Located in a meticulously restored Grade II listed building near London Bridge, this ultra-luxurious hotel has just been accepted into the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group. Baroque Travel has all the details
On the London scene since February 2017, The LaLit Hotel is owned by New Delhi-based hotel company, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group. Now it’s been heralded as one of the most luxurious small hotels in the world, a collection of exceptional small, independently owned luxury hotels. The 70 beautifully designed rooms are each decorated with custom-made art, combining the best of Indian culture with a quintessential British charm.
This plush boutique hotel, which is located within walking distance of Tower Bride and London’s vibrant Southbank area is discreetly tucked away in the heart of the city, close to many of London’s superb attractions. It was restored to its former glory over a five-year period, and the result is quite exceptional – a magnificent structure that combines original Victorian features with custom-made, colorful Indian interiors and absolutely modern technology.
In its former incarnation this 180-year-old Neo-Baroque building was St Olave’s Grammar School and there are reminiscences of this past history in the new hotel, including the strikingly paneled Great Hall, as well as two bars that are located in what was once the Teachers’ Room and the Headmaster’s Room. The latter is as opulent and sophisticated and features premium cognacs and champagnes, while the Teachers’ Room offers an upmarket setting for enjoying cocktails and evening drinks.
In the dramatically refurbished Great Hall one finds the hotel’s pan-Indian restaurant, Baluchi, which offers a selection of dishes from all over India including Bengal, Goa, Kashmir and Kerala. In the restaurant, there’s a Naanery, a place for guests to pair wines with superb artisanal breads prepared in a tandoor as well as in an outdoor shisha terrace. In the afternoons, guests are given the opportunity to enjoy the best of two worlds – British and Indian – with a stunning High Chai Afternoon tea that features a variety of sweet and savory fare as well as two bespoke teas.
Some of the exquisite guest rooms also boast exceptionally high ceilings – 30 feet of spaciousness! In every guest room, guests will find a mobile phone that has been localized to assist them in exploring the city and makes sure they are connected throughout their stay. In addition, the hotel offers an excellent spa, Rejuve, which features one of a very few Ayurvedic treatment tables in the city and offers a selection of extremely specialized treatments that take the mind, body and soul on a journey of relaxation. One of these is Shirodhara, that apparently improves memory, assists with sleep and normalizes blood pressure.
The LaLit is the ninth hotel in London to achieve the honor of being one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH). It was awarded this special honor because of its extraordinary attention to detail, as well as the craftsmanship involved in its restructure and the excellent fine dining Indian restaurant on the premises.
A unique welcome for guests is the majestic statue of Ganpati at the entrance of the hotel, which is how Indian tradition invokes Lord Ganesha, the God of prosperity, fortune and success. According to Hindu mythology, a prayer is offered to Ganapati before a new beginning, to achieve fruitful results.