Dossier 04 · Carlos Place, W1K 2AL
The Connaught
The quietest of the five, the most serious about food and drink, and the one regular guests try hardest to keep to themselves.
The quietest of the five, the most serious about food and drink, and the one regular guests try hardest to keep to themselves.
The Connaught opened as the Prince of Saxe-Coburg Hotel in 1815, was rebuilt in red brick and Portland stone in 1897, and changed its name in 1917 for reasons that were entirely about the First World War. It has never sought attention. There is no neon, no canopy stretching to the kerb, no queue for photographs. The entrance on Carlos Place is so understated that first-time guests frequently walk past it.
Inside, the Edwardian bones are intact: a mahogany-balustraded staircase running the full height of the building, panelled corridors, coal-effect fires, and a sense that the building belongs to a small number of people who have been coming for decades. A major restoration completed in 2008, with a further guest-room refurbishment programme and the Patrick Sutton-designed extension, added modern rooms without disturbing the temperature of the place.
121 rooms and suites — the smallest of the five. The original-building rooms are panelled, heavily upholstered and quiet; the Carlos Place extension rooms are lighter, with larger windows and terraces on the upper levels. Neither is objectively better, but they suit different travellers: the old house for winter, the new wing for spring light.
Bathrooms are outstanding throughout, with double vanities even in mid-tier categories and Italian marble in tones of grey and cream. The Apartment — a two-bedroom residence with its own entrance, kitchen and private lift — is one of the few genuinely residential suites in London.
The Connaught Bar, designed by David Collins with silver-leaf Cubist walls inspired by 1920s European art, is the most decorated hotel bar in the world and has repeatedly topped global bar rankings. Its signature is the martini trolley: a wheeled cabinet of bitters brought to the table where the drink is mixed in front of you, with the choice of five aromatic infusions. Order it once, understand the fuss, and then move on to the Fleurissimo.
"The Connaught is the hotel other hoteliers check into on their own holidays. That is the only recommendation that really counts."
| Address | Carlos Place, Mayfair, London W1K 2AL, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1815 as the Prince of Saxe-Coburg; rebuilt 1897; renamed 1917 |
| Rooms & suites | 121 (including 26 suites and The Apartment) |
| Dining | Hélène Darroze (3 Michelin stars), Jean-Georges at The Connaught |
| Bars | Connaught Bar, Coburg Bar, Red Room |
| Wellness | Aman Spa, 12-metre indoor pool, 24-hour gym |
| Nearest stations | Bond Street (7 min walk), Green Park (8 min) |
| Ownership | Maybourne Hotel Group |
| Official website | the-connaught.co.uk |
Ask for a room facing Mount Street Gardens rather than Carlos Place — the fountain is beautiful but the taxi turnaround is not silent. Residents can reserve Connaught Bar tables through the concierge before arrival; do this at the time of booking, not on the day. Hélène Darroze releases tables around eight weeks ahead.