OPEN SINCE MARCH last year, London Syon Park was the first Waldorf Astoria hotel in the UK. It is joined by the Caledonian in Edinburgh, which is relaunching under the brand this month. Around 12km from Heathrow and central London, it is set in 80 hectares of parkland within the Grade I Listed Syon House estate. Syon Lane station, which connects to Waterloo in 35 minutes, is within walking distance or the hotel can organise a pick-up.
THE ROOM: The 137 rooms are set across the three-floor main building and adjoining Clubhouse wing. They start from 27sq m and have a stylish, boutique feel. Standard facilities include 42-inch LCD TVs, Apple Mac minis allowing you to use the TV as a computer, media hubs, wired/wifi internet (£15 per 24 hours, free via the TV or in public areas), workdesks, multinational plug sockets, bottled water, air conditioning and Salvatore Ferragamo amenities (Asprey in the suites). Bathrooms have wall-mounted TVs and most have a walk-in rainshower and tub. The best views are from the Syon Estate rooms on the upper floor of the Clubhouse – these look on to the Syon House gardens, which can be accessed with a keycard. RESTAURANTS & BARS: Peacock Alley is a wood-panelled martini bar. The Capability (named after park designer Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown) is a smart, relaxed restaurant serving tasty British cuisine. I
enjoyed some pan-fried tiger- prawns with chilli and garlic, and a huge, excellent rib-eye steak. BUSINESS FACILITIES: There is 1,000sq m of event space, mostly in a dedicated ground- floor area. The 450-capacity ballroom divides into three, and two meeting rooms each divide in two. The 40-guestroom Clubhouse wing can be booked exclusively and has a 100-capacity Clubhouse with a kitchen, a private dining space and a games room. LEISURE FACILITIES: The basement Kallima spa features 11 treatment rooms, relaxation room, a gym with Technogym equipment, 15-metre pool, a spa bath, steam room and sauna. Bicycles can be borrowed if you fancy a ride along the Thames nearby, and trout fishing, archery and croquet can be arranged. VERDICT: A well-equipped luxury hotel with a great restaurant and spa. Its facilities and location near Heathrow make it a good choice for corporate events.
109 East 42nd Street at Grand Central Terminal, New York 10017 Tel: +1 212 883 1234 • www.grandnewyork.hyatt.com
ORIGINALLY OPENED as the Commodore hotel in 1919 and reflagged in 1980, the Grand Hyatt has long been renowned as one of Midtown Manhattan’s grande dames. Located adjacent to Grand Central station, the hotel has recently completed the final stages of a US$130 million refurbishment, featuring redesigned guestrooms and a modern lobby with installations by sculptor Jaume Plensa.
ROOMS: There are 1,305 guestrooms, including 51 suites. Looney & Associates has designed the majority of rooms and suites with an emphasis on dark woods, pinstriped carpeting and chrome touch- panel lighting. All rooms come equipped with flatscreen LG TVs and iPod docking stations. Bathroom amenities are by June Jacobs. RESTAURANTS & BARS: New York Central seats 220 people and is the main restaurant, located overlooking 42nd Street. It specialises in ‘farm to table’ dining and has an open kitchen with a long bar at the far end. Breakfast is served à la carte and is typically large. The Grand Club is a residential-style gathering space with plenty of lounge seating, private terrace, bar and buffet dining area. The club is available to guests with Hyatt Diamond loyalty status or booked into a Grand Club room. BUSINESS FACILITIES: The hotel has 55,000sq ft of meeting space including the newly renovated Empire State
ballroom for between 100 and 1,500 delegates and the Manhattan ballroom, designed for smaller gatherings of up to 300 guests with views over Manhattan. There are also 22 breakout rooms available on the 14th floor and executive rooms with connecting bedrooms and conference tables. Gallery on Lex is a new 4,400sq ft flexible space ideal for networking, brainstorming, cocktail receptions and intimate presentations. LEISURE FACILITIES: There is a large gym located on the top floor. Central Park is running distance away and a fitness concierge service is offered in the directory, who can provide you with a route around the park depending on how far you are keen on running. VERDICT: This hotel sometimes suffers from its own size, as the building can feel impersonal, staff seem spread a little thin and there is no interaction between guests. However the restaurant is a particular highlight and my room was a luxurious base from which to explore the surrounding attractions.