I know I've been teasing you on Instagram and Twitter about our staycation at The Langham, London for our anniversary, but you know that way that your experience was so great that you want to make sure that every aspect of your description is just as good? Well, that's exactly why it's taken me a while to post this - because we couldn't have asked for a more wonderful way to spend our anniversary.
Located in the heart of London, just off Regent Street, Europe's first "Grand Hotel" was built 151 years ago and has just undergone a refurbishment and relaunch of its Palm Court Brasserie to celebrate the occasion. The beautiful Regent Wing, where we were staying, has just been entirely redecorated and is truly stunning.
As soon as we entered our Grand Executive Room we loved the decor, especially the bright, clean colours and the general home-y feel of the room.
Personal touches are virtually a trademark at The Langham; every member of staff who we interacted with remembered us during our stay and always remembered what we had spoken about earlier. When we came back after an afternoon of shopping and drinks at Aqua Bar, we noticed that we had been left some delicious mid-afternoon snacks of macarons and grapes.
It wasn't just the room itself that was gorgeous, I loved the spacious bathroom with a separate bath and shower and all the towels and amenities that you could require.
The décor throughout the hotel has a slightly Asian vibe, and I really loved that this had been carried through into every small detail in the hotel, including our bathroom.
Every little aspect of these beautifully decorated rooms has be taken care of: every last detail has been thought of, down to the beautiful in room dining menus. I really can see why this hotel has been popular celebrities and the royals, including Princess Diana.
In a move that I'm sure many girls will appreciate, The Langham offers full sized hairdryers. It might not sound revolutionary, but there are many luxury hotels that could learn a tip or two from this!
Talking of the little touches, it was great to see this little gem on the wall. And as a blogger, it's a sentiment I can definitely relate to!
I've heard people say that they often find hotels not like the luxurious home-away-from-home that they might want, but I don't think that could ever be said of The Langham, especially if you have access to The Club.
The Club is an incredible, unique space that's set across two floors and covers everything from business amenities to a space to relax with a glass of house, Laurent Perrier, champagne. Whether we wanted to sit in front of the fire and relax or nip in to try some of the amazing afternoon tea, I thought that The Club was possibly one of the most exciting things about our staycation.
Part of The Club is the Butler's Pantry, an area that's stocked with food at all points of the day. From 3-5pm there's the option to try some of Cherish Finden's incredible afternoon tea.
Truly incredible sandwiches that were presented in a really spectacular way.
I'm so glad we saved room after lunch for this because it was a real treat!
Though I loved the sandwiches, for me afternoon tea is all about the sweet treats, and I was so pleased to see a wonderful array of options.
No afternoon tea is complete without scones, and though Andy and I disagreed about how to eat them (seriously, he makes a sandwich out of them!) we did agree that they were perfect.
We were more than happy to enjoy our tea and toast our anniversary with glasses of champagne before we headed back to our room to get ready for dinner.
The Club has been really tastefully decorated, with modern, luxurious touches everywhere.
Somehow I managed to get ready in record time (I think it was the promise of champagne that did it to be honest) and so we headed back to the club before dinner for an apperatif. No matter what your tipple of choice is, the very friendly staff are happy to help you with your choice.
No apperatif is complete without nibbles, and since The Langham plays home to restaurants looked after by Albert Roux OBE and Michel Roux Jnr they have specially curated the food offerings in the club.
Breads...
Ham...
Or salmon...
As with everything in The Club, no matter what you would like, someone has probably already thought of it.
After an incredible night's sleep, we had arranged for our breakfast to be served in our room at the very indulgent time of 9am! The server brought our breakfast table in and served us with a smile as he unfolded the paper and asked us how our evening had been.
I must admit we did go a little overboard with breakfast (but I knew Andy was going to be hungry for second breakfast after a swim!) but I have to say, we finished most of it!
I loved the still-warm buttermilk pancakes, served with fresh fruit and maple syrup.
Syrup just perfect for drizzling over the soft, light pancakes...
English muffins served with Michel Roux's jams and either salted or unsalted butter, depending on your preference.
I think this was a little torturous for Andy who was very hungry and just ready to dive into this glorious breakfast!
Andy had opted for the full English breakfast, served with two kinds of bacon and eggs of your choice. Based on the total silence at the other end of the table I think it was pretty great!
Orange juice, fresh breads and croissants, cereal and tea and coffee all ready to fuel us for the day.
After a hearty breakfast in bed, we decided to work off (kind of!) some of our indulgence in Chuan Spa, the hotel's fitness and wellness centre. Since I had rather conveniently forgotten to pack my trainers, we went for a refreshing swim in the beautiful 16-metre long pool.
It was the perfect way to wash away the cobwebs of the night before and to continue our special weekend of relaxation. I loved that even on Easter weekend the pool was still very tranquil and quiet - I wouldn't mind starting every Saturday like this!
Though I love swimming, there's something really special about a jacuzzi; something that feels, to me, as though it's the height of indulgence. I was so taken aback by the incredible jacuzzi at Chuan Spa: not only is the water the exact warm-but-not-too-hot temperature that you expect, but it's huge!
There's enough space for you to recline, relax and bubble away anything that's been bothering you. It's without a doubt one of the most relaxing spots I've found in London.
After a long soak in the jacuzzi, I was more than happy to spend a while in the salt sauna, which is not only relaxing but has great health benefits as well.
What makes The Langham so special for me is that every little touch has been taken care of, even down to providing tea, coffee, water and fruit for spa guests. There's quite honestly nothing that you could want for in this hotel that someone hasn't already thought to provide you with.
The flowers throughout the hotel are beautiful, but especially in the lobby. Gorgeous pink roses everywhere give the most beautiful scent from the second you walk in the door.
It was the most magical anniversary staycation we could have asked for, and it's an experience I'll remember for a long time. Something tells me it won't be too long before I return to The Langham...
I'm having a slight nightmare with my Disqus, but I'd love to hear your comments on Twitter or Facebook!
Our stay was complimentary, but all opinions and love for The Langham are my own.
