I love hotels, I really do. From the minute you walk in, a doorman with a smiling face, the scent that sweeps over your senses, a dreamy interior where you can while away hours drinking coffee and reading books.
But I love a boutique hotel even more so. The COMO Hotels, while a collection of properties, is one of my favourite. The apotheosis of the trendy boutique hotel concept. By the traffic laden Park Lane in the centre of London, you have Hyde Park to one side and a string of leading hotels to the other. Modern-minimalist urban hotel Como Metropolitan London takes pride of place, with a much more discreet entrance than the others.
Como has an ongoing health and wellbeing philosophy, always introducing forward-thinking ways to relax and rejuvenate. They have recently launched a Body, Mind and Spirit Wellness package. The proposition? Helping time poor city dwellers, experience total tranquility by working within oneself. Using the philosophy behind their Asian-inspired spa COMO Shambhala, you should leave with the tools to feel re-charged and energised.
This sounds on point for the Citizen Femme, busy woman on the go.
Guests are invited to hand in their devices (if they wish) on arrival and will be presented with their own personalised itinerary for their stay. How bold are you?
Rooms
Enviable Hyde Park views with floor-to-ceiling windows and simple, calming and clutter-free interiors. My ‘Metropolitan Suite’ had an enormous L-shaped sofa to catch the sunset and watch the huge TV, in a very comfortable living area. Rooms are equipped with iPod docks, tea and coffee making facilities, and a very well stocked mini bar to provide for those midnight feasts as well as healthy drink options. The bathrooms have products from the Shambala Spa as well as a glorious body scrub, to wipe away the London smog. You could do worse than stay in a hotel with some of the most calming amenities, right in the middle of London.
Mind, Body, Spirit
Choose between one-on-one yoga or personal training in the hotel’s gym. The instructor will be chosen based on your individual requirements. Usually, I wake with a mind that is cluttered with a weekly to-do list, especially at the start of the week. I opted for a Monday morning yoga session with Louisa. As I evaluated my day later that night, it was no wonder how much more productive I had been.
COMO Metropolitan has now launched a dedicated meditation TV channel. It give travellers the opportunity to energise for the day ahead or unwind before sleep. Corinna Yap, Spa Director at COMO Shambhala Urban Escape says “Practicing meditation on a regular basis is an excellent habit for a traveller. There are over 3000 scientific studies on the benefits of meditation. Science confirms meditation will keep you healthy, help prevent diseases, make you happier, and improve your performance both physically or mentally. As our lives get busier and we all travel more, moments of peacefulness are truly valuable.”
Complete your stay with a remedial massage and foot bath to unwind. Book in with Illie, you will leave feeling as light as a feather.
And for a fully rounded experience, add in a Dr Hauschka relaxation facial using a nurturing, aromatherapy based approach with gentle brush strokes and oils to send you off into a deep meditative sleep. (Diana, who took my treatment comes highly recommended)
Eat
Throughout your stay, cuisine is served from the COMO Shambhala menu. Organically and locally sourced where possible, the menu takes its inspiration from the living foods tradition so you can benefit from the vitamins and minerals found within the specific ingredients to help you feel healthy and nourished. An excellent juice menu accompanies this with vegetable and fruit options.
On the other hand, you can eat you heart out at Nobu on the first floor. Nothing beats equilibrium like some great sushi and sake at the end of your day. End the evening with cocktails in the formerly-members-only Met Bar.
It’s all about balance right?
Any Questions or Tips to add?