Hotel Check-In checks into London hotels

By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY

Greetings from London!

I arrived here this morning for a six-day, whirlwind tour of London's many new (St. Pancras Renaissance), newly renovated (The Savoy) and in-the-works hotels (Edition).

In the four hours since I landed at Heathrow, I've toured the InterContinental Park Lane, which is in the midst of improvements, and the Dorchester in London's upscale Mayfair district. This afternoon, I'll hit the Four Seasons at Park Lane to see its extensive renovation and meet with Four Seasons executives.

For the rest of my stay, I plan to hit both traditional districts such as Mayfair and Kensington, as well as up-and-coming areas such as Shoreditch, a once rough-and-tumble area that in recent years has become a hip destination.

Some of the hotels I'll tour and/or check into will be relatively easy on the wallet, and perhaps would make a great base for the 2012 Summer Olympics (Mint Hotel Tower of London) or for a limited-budget business trip. Others will clearly be luxury, budget busting hotels suitable for big-ticket business trips or a personal splurge.

After jogging around Hyde Park, which is just steps outside my room at the InterContinental Park Lane, here are the hotels I plan to tour over the next few days:

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel: Hotel Check-In's getting an exclusive, pre-opening tour of what may be the most-buzzed-about hotel in London. Locals can't wait to see what designers have done with the landmark, red-brick High Victorian Gothic building (photo above). Owners spent an incredible $325 million making over the dramatic structure. I'm guessing it will be the flagship for Marriott's Renaissance, which former W exec Tina Edmundson's been trying to transform. The hotel's official opening party isn't until May.

(When I posted the historic photo above of the Gothic St. Pancras structure, Facebook buddy Jim Shriner wrote on my Facebook page, "Love it! Another addition to our bucket list!")

Four Seasons at Park Lane: This hotel in the heart of London's prestigious Mayfair district has undergone a major revamp, complete with a rooftop spa with treetop views of Hyde Park and a rooftop spa.

Hoxton Hotel: This trendy hotel prices its rooms like Ryanair, so the further advance that you book, the cheaper the price. Each night, the hotel actually sells five rooms to guests at just one pound each.

W Hotel: Starwood's trendy W chain recently made its debut here with in Leicester Square. The hotel, in the city's equivalent of New York's bustling Times Square, plays up its fashionista reputation with a dramatically dark, nightclub looking lobby. The hotel scheduled to throw its splashy, celeb-filled opening party in a week and a half.

Kensington Hotel: This chic hotel belongs to the Doyle Collection, a small, Ireland-based luxury boutique chain that has a relationship with Omni Hotels through a global loyalty program. Luxury rooms start at $220 a night, which is on the inexpensive side for pricey London.

Edition Hotel: Ian Schrager's creating another Edition, his luxury boutique hotel venture with Marriott International, in a 175-year-old building. Most recently, the building housed the Berners Hotel, whicht closed in 2006.

Readers: Any other suggestions for me while I'm in town?

Posted Mar 9 2011 9:27AM

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