History-soaked comfort at this royal-approved Mayfair stalwart

Steeped in history, The Stafford London is just steps from Green Park and beloved by royals, spies and American visitors alike

By Suzanne Elliott

London’s recent luxury hotel boom may have taken the spotlight away from the city’s celebrated grande dames (at least temporarily), but like its Mayfair neighbours, Claridge’s and The Ritz, the history of The Stafford London is as much a draw as its high standards and plush rooms.

There’s plenty to intrigue guests at this Mayfair stalwart. Over the decades, the hotel has hosted a collection of colourful characters, from wartime heroes to members of the British royal family. The New Zealand-born French Resistance spy and the most highly decorated servicewoman of the Second World War, Nancy Wake, was a longtime resident at the hotel. Wake could usually be found in the American Bar, sipping her first gin and tonic of the day at 11am. Today, her legacy lives on in her permanently reserved bar stool and the White Mouse, a cocktail named in her honour.

The Stafford is very popular with American visitors

Another famous gin fan, the Queen Mother, was also known to be a frequent lunchtime visitor at The Stafford, travelling discreetly through the underground tunnels that once connected the hotel to St James’s Palace.

The hotel is very popular with American visitors, attracted to the 106-key hotel by its quintessential Englishness, coupled with a quiet luxury and a superb location.

Location

The hotel borders Green Park and is within walking distance of some of London’s leading landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Fortnum & Mason. It is also a short walk to the theatre district and the shopping meccas of Bond Street and Regent Street.

Rooms & Suites

The Stafford London offers 106 bedrooms and suites across the Main House, the all-suite Mews building and the historic Carriage House.

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Spear’s stayed in the very pleasant King’s Room in the Mews building that overlooked the courtyard and American Bar. Some suites can feel austere in their flashiness, but these wood-panelled rooms in muted creams and browns were understated and comfortable, with a neat sitting area and a good-sized desk, bordered by book-lined shelves.

The bed was huge and welcoming, while royal-approved Penhaligon’s toiletries lined a deep bath and roomy shower. A small balcony overlooked the courtyard. The feel was that of a homely apartment rather than a hotel room; no bad thing for those seeking comfort with elegance.

The hotel’s top room offering is the Penthouse Suite, which offers a fabulous panoramic view, while The Gatehouse is a three-storey townhouse with a chic and private setting, ideal for extended stays.

Food & Drink

The American Bar is a small, panelled bar, which on a warm summer’s evening spills out onto the courtyard tables. Inside, the interiors pay homage to American sports with baseball gloves, hats and shirts lining the walls and ceilings, all very tastefully done (it doesn’t feel like you’re in Planet Hollywood). The bar is a buzzy pitstop staffed by genial, laidback servers. The drinks are very good: a lip-smackingly delicious Cocchi Negroni and a briny martini that came with a small portion of crunchy, beautifully seasoned fries as part of what the hotel calls a ‘happy meal’.

Enjoy an ice cold martini at the American Bar

The hotel’s restaurant, the Game Bird, as it still was when Spear’s visited, is on the cusp of change, with celebrated chef Michael Caines heading up a revamp of the hotel’s only restaurant, including a new name and ‘identity’ from the autumn.

The restaurant’s identity pre-Caines skewed towards a traditional Mayfair clubhouse, a nod to the elevated British cuisine it serves. The restaurant was quiet on the Saturday night we visited – once a large group of suited and booted young men (the world’s smartest stag do?) drank up their martinis and left – but the weight of the hotel’s history seemed enough to bring the place to life.

The Game Bird doesn’t chase trends; it embraces traditional dishes with a lot of soul. The food was excellent, as was the accompanying wine from what is believed to be London’s oldest wine cellar. The thick hand-dived scallops were some of the best Spear’s has had anywhere. Alongside was a glossy brioche served with excellent English butter.

The Dover sole was expertly filleted at the table and washed down with buttery Chapel Down chardonnay. The parmigiana was a rich slab of roasted aubergine in a vibrant tomato sauce, accompanied by a well-seasoned green salad and more chips – this time fatter, crunchier and fluffier.

The Sutherland Room; note the nod to a royal favourite

Dessert was a rich rhubarb soufflé, the colour of Parma violets, that defeated me, and a rather wonderful trifle presented in a glass bowl with a cherry on top – a picture postcard of a pudding. Both were accompanied by a delightful dessert wine.

Like the rest of the hotel, the food was unfussy and well presented, with a certain sort of Englishness – polished, refined without being overly attention seeking.

À la carte breakfast is also served in the Game Bird, and included British standards such as full English, eggs on toast etc, as well as pastries, granola and yoghurt.

Service

Polite and unobtrusive. Servers were rather overwhelmed at breakfast.

Good to know

Built by Lord Francis Godolphin, the 400-year-old wine cellar served as an air raid shelter during the Second World War, and is now home to an extensive collection of hundreds of carefully selected wines.

Verdict

The Stafford offers informal luxury and comfort for those seeking a traditional yet unstuffy experience. The hotel is perfectly located within walking distance of some of London’s leading landmarks and its most picturesque green spaces.