Photo Credit: The Connaught
The Connaught is the stuff of legend, the gold standard of London hotels. But what makes it a very large cut above the rest? This phrase sums it up best: 24-hour butler. But these words should strike a chord, too: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Hélène Darroze, Aman, World’s 50 Best. Intrigued? Read on.
Photo Credit: The Connaught
The Connaught, which is owned by the Maybourne Hotel Group (which also own Claridge’s, The Berkeley, and more) is located in the heart of Mayfair, one of London’s most bougie neighborhoods, where it has firmly held a place since the early 19th century, surrounded by the designers, galleries, and restaurants of Mount Street. The building is flanked by lovely, beaming doormen in sophisticated periwinkle suits and hats who lend a sense of pomp and circumstance to the entryway.
Photo Credit: The Connaught
Step inside and expect the unexpected: art from the likes of Damien Hirst, Julian Opie, Graham Sutherland, Barbara Hepworth, or Louise Bourgeois — a carefully curated, 3000-work collection that’s like a surprise show and tell the longer you walk and the higher you climb. There’s also The Garden of Illusion and its Moon Tree, by Tom Stuart-Smith, in the inner courtyard, as well as Tadao Ando’s ‘Silence’ outside, a water feature that the hotel played a significant role in commissioning.
Photo Credit: The Connaught
Next, check in and experience a slew of rooms and suites as designed by David Collins, Guy Oliver, India Mahdavi, and more. My favorite: The Sutherland, which has the vibe of a stately English home with hand-carved furniture, antique features and furnishings including oil paintings and a chinoiserie cocktail cabinet, parquet flooring, ornate bookcases, and Steinway piano. Its vibe may be old-fashioned, but let me assure you — every modern amenity possible is here, from a Dyson supersonic hairdryer to Bang & Olufsen sound systems to an Illy coffee machine.
Photo Credit: The Connaught
But this haute hotel has a major pedigree in several other ways: namely, it’s culinary concepts. It’s home to two Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurants, a Hélène Darroze eatery, and one of the World’s 50 Best Bars… number five this year, in fact.
Photo Credit: The Connaught
Jean-Georges at The Connaught mixes British classics with flavors from the far east, and it’s also a bright and beautiful spot to have breakfast, afternoon tea, and everything in between. There’s also JG’s glorious, rosewood-made eatery (with bespoke woodwork by Mira Nakashima, as reimagined by acclaimed interior designer John Heah), The Connaught Grill. The Grill does best what it’s named for — specifically, a wood-burning grill. The flavors of England are rampant here, from a Scottish scallop to Barnsley lamb chop sourced in Dorset and local oysters. A pastry-encased seabass is one of the eatery’s signatures; show-stopping, to be sure. An exquisite wine list and inventive cocktails round out the absolutely perfect dining experience.
Photo Credit: The Connaught
Then, there’s the grand dame of the hotel, the three-Michelin starred Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, where each dish is made from seasonal produce. It’s a beautiful spot as well as one with impeccable cuisine, as designed Pierre Yovanovitch in warm shades of rose, with a blue blown-glass chandelier taking center stage. The Chef’s Table and Sommelier’s Table round out the excellent dining options here.
Photo Credit: James McDonald
Then, comes the drinking. The haute hotel opened its first bar in a decade back in 2021 in the Red Room. It’s highlighted by a collection of red works by four female artists including Louise Bourgeois, Jenny Holzer, Ti-a Thuy Nguyen, and Trina McKillen — pieces that had never been exhibited anywhere in the world. It’s meant to feel like a home with an eclectic mix of furniture, small ceramics and objects d’art, as well as a snug in ombre scarlet and Murano glassware dotted with red. White-jacketed bar people serve up some of the world’s best wines — 3000 different labels and over 30,000 bottles that makes solid use of the Coravin system. Some of the highlights include a 1994 Petrus (the most famous Merlot in the world) and a 2011 Richebourg Grand Cru by the legendary Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
Photo Credit: The Connaught
Connaught Bar has been, repeatedly, named one of the best bars in the world. In fact, it was named the best bar in the world many times over. It’s a stunning spot, to be sure, with textured walls in platinum silver leaf and a cool grey bar designed by David Collins Studio. Innovative cocktails are the focus here, of course. The place is always packed, night after night, without fail thanks to exquisite libations — and expensive ones, too. There’s a vintage cocktail menu that takes some of the best aged spirits in the world and turns them into cocktails. The Silver Jubilee Rob Roy, made with Macallan Silver Jubilee 1977, Martini Rosso Vermouth 1970s, Angostura Bitter 1970s has a price tag of $26,000, and if you can afford it, you should do it. The Connaught Martini, however, is about $30 (much easier to digest) classic aperitif, made to order with Tanqueray No.10 Gin, a blend of dry vermouths, and a selection of bitters.
Photo Credit: The Connaught
Rounding out these concepts are The Connaught Cigar Merchants, The Connaught Patisserie, Coburg Bar, and the storied Champagne Room, a private space for 20 designed by Guy Oliver to host small parties.
Photo Credit: The Connaught
Last but certainly not least is the very first Aman Spa to be built outside an Aman resort anywhere in the world. And it’s magnificent. Its menu draws inspiration from traditional healing systems the world over, from herbal medicine to American Indian lore to Eastern-inspired therapies. There are three types of rituals across three categories: facials, massages, and body polishes and wraps. Choose from Grounding to destress; purifying to clean; and nourishing to moisturize, as well as acupuncture, Reiki, Craniosacral Therapy, and more. There’s also a lap swimming pool and a crystal steam room infused with essential oils to encourage relaxation.
The Connaught is located at 16 Carlos Pl, London W1K 2AL, United Kingdom
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