The Dorchester opened its doors way back in April 1931 and fast became an icon of elegance and luxury in London, and now it’s been refreshed for 2023
Even the most glamorous among us need a few nips and tucks to stay in pristine condition and The Dorchester has had rather a big one. The hotel’s most recent renovation has been on the ground floor, where The Promenade, Vesper Bar and Artists’ Bar have been reimagined by designers like Martin Brudnizki and Pierre Yves-Rochon.
The Artists’ Bar is at the far end of the ground floor, with Liberace’s mirrored piano standing in front of a horseshoe bar, where you can pull up a stool for a glass of champagne or a cocktail. The mirrored ceilings and Lalique crystal give the piano a run for its money in the sparkle stakes, and the opulent effect is completed with large artworks from artists working in Britain, including a mother-of-pearl postage stamp portrait of the Queen.
As you move down through the bar, you enter the new-look Promenade, which is the hotel’s lobby restaurant. It’s more informal than The Grill at The Dorchester, Alain Ducasse or China Tang but it’s still The Dorchester, so of course it’s a showstopping space. Flanked by pillars, Pierre Yves-Rochon has added large gilt frames, gold leaf accents, floral motifs, plush furnishings, and white and sage green ceilings to the room – it’s one you’ll wanna snap for socials for sure.
The Promenade is a space where you can have everything from indulgent pancake breakfasts and salads served tableside for lunch, to elegant afternoon teas and dinners of classic dishes like chicken & langoustine pie, rack of lamb with dauphinoise potatoes and praline mille-feuille. The service is slick but not stiff, if a little on the slow side, the food is beautifully plated, and whatever meal you have here still feels like a real occasion – which is what you’d expect considering it’s no drop in the ocean in terms of price.
The Bar at The Dorchester has become Vesper Bar, redesigned by Martin Brudnizki as an ode to the glamour and style of the 1930s and to the hotel’s links with James Bond. The ornate interior includes a ’30s palladium leaf ceiling, art deco carpets, rich furnishings and a cosy snug, plus an outside terrace and a dedicated entrance on Park Lane. The cocktail menu has been curated by head bartender Lucia Montanelli, and it features a mix of both classic drinks and signature serves inspired by the hotel – and martinis, of course. So whether you’ve got an occasion to celebrate or you fancy being 007 for the night, you can live it up at The Dorchester.
53 Park Ln, London W1K 1QA
dorchestercollection.com