Brown’s Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel

Hotel Description

You know what hits you first at Brown’s? It’s this sense that you’ve somehow stumbled into someone’s incredibly posh relative’s townhouse – if that relative happened to have impeccable taste and a serious budget. I mean, this place has been around since 1837, and honestly, it shows in the best possible way. The lobby feels more like a drawing room where you half expect to bump into someone discussing the latest West End show over afternoon tea.

The location is actually brilliant if you know Mayfair at all. You’re tucked away on Albemarle Street, which is quiet enough that you won’t have tourists tramping past your window at all hours, but you’re literally a two-minute walk from Bond Street station and all that shopping madness on Oxford Street. What I really love is that you can slip down to Fortnum & Mason in about five minutes – perfect for grabbing those weird British snacks you can’t find anywhere else. The staff seem to genuinely know the neighborhood too, not just the obvious tourist spots. They pointed me toward this tiny art gallery around the corner that I never would have found otherwise.

The rooms are where Brown’s really shows off, but in that understated English way. Everything’s done in these rich fabrics and warm colors that make you want to curl up with a book, and the beds – well, let’s just say I had genuine trouble getting up in the morning. The bathrooms are properly luxurious without being ridiculous about it, though I’ll warn you the shower controls took me a solid three minutes to figure out (worth it once you do). One thing that surprised me was how quiet everything is, considering you’re right in the heart of London. The windows must be incredibly well-made because I barely heard any street noise, even on the lower floors.

The afternoon tea is sort of legendary here – they claim to have invented it, actually – and while I can’t verify that historically, I can tell you it’s pretty spectacular. The service throughout the hotel strikes this perfect balance between attentive and not hovering over you, which is harder to pull off than you’d think. Check-in was smooth, no weird surprises with the bill, and they actually helped me sort out a dinner reservation at a place that was supposedly fully booked. That’s the kind of thing that makes a 9.1 rating make sense – it’s all these little touches that you don’t always notice until you’re staying somewhere that doesn’t bother with them.

Rooms

• Executive King / Twin Room with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Deluxe King or Twin Room with 1 extra-large double bed for 3 adults, 2 children
• Junior Suite with 1 large double bed for 3 adults, 1 child
• Classic Suite with 1 large double bed for 3 adults, 2 children
• Deluxe Suite with 1 large double bed for 3 adults, 2 children
• Suite with 1 extra-large double bed for 3 adults, 1 child
• King Suite with 1 extra-large double bed for 3 adults, 1 child
• Superior King or Twin Room with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Double Room with 1 double bed for 1 adult

Facilities