Athenaeum Hotel and Apartments - London

Location.

The historic, privately owned Athenaeum Hotel and Apartments is located opposite Green Park on bustling Piccadilly in central London, England. Hyde Park is 500 metres away and Piccadilly Circus is half-a-mile away. Buckingham Palace, Harrods department store and Oxford Street, the country's biggest shopping street, are within a mile, as is Westminster Abbey. Green Park is the nearest Tube station to the hotel.

Hotel Features.

Originally an Edwardian gentleman's club, the Athenaeum was later used by Rank Pictures to accommodate visiting Hollywood stars. Polished wood and brass fittings in the lobby retain an air of exclusivity.

Diners can sample modern- British food, including pre-theatre specials, in the Hugo Boss-designed Bullochs Restaurant with its mosaic floor and intimate alcoves, their walls covered in tromple l'oeil fabrics. Some chairs have plaques relating to famous guests from yesteryear. The clubby Whisky Bar has 157 single-malts, and the 24-hour lounge offers light meals and afternoon tea.

There is a business centre and the hotel has high-speed Internet access (surcharge) and a selection of conference rooms, the largest for up to 55 people.

The basement spa's treatments include enzymatic body rubs with sea mud, and in-room massages are available (surcharge). There is a 24-hour gym with steam room and sauna.

Guestrooms.

The Athenaeum Hotel's 157 guestrooms and apartments have check or floral bedspreads with Egyptian-cotton linens and padded headboards. Traditional English chests, topped with leather, serve as bedside tables, while a bedside console controls temperature and the 'do not disturb' sign. Bang and Olufsen cable television, DVD/CD players and television Internet access (surcharge) are included. The marble bathrooms have bathrobes, power-showers and Neutrogena products.

Expert Tip.

If guests fill out the hotel's detailed questionnaire, the hotel promises to remember every detail of their preferences for their future visits.

This is a smoke-free property.

Cats and dogs are permitted in apartments only and cannot be left unattended; other restrictions apply.

The following fees and deposits are charged by the property upon service, check-in, or check-out.

Parking: £38 daily

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.