IT is better to travel comfortably than be saddled with hulking great bags. And while central London's Underground is one of the wonders of the transportation world thanks, partly, to super-efficient smart ticketing, the rush hour scrum remains challenging for out-of-towners lumbered with bulky luggage. So by the time we reach Marble Arch station and emerge, blinking, before the dazzling marble edifice itself, we are hot, bothered and decidedly crumpled. As we leave the main shopping drag for the short walk towards The Arch hotel, the streets become quieter, smarter. Shabby and dusty after spending the day helping nouveau Londoners with some heavy-duty DIY, we half expect to be turned away from the imposing, five-star establishment, whose nearest neighbour is reputedly Madonna.
Thankfully, The Arch’s charming reception team seem unfazed by the arrival of two bedraggled Glaswegians. Indeed, entering the foyer feels like stepping into a tranquil haven, and our heart rates noticeably slow. Perhaps the hotel’s enveloping “custom-designed orange and pearl fragrance” is working its magic.
Opened in 2010, this family-owned and run establishment promises a “quietly glamorous” atmosphere, and that seems apt: everywhere there is polished wood, studded leather, gleaming glass, yet the inventive use of contemporary artwork, locally sourced craftsmanship and ingenious features such as the complementary mineral water fountain (today’s infusion is lime and melon), creates an atmosphere that is welcoming and uplifting, rather than ostentatiously stuffy.
Our spacious, air-conditioned room is a glorious sanctuary after the bustle of a London day, and everything is here to help guests recharge: the opulent bathroom boasts a wondrous multi-function shower (there’s even a flat-screen TV in the bath!), voluminous towels and robes. There’s a Nespresso machine, proper china teapot and various exotic infusions to sip with the complementary macaroons while relaxing on the comfy sofa. And given more time, we’d happily make use of the multi-channel telly and Oscar-winning movie collection.
Instead, scrubbed up and almost presentable, we drop into the Martini Library – a luxurious lounge area where apparently one can order afternoon tea or even cocktails, though we are content to browse among artworks and shelves full of beautifully illustrated books and journals.
Cocktails, however, turn out to be among The Arch’s specialities and before dinner, the in-house mixologist custom-shakes us some exotic concoctions, specifically designed, she says, to stimulate the appetite.
And what do you know, it works. After polishing off a bowl of the kitchen’s home-made sea salt, lemon and sage crisps, and reluctantly refusing a second cocktail, we find ourselves seated in a secluded, silk-curtained booth in the Hunter 486 restaurant (named after the 1950s dialling code for Marylebone), and perusing an impressive menu. Roast Black Leg free-range chicken from the stone oven almost tempt this confirmed veggy: but the vegetarian options prove deliciously more imaginative than the usual goats' cheese and squash risottos and my pescatarian husband declares the pan-friend scallops followed by halibut, to be exceptional.
The restaurant is pretty special: all blown-glass chandeliers, sophisticated artwork and designer furniture. What with the private booths, Shirley Bassey singing softly on the sound system and those cocktails, one can’t help thinking James Bond himself would feel well-catered for at The Arch.
The hotel boasts a well-equipped gym in its old wine cellar but, determined to be proper London tourists, we head off after breakfast (Portobello mushrooms hollandaise on sourdough toast: delicious). Minutes from Oxford Street and Park Lane as well as attractions such as Speakers' Corner, the Tyburn gallows, Marble Arch and several galleries, The Arch is a good base for shoppers and sightseers, but we are heading further afield, to Kew Gardens. That means tackling the Underground, of course, but, thanks to the hotel team's helpful directions and kind offer to hold our luggage for the day, we tackle the journey hopefully, feeling refreshed, relaxed, and blissfully unencumbered.
Susan Flockhart was a guest of The Arch, 50 Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, London W1H 7FD The Arch London is offering Sunday Herald readers a weekend break deal from £300 per night, for a minimum two night stay, (single and double occupancy, including English breakfast each morning) call 020 7724 4700 quoting Sunday Herald www.thearchlondon.com
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here