The Dorchester – Mayfair's floor-a-week landmark

On Park Lane, where Mayfair gives way to the green sweep of Hyde Park, The Dorchester occupies a site with its own layered history: a townhouse called Dorchester House stood here until it was demolished in 1929 to make way for the present Dorchester Hotel, and the new hotel opened its doors on April 20, 1931. Built in record time over 18 months, at the speed of a floor a week, it became the world's first hotel constructed from reinforced concrete, an engineering feat as audacious as its Art Deco glamour. Nearly a century on, it still retains its 1930s furnishings and ambiance, despite later alterations, and after a four-year renovation, the most significant in The Dorchester's history, the hotel reopened with renewed energy. The MICHELIN Guide awards The Dorchester Two Keys; within its walls, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester holds three MICHELIN Stars, and The Grill at The Dorchester carries a MICHELIN Plate.

01The house

The hotel's foundations run deeper than 1931. In 1853 Robert Holford built a grand Italian palazzo-style house to replace the original, but kept the same name. By 1910 Dorchester House became the American Embassy and was later used as a hospital during World War I, before being demolished in 1929. Sir Robert McAlpine created a vision for what he considered to be the perfect hotel, engaging the architects to realise it in reinforced concrete rather than traditional masonry — a choice that gave the new Dorchester an unexpected reputation a decade later, when the strength of its construction gave the hotel the reputation of being one of London's safest buildings, and some politicians and military leaders chose it as their London residence during the Second World War.

During the 1930s, it became known as a haunt of writers and artists such as poet Cecil Day-Lewis, novelist Somerset Maugham, and the painter Alfred Munnings. It has held prestigious literary gatherings, such as the Foyles Literary Luncheons, an event the hotel still hosts today. In 1953, the hotel celebrated the coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II by inviting leading British stage set designer Oliver Messel to decorate the hotel façade, decorations said to be the best in London. Seventy years on, The Dorchester celebrated King Charles III's coronation with a façade that paid homage to its 1953 décor.

02Rooms and suites

The Dorchester counts 173 rooms and 68 suites, providing a range of accommodation options for leisure and business travellers. The most storied address under its roof is the Oliver Messel Suite: in the 1950s theatrical designer Oliver Messel made sweeping changes to the hotel's interior, designing the lavish apartments on the seventh and eighth floors that bear his name, in the Georgian country-house style, colourfully decorated with yellow silk walls and bronze-work pillars.

Insider tip

Dress smartly for dinner; the spa and gym keep long daily hours; Heathrow is about 45 minutes by car.

For the grandest stay, the Royal Suite spans from 265 to 433 square metres, with a double living room, separate dining room, private study, fully equipped kitchen and butler service, with room to connect up to four bedrooms; a chequered marble lobby opens onto its grand reception rooms and private bedroom suite, all overlooking Hyde Park. The hotel's namesake suite is more intimate but no less generous: with separate living and dining areas, The Dorchester Suite also offers connecting options for a five-bedroom configuration, and guests booking it are treated to a complimentary speed nap experience in the spa.

03Where to eat

Dining runs to four restaurants and three bars. At the top of the bill is Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, holding three MICHELIN Stars; alongside it, The Grill at The Dorchester carries a MICHELIN Plate. The roster also takes in China Tang at The Dorchester, The Spatisserie, Parcafe and The Wine Vault, with a private Chef's Table. For a tradition dating back to the hotel's 1931 opening, afternoon tea is still served every day at five o'clock, in The Promenade.

04The bar

Evenings move to the Artists' Bar and the Vesper Bar, two of the hotel's three bars. Dress matters here: although London forever strides ahead, elegance never goes out of style, and The Dorchester is very keen on the habit of dressing brilliantly.

05Spa and wellbeing

The Dorchester Spa offers treatment rooms, fitness facilities and personalised wellness services with leading experts, open from 8am to 7pm, with the gym running from 6am Monday to Saturday and from 7am on Sundays and bank holidays. Among recent arrivals is La Prairie, with its new facial treatments and exclusive spa experience, and guests also have access to the pool at neighbouring hotel 45 Park Lane.

06The neighbourhood

Mayfair surrounds the hotel's Park Lane doorstep, with Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Bond Street, Harrods, Green Park, Piccadilly and the West End all within easy reach. Heathrow is approximately 45 minutes away by car, depending on traffic conditions.

07Making the most of a stay

Book a signature suite and the extras multiply: dedicated butler service, complimentary round-trip airport transfers, access to a chauffeur-driven car subject to availability, and a complimentary Speed Nap Experience at The Dorchester Spa for each guest. Literary London still gathers here, too, for the Foyles Literary Luncheons the hotel still hosts today.

For a weekend. For a lifetime.