Quick trip yields bountiful insights

When my son Riley announced his intentions to pursue graduate studies at Oxford University, three thoughts jumped into my mind.

“Fabulous! A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“Won’t that cost a small fortune?”

“The heck with it! Let’s jump on a plane and check it out!”

Excited about the possibilities, I went into intense travel-planning mode and mapped out a whirlwind five-day trip to London and Oxford. Just hours after Riley finished his final exam for the fall term, we were on an overnight flight headed for London’s Heathrow Airport.

After landing early Sunday morning, we made our way into London with ease, using the subway line that connects the airport to the center of town. We emerged at Hyde Park Corner and wheeled our small bags down Park Lane to our destination — The Dorchester Hotel.

At the front desk, an assistant guest manager suggested a refreshing breakfast in The Grill while we waited for our room to become available. Seeing Riley’s look of hope mixed with hunger, I took her suggestion to heart. The concierge checked our bags and we proceeded through the gracious lobby into The Grill.

At the table, we relaxed in the welcome comfort of the broad banquette, surrounded by comfy cushions. The Grill is a grand dining room with high ceilings, ample furnishings, rich tartans and sumptuous fabrics. The walls feature a mural of glorious Scottish figures, both male and female, in full Highlands’ regalia. The beautiful décor reflects the heritage of the hotel’s founder Sir Robert McAlpine, who built the Dorchester in 1931 with the vow to create a luxury hotel that would “rank as the finest in Europe.” The original owner’s vow has been maintained and strengthened through the decades, most recently through a multi-million dollar refurbishment.

Our breakfast was the first of many meals at The Dorchester that introduced us to the best of British cuisine. The Grill’s executive chef Brian Hughson makes it his mission to source incredible foods from all over the United Kingdom, and bring them together in British-inspired menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Our English breakfast included a mixed grill of sausage, bacon, black pudding and white pudding along with perfectly poached eggs on tiny biscuit rounds. The requisite rack of toast came to the table with an array of British jams – apricot with lavender, marmalade, wild strawberry and more. Ravenous and extravagant, we opened and tested six different jams, slathering them on toast over sweet English butter. Riley downed several glasses of fresh-squeezed orange juice and we both gratefully gulped cup after cup of hot, strong coffee with frothy warm milk.

During this meal we were also introduced to the extraordinary experience that is service at The Dorchester. Throughout the hotel, the staff senses the precise moment you have a need or a request, as well as when you want privacy. The helpful servers that day, who hailed from all over Europe, shared a sensitivity and professionalism that is unparalleled. Always helpful but never obtrusive, warm and friendly but never overly familiar, everyone on staff strikes a balance that makes the guest feel welcome and supported in every way

Feeling “at home” was amplified further when we were escorted to our hotel room after breakfast. All the rooms at The Dorchester are decorated in traditional English Country House style. The interior designers are known for their work in residential environments, and this is evident when you relax in rooms full of overstuffed easy chairs, extremely comfortable beds and beautiful bathrooms with Italian marble fixtures and the deepest bathtubs ever! The greatest temptation is to stay in your room and revel in the extraordinary comfort and luxury, but you must resist as an amazing adventure awaits just outside The Dorchester doors.

When you stay here, you live in the heart of London’s fashionable Mayfair district, within walking distance of prestigious shops and theatres. On our first day, Riley and I strolled the world-famous shopping streets of Oxford, Bond, Regent and Piccadilly. We saw spectacular window displays at Tiffany and Cartier, jogged through the Fortnum & Mason food halls, and made a pilgrimage to Liberty of London. Since 1875, Liberty has been synonymous with leading edge design, fashion and luxury goods. Its iconic fabrics have been recognizable for more than a century and I have a passion for collecting vintage Liberty scarves. On this trip to the Liberty flagship store, I chose a fabulous silk scarf in shades of turquoise, aqua and green. Our next shopping pilgrimage was to fulfill my husband’s request for soap from the quintessentially British perfumer, Penhaligon’s. Founded as a barbershop in 1870 by William Penhaligon, this perfume emporium is famous throughout the world for its distinctive scents and high quality ingredients. We purchased Blenheim Bouquet soap for its fresh citrus signature, and took our beautiful cologne-spritzed packages back to our rooms.

After dinner with friends and 36 hours without sleep, I was ready to collapse into bed. Riley, much younger and more energetic, met up with London friends at The Dorchester Bar.

Riley’s View: The Dorchester Bar

“It’s not every day you get to be at the Dorchester Bar,” said my friend from London. This was an excuse to order another round; relevant if ever anything was. The Bar at the Dorchester is an experience; enter and you are bathed in hip, serene and modern surroundings.

Given the option to sit at one of the many tables or the long, curving bar, we chose to sit at the bar. Good choice: the staff is friendly and professional. No wonder Travel + Leisure named Giuliano Morandin the Best Barman in the World and the Best Barman in London for 2009.

The drinks are as exemplary as the environment and service. The menu lists Fancy Drinks, “Twinklers” (drinks made with Champagne), and Classics (both Timeless and Revisited). When you order, be sure to ask for something special. My friend had a Ramos Fizz, which was made with special bespoke orange flower water; more like an artisan sherbet than a cocktail. I had the infamous Hendrick’s Tea Time Martini, made with Hendrick’s gin and the Dorchester’s rose petal jam. It’s made in a teapot, served in a teacup perched on a cocktail glass stem, and the rose-petal jelly is a perfect complement to the smoothness of the gin.

I would be remiss if I did not include the most interesting drink on the menu: The Champagne Shimmer. Made with Champagne and gold dust, it includes a tube of the Dorchester’s lip gloss that you (or the young, presumably, lady for whom you purchase this concoction) get to keep. The lip gloss has an LED light built into it that, quite literally, makes this drink shimmer. Order it for the spectacle, or just wait a few minutes because, inevitably, somebody will.

We started Day Two with breakfast in the stunning Promenade at the heart of the Dorchester Hotel. With its rich silk draperies, oversized gold-framed mirrors, high-backed divans, deep sofas and intimate tables, The Promenade is a perfect setting for a meal or snack any time of day. In fact, The Promenade serves a sumptuous afternoon tea and has been recognized three times by the British Tea Council as “The Top Tea Place in London.”

After breakfast I met Rosanna Crawley, head of communications, for a detailed tour of the Dorchester. We walked the full length of The Promenade and Crawley noted how all the main dining rooms were arrayed along the length of this grand hall.

We peeked inside the Alain Ducasse Dining Room, elegant with its high ceilings and views over Hyde Park. In January 2009, this restaurant was awarded two Michelin Stars and tipped as a “rising three.” The centerpiece of the room is the Table Lumière, a magical table for six guests in a private circle of 4,500 shimmering fiber optics.

We traveled behind the scenes to visit the cavernous kitchens where we were greeted by the hotel's Executive Chef Henri Brosi, who showed us his private dining room. Operated in partnership with Krug Champagnes, this walnut-paneled room with red leather dining chairs overlooks the kitchen through a liquid-crystal wall that can go from clear to opaque with the flip of a switch. Custom meals are designed to celebrate the various flavors of Krug Champagne along with chef-inspired tasting dishes

Not surprisingly, another impressive area of this hotel is The Dorchester Spa, an oasis of beauty and calm. The design is inspired by 1930s Art Deco elegance, and features deep blue and ivory backdrops complimented with velvet, silk, leather and satin materials. The spa has nine treatment rooms including two double suites, a mani-pedi suite and a very sleek relaxation room. The uniquely named “Spatisserie” is an intimate space for light lunches, afternoon tea and Champagne and Spa cocktails – all reflecting the ethos explained by Crawley as “a little of what you love is good for you.” It is easy to see why The Spa is as popular with local Mayfair ladies as it is with hotel guests.

After the hotel tour, Riley and I ventured back into the streets of London, touring the colorful Soho district, again within walking distance of the hotel. In Soho, we came upon an eclectic tailor shop called Nino’s.