From real-deal monarchy to Hollywood royalty, The Dorchester London has remained a beloved haunt for the world’s A-listers for nearly a century. But whether you’re an A, B, C or Z-lister, this oh-so peachy Park Lane palace will unfailingly treat you like royalty. Amid the galaxy of stars who have bedded down here from Elizabeth Taylor and David Bowie to Tom Cruise and Brigitte Bardot, this iconic hotel is a byword for true luxury, so why not treat yourself to a vintage glitterati getaway? And the history that suffuses this glorious hotel is equally enchanting.  

The Dorchester has enjoyed an enduring relationship with the House of Windsor, since its doors first opened in 1931. Lording over Hyde Park, the Queen and her cortege dressed for her wedding at the hotel, in 1947, while Prince Charles famously threw his bachelor party here. Time-honoured opulence pours from every nook and cranny, with eye-catching and gold-standard décor at every turn. I cheerily drunk in all the artistry, from the hotel’s majestic carpets (each floor sports a distinctive colour), to the divine Art Deco clocks by the lifts.  

Within seconds of entering the gleaming, majestic lobby, sparkling staff whisk me up to my luxurious quarters to complete the check-in formalities, swaddled in supreme comfort. Accentuating the wow-factor, my butler Miguel swiftly arrives to warmly greet me. I’ve been upgraded to a Hyde Park Suite, one of the most illustrious of the property’s 241 rooms. Popping with 1930s glamour, I swoon over the lobby’s marble chequered flooring, and royal blue velvet wallpaper. Yes, my three-room suite has a lobby! My enormous bathroom, clad in creamy marble, has a bathtub that could house a small family.  

The living room in the Hyde Park suite. Photo / DorchesterCollection

Dainty floral motifs dance from the curtains, while sumptuously inviting blue sofas frame the living room. The suite embodies English country charm at its beguiling best, with space to dine, entertain and unwind. The attention to detail is faultless. The extensive light switch panels are thoughtfully with images of what each individual light switch controls. There’s all the contemporary creature comforts too without going gadget-crazy, like enormous Bang & Olufsen TVs. 

As I slung open the French doors to soak up the Hyde Park vista in the sparkling spring sunshine, my perky butler Miguel returns with a fresh pot of tea and plate of exquisite biscuits. It’s those heart-warming, homely touches in such a glamourous hotel, that add to the sweet seduction. Highly personable, Miguel has been a fixture of The Dorchester for decades. He’s at my service to attend to any whims and needs, from concierge bookings and unpacking to ironing or even hanging up clothes. I assure him that I’m actually very low maintenance. As my tea steeps, he regales me with all manner of tales and I discover that he had some remarkable encounters as butler to Elizabeth Taylor in her dying days.  

Miguel the Butler serving tea in the suite. Photo / Mike Yardley 

Travelling with her entourage to the Dorchester, Miguel remarked that Taylor adored Christmas and desperately wanted to enjoy one last Christmas with her loyal staff. It was May, but she asked Miguel if it would be possible to arrange Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. Nothing of course is out of question for The Dorchester, so a full Christmas dinner with all the festive fare was promptly cooked to order, complete with her suite being dressed with Christmas trees.  

If you can tear yourself away from the cosseted finery of your accommodations, the hotel’s line-up of destination dining venues are swollen with temptations. Beyond the lobby, The Promenade is one the hotel world’s most envied spaces, a gilded and carpeted catwalk of pleasures, an avenue of resplendent indulgence, dressed with buxom banquettes, marble flooring, striking black-and-gold pillars and alluring artworks. I marvelled over Ann Carrington's Queen Elizabeth II portrait, created from over 1,000 mother-of-pearl buttons. It’s the central living room of The Dorchester, enlivened with coral-coloured silk draperies and gold-framed mirrors.  

Breathe in the glamour and the grandeur in this people-watching paradise while partaking in one of the multiple daily sittings of Afternoon Tea, if you’re not staying in-house. It’s also a supreme spot for a stylish breakfast, serving up the best pain au chocolat I've ever had, bursting with the most intensely delicious chocolate. Ditto for the eggs benedict with HG Walter traditional ham and hollandaise. One of the most popular breakfast dishes is Tom’s Truffle Eggs & Soldiers. For sweet-tooths, don’t go past Tom’s brioche French toast with pecans, orange dulce de leche and crème fraiche. 

The Promenade. Photo / DorchesterCollection

Trailing off The Promenade are entrances to The Grill, Vesper Bar, the three-Michelin-star Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester and restaurant China Tang. Whether you’re staying in-house or not, a London must-do is to partake in Sunday roast lunch at The Grill by Tom Booton. The restaurant is all bronzes and browns, with parquet flooring and a stunningly spidery chandelier. The Grill by Tom Booton is a celebration of bold British cuisine, classic dishes with a tasty and modern twist, from this red-hot Essex chef who is shaking Britain’s old standards. For a starter, I plumped for a cheese & onion doughnut with grape chutney. Unbelievably good! Miguel had warned me to pack a big appetite – and he wasn’t wrong, because the surfeit of sides that accompanies your main is astronomical.  

My roasted Hereford beef was accompanied with braised shin stuffed Yorkshire pudding, horseradish cream, and an assortment of bowls bursting with glazed carrots, cauliflower cheese, seasonal greens and duck fat potatoes. It was undoubtedly the best roast I have ever savoured in my life, with a kaleidoscope of flavours. But I still dream longingly about the cauliflower cheese, which was so soft and gooey and addictively irresistible. Apparently, the secret is to slightly roast the cauli and the cheese should be gruyere and cheddar. The ultimate comfort food. Fully in the grips of a five-star food coma, it would have been unspeakably churlish to decline dessert, so I blithely surrendered to that oh-so-British love affair with rhubarb. A slice of rhubarb pie was paired with rhubarb and custard soft serve ice cream, topped with tarragon, which enriched the dessert with a subtle anise-flavour. Another sinfully delicious, masterly executed dish to cap off a spectacular dining experience. 

Sunday roast at the Grill by Tom Booton. Photo / Mike Yardley 

Despite being such a seriously posh property, The Dorchester is anything but stiff.  I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the staff, who are pleasingly disarming and personable – no matter who you are. Unfailingly welcoming, engaging and attentive – this hotel embodies the highest service values.  From royals, rock stars and passing glitterati to travellers seeking a taste of the holiday high-life, 53 Park Lane is quite simply one of the finest hotel addresses in the world offering unforgettable encounters. dorchestercollection.com/en/london/the-dorchester/  

I flew to London with Cathay Pacific, who are extending their wings across Europe, launching direct flights to Munich in June and Brussels in August. This will increase Cathay Pacific’s reach into Europe by flying to 11 destinations. If you prefer to turn left when boarding, Cathay’s London services are operated by Boeing 777s which include the all-new Aria Suites in the Business cabin, complete with sliding doors. Services between Hong Kong and Auckland are operated by advanced A350-900s. The aircraft offer fully flat beds in Business, spacious seats in Premium Economy and comfort in Economy. The cabin air quality is decidedly better on A350s, and you’ll notice how much quieter these big birds are. The seatback entertainment system kept me suitably engaged with a head swirl of premium movie and TV selections, live news channels - all in vivid 4K, plus in-flight WiFi is available. cathaypacific.com 

Mike Yardley is our resident traveller and can be heard every Saturday with Jack Tame on Newstalk ZB.