Floris amenities. I could go on and on. It's not close to restaraunts, but Harrod's and the like it close enough to walk to and the original Hard Rock if you are going with kids. We also walked to Buckingham Palace. The Dorch had a Jaguar pick us up at the airport and a Mercedes returned us. And this has nothing to do with the post, but I loved the taxi drivers. They were the best tour guides, ever.

Try Duke's on St. James Place--around the corner from Fortnum's and near enough to the theatres. Small, gracious, superb service, very private.

Mayfair Intercontinental is closing Dec. 20 for renovations that will take till June 2004. Very sad, we love it.

I've stayed at the Mandarin Oriental & recommend it highly. I prefer modern hotels but enjoyed the Madarin's more traditional ambience. The rooms are huge relatively speaking, and the service is excellent, which makes all the difference. Upon arrival, we were escorted to our room immediately, checked in in our room, & brought a tray of tea. Each floor has a guest relations person. I found an excellent deal on the web which was a third less than the rate quoted to me over the phone. Moreover, the location is excellent, right across the street from Harvey Nic's, my fave shop ever, and overlooking Hyde Park. <BR><BR>I have also stayed at the Metropolitan & was disappointed by the rooms, they are way in need of an overhaul. Breakfast service took 3 hours one morning, and the location is lousy.<BR><BR>I have friends who stay at the Carlton all the time, and love it. Dad stays at the Dorchester & loves it, but I don't like the location.<BR>

Hey I wiuld love to know hoe got the discointed rate at the mandarin as we have heard it was great but the rates we got were crazy ( forus )<BR>thanks

sorry for all the typo's wow<BR>what I wuold liked to know is how you got the great diecounts at the mandarin<BR>as we heard it is fab but the rates we got are crazy<BR>thanks !

<BR>As I read your message, two London neighborhoods come to mind. The first is Knightsbridge, near Harrods, and others have given you suggestions in that area. The other is Mayfair closer to Bond Street, Piccadilly and the West End theaters. You have the Dorchester on your list, which is a fine hotel in Mayfair, though a bit large for my taste. I would suggest you add three other possibilities that (thankfully) are not well known to most agents and tourists.<BR><BR>The Ateneum is a small luxury hotel in Mayfair down the street from the Dorchester. Most of the rooms are really like small apartments and the service and amenities are first rate. (The concierge is legendary.) I spent a wonderful week there last November. <BR><BR>But my favorite two hotels are tucked into that most exclusive area of London near Mayfair known as St. James. It is a couple of blocks bordered by the Ritz, Green Park, and the palace of St. James. It is adjacent to Jermyn Street, Saville Row, and Christies. During the 18th and 19th centuries the great “town” houses of the British upper class dominated this area. But between the wars most of them were pulled down. (Clarence House and Spencer House survive.) Here you will find two small exclusive hotels: Dukes and the Stafford. The rooms at Dukes are charming and warm in a rich Edwardian setting. The martini bar is world-renown. Tucked into a quiet street a block away is The Stafford. Although not quite as elegantly appointed as Dukes, the Stafford has it’s own assets: The individual apartments built over what used to be stables for one of the great houses. Here you feel like you have your own private residence in the shadow of the state palaces. <BR><BR>When elegance and convenience are at the top of your list, these hotels are worth investigation. <BR>

Hi Marie, I just saw your message. I got the discounted rate thru travelweb.com.

Hi<BR>thanks for the response -- may I asked what rate you got I am getting 178 pounds for "run of the house" and it's not clear whether taxes are inclusive or not ???<BR>THanks

I actually have stayed at all 4 hotels. THe BEST was the Mandarin Oriental then Carlton towers then the DOrchester and finally the Sheraton park towers.

We stayed at 47 Park, now a Marriot Grand Residence, in Mayfair in Aug. 2002...wonderful. They our closing for 6 weeks starting Nov. 1 for a make over, to re-open better than ever. This trip we going to the Mandarin Oriental.

Wow, 178 pounds is great. We stayed last year for 200, and this yr I was only able to find 220, plus plus (all taxes). Where did you get the 178 rate?