The Marylebone Hotel, a boutique hotel part of The Doyle Collection, and sister hotel of The Kensington Hotel , is located in one of my favourite parts of London… guess what… Marylebone! This hotel is actually a London hidden Gem (with the trademark Doyle Irish accents as a very welcome bonus).
Pre-Arrival
– Was there any pre-arrival communication by the hotel with myself via email or social media?
Yes there was. Like it happened with the Kensington Hotel, this property has been building a relationship with me for the past year, which I think is a nice touch.
– Did I try to engage the hotel via Twitter? Did the hotel interact with me and made me feel welcome/special?
I did indeed, and worth noting that they are very active across twitter, engaging with guests and potential guests.
– Has the hotel tried to gather any personal information (e.g. preferences) prior to my stay?
Not really, but then again, not really needed. Fair to say that The Doyle Collection knows me pretty well by now.
Arrival
– The wow factor! What was the hotel decor style?
Very interesting indeed. Good colour scheme, some design pieces and also lots of seating areas.
– How quick and efficient was the hotel check-in?
There was no queue and I was done in minutes.
– Was I addressed by name once reservation has been located? (it is all about the small details, some others are outstanding with this, and I love it, like I do when I board an airplane)
Absolutely, and said correctly, i.e. with Irish accent and a smile.
– Did I get an upgrade from my confirmed pre-booked room type?
My room was to be confirmed on arrival as the hotel was fully booked, so I was delighted by the 1-bedroom Luxury Suite.
– Did I feel genuinely welcomed by the hotel staff?
I did indeed.
– Luggage – how many people did I have to tip before the luggage made it safely to my room? This is cultural, I know
I had just a small carry on and was allowed to take it with me to the room.
– Wi-fi – was I told anything about it? Was there a charge?
WiFi at all Doyle Collection hotels is free of charge.
Room Experience
– First impressions – décor, size and wow factor
Absolutely lovely – loved the colour scheme and how comfortable it felt. Was obviously very spacious. The only thing we had an issue with was the street noise – and unluckily for us, there was some serious building works outside going on.
– Welcome amenity
I had some fruit and extra water.
– The bed
It was nice and comfortable.
– Closet/Wardrobe – proper hangers or those annoying ones where you need a PhD to get them out one by one? This is a personal pet peeve of mine. I can’t stand them.
Everything there as it should.
– Iphone Charger/Dock
There was an iPhone 4 charger/dock, which I did not use, but Mr. O did.
– Bathrobes and slippers
Yes, but did not use.
– Coffee and Tea
Of course. Nespresso machine with plenty of pods and a kettle for tea.
– Free bottled water
Yes, and changed daily throughout my stay.
– Magazine selection – had some nice surprises and doesn’t happen often enough!
One of the best I have seen in a while – Conde Nast Traveller, Delicious and InStyle.
– Power sockets in useful places – we have more and more devices and we know where we want them! By the bed, by the working area.
By each side of the bed, easy to reach.
Bathroom
– First impressions – décor, size and wow factor
Well well well, where do we start? It was amazing.
– Bath, shower and taps – I am looking for Duravits and Hansgrohes (or other fab brands) around the world. How fab was the shower? And a little pet peeve.. was I able to operate the shower without asking Mr. O for help?
All very good and the shower, was out of this world. Seriously powerful.
– Towels – yes, please! How many and how soft and lovely?
All good.
– Toiletries – own brand, super brand, baby ones or proper ones? I shall find out!
Oh well… only my favourite ones in the world. Aromatherapy Associates and LOTS of them. Need I say more?
– Amenity kit – I don’t want more sewing kits thank you very much, but I will need a shower cap.
Absolutely fantastic and Aromatherapy Associates as well. Perfect.
– Hairdryer – is it a human one, or just something stuck to a wall that only makes noise?
There was one but I did not use.
Restaurant & Bar
I hadn’t realised, that the hotel’s bar was, in fact, 108 Bar and Grill, a place I have visited in the past a few times – and because the hotel owns the whole block, I never put 2 and 2 together. I skipped breakfast as I was on a ‘strict’ diet during my stay, but only because I had The Juicery and had a bit of fun each day trying some smoothies. I had some successes and some serious misses. Kale and those greens are not for me.
And because I was so good for breakfast, how could I resist dinner? The steak was lovely and I am afraid I have no photos of the British cheese selection – because I ate it all.
General thoughts
– How good and reliable was the wi-fi?
It wasn’t brilliant in the room, to be honest, but worked well in the restaurant.
– Did the hotel interact with me via Twitter during my stay?
Absolutely.
– Location
I love Marylebone and it is a very convenient location for my London life – and I think it was perfect. If you have never explored Marylebone, I urge you to!
– Cost – rooms starting from…
Rooms are great value, staring from £226 and my suite starts at £470 per night, including tax and breakfast.
– Would I recommend it to my best friend?
Absolutely.
– Would I stay again?
I would indeed.
Have you visited this hotel? What were your thoughts?
xo
Mrs. O
Disclaimer: I was a guest of The Doyle Collection during this stay, but hopefully you will see that this has not influenced my thoughts about the property. For more information about the hotel, visit its official website.