Como London Exterior
Review – COMO Metropolitan Hotel, London
As a broad jumping off point, this property earns its five-star rating in every way possible. And, it puts itself in an elite category vis-a-vis other hotels at this level. The following paints a more specific picture of the features of this excellent property.
Como London Location
Location
The Metropolitan Hotel by COMO in London is strategically located in the Mayfair district in the middle of London. I say “strategically” because the area is home to several five star properties and is, in fact, next to the Four Seasons. Aside from its demographically upscale location, it is centrally located for both leisure and corporate travel convenience. Located on Old Park Lane, it is a 1 minute walk from Hyde Park, it is surrounded by chic bars and restaurants. It is also only a 10-minute walk from Buckingham Palace.
Customer Service
People can, and do, make a difference. The staff at the Metropolitan is a mixture of foreign nationals (and locals) that clearly have been trained to proactively create a welcoming environment by engaging with customers each time there is an opportunity. The doormen, bellmen, concierge, front desk staff, housekeeping staff, and restaurant personnel all delivered the kind of consistent service that makes a hotel stay not just utilitarian but memorable. Small gestures like remembering our last name or proactive greetings, always with a smile, make for a genuine feeling of comfort away from home. That started at the front desk and extended throughout the property. Additionally, the staff was efficient, attentive, and responsive. Whether it was the front desk, housekeeping or wait service in the restaurant, there were no failures at all. This is a place where you don’t have to ask twice for an iron in the room, more toast, or water for your table.
Como London Bar
Physical Property
The Metropolitan is a modern hotel with an understated elegance. The predominately white walls are accented perfectly by natural wood throughout the hotel. Adjoining the lobby is a casual gathering area with appropriately modern furniture and low tables. Also, right off the lobby, is the bar which is inviting and spacious. One floor up from the lobby is the White Room restaurant that serves all meals and is decorated sparsely but appropriately. Adjacent to the hotel, but part of it, is the fine Japanese dining establishment, Nobu. The junior suite that I occupied was spacious and well equipped. Huge glass panes in the rooms allow in as much light as possible. That natural light can be controlled, though by an electric shade AND electric curtains. I particularly like the broad wall-to-wall window seat that provided a great spot to look across at Hyde Park. The platform bed was excellent and a full couch was probably the biggest I’ve seen in a hotel room. Additionally, the flat screen TV was quite large (I estimate 55″-60″) as was the full wall length desk under it. The bathroom was on par with the beautiful room with light colored tile throughout, towel warming racks, and plenty of space to put all toiletries. Modern day travelers need connectivity and charging for a variety of devices. These rooms have all of that covered. The free wifi is a given at this property and the above-desk outlets provided plenty of opportunities for plug in and charging. Additionally, there were outlets on each side of the headboard of the bed to keep one’s tablet or phone handy at night or in the morning. (That’s a small touch that is almost never the case in hotel rooms). Although it may not seem like a big deal, I have to mention one other feature of the hotel. Having stayed at several hotels on this particular trip, it’s worth mentioning that the Metropolitan had elevators that were much more along the lines of what we have in the U.S. size-wise. It felt a lot more comfortable to handle the luggage and move up and down floors without the claustrophobic nature characteristic of so many European hotels.
Como London Room
Summary
Having had experience with other top London hotel properties such as the Dorchester, the Lanesborough, the COMO Metropolitan could be seen as a hotel with the same tradition of superb customer service housed in a beautiful, contemporary façade. The property deserves the highest recommendation to all prospective customers.
Contact Carefree Vacations 1.800.CONFIRM (266.3476) for information on your next trip to London.
| Karl Dring | GENERAL MANAGER Certified Travel Industry Executive 9710 Scranton Road, Suite 170 | San Diego, CA 92121 www.globalpointtravelsolutions.com |
Tags: COMO Metropolitan Hotel, Europe, London
Other posts by kdring
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
