There is no bad season to visit London. Late spring and the beautiful summer brings the outdoors to life, with Londoners heading to the parks, and soaking in every moment of sun. Even on London's famously grey days, the museums, galleries and stores more than make up for the gloomy weather. And of course at Christmas, with the lights of Regent Street, Bond Street and Oxford Street sparkling through the cold, you can't deny the special kind of storybook magic here, quintessentially London.

Located between Green Park and Hyde Park, the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane has been at the heart of this city for almost a century. Its story begins in 1924, when architect Henry Tanner designed and Sir Bracewell Smith completed a building that had been abandoned since before the First World War, standing half-built for so long that it was nicknamed The Birdcage. Completed by 1927, the hotel reflected the Art Deco style of the twenties in its finest form, its distinctive white Marmo-Faience façade, a fireproof material designed never to blacken, overlooking Green Park.

 

The interior was entirely overseen by Mrs Bracewell Smith, who created a series of remarkable spaces: an Art Deco mock-Tudor breakfast room decorated by Harrods, a French restaurant furnished by Waring & Gillow, a Grill Room whose wood panelling came from Pierpont Morgan's house at Princes Gate, and a Smoke Room ceiling that is an exact replica of the Reindeer Inn in Banbury. At its heart was the Ballroom, designed by Higgs & Hill with a scientifically engineered dance floor and exquisite Art Deco styling making it truly the greatest ballroom of its time.

Marking its 70th anniversary, the Ballroom was fully restored with Sheraton commissioning specialist craftsmen from around the world, including Silver Gilders from Italy for the Silver Gallery entrance. Working in tandem with English Heritage, the restoration returned the space to its original grandeur using the colours true to the Art Deco era: mauve, lilac, purple and pink across fabrics and furnishings. Today it remainsLondon's monument to Art Deco, and the only Grade II listed Art Deco ballroom of its kind in the city.

Over the decades, the hotel has also become a sought-after location for film shooting, and has lent its iconic interiors to productions like Guy Ritchie's Revolver, Poirot: The Mystery of the Blue Train, GoldenEye, The Danish Girl, Brideshead Revisited and Shanghai Surprise, among many others. 

The 305 rooms, completely redesigned a few years ago, carry that same sense of heritage and contemporary ease. Each is furnished with a Sheraton Signature Sleep Experience bed and sleek monochrome bathrooms equipped with Le Grand Bain amenities in Classic and Superior rooms and Molton Brown across the suites. The Grand Suite has its own entrance lobby, master bedroom and bathroom, living and dining areas, study and guest WC, with an exceptional original marble bathroom and a large restored bathtub where you can rest and refresh after a long day out in the city. 

A year before its milestone centenary in 2027, the hotel has unveiled a newly renovated Palm Court, redesigned by Areen Design with faux shagreen finishes, brass accents, onyx pendant lighting and a restored stained-glass domed ceiling that bathes the room in a warm golden light. Live piano performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, and a new Art Deco afternoon tea menu by Head Pastry Chef Biju Joshwa — including the Gold Dome Lemon Meringue Pie, make it one of the finest afternoon tea experiences in Mayfair right now. Smith & Whistle, the hotel's bar, takes its name from the fictional pursuit of a high-class criminal, a characteristically British story, and serves modern classics made from seasonal British ingredients alongside artisan draught beers and expertly crafted cocktails. It is also dog-friendly, with a dedicated dogtails menu for four-legged guests. Mercante, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, offers Italian market-inspired dining beneath hand-drawn illustrations including a full-wall map of Italy that deserves a closer look.

The hotel's location is perfect for someone visiting for the first time or even a regular who wants the charm of vintage London while enjoying the central London's buzz. Steps from Knightsbridge and Harrods in one direction, Bond Street and Savile Row in the other, with Green Park directly opposite, Buckingham Palace a short stroll through its leafy paths and Hyde Park running along Park Lane just to the west; here, the whole of London feels navigable. And coming back to it, after a day of galleries and shops and theatre, truly feels like the best part of the day.

www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/longr-sheraton-grand-london-park-lane | @sheratongrandlondon