I’ve never had a staycation in London before, so this weekend I headed to five-star The Langham for a bit of rest and relaxation. You probably all know by know that I adore old hotels with a history, and The Langham has just that.
Opened in 1865, it was the largest and most modern hotel in the city of London, featuring a hundred water closets, thirty-six bathrooms, as well as the first hydraulic lifts in England! The hotel has seen quite a lot of excitement over the years, with Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, and Winston Churchill being regular guests.
The hotel was even in James Bond Goldeneye, and the setting for some of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories. I’m a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and have been since I was a child, my Year 10 English teacher thought it was hilarious that I knew absolutely everything about each character and major story. He then introduced me to Edgar Allan Poe, whom I also fell in love with.
Anywho. The Langham is a classically elegant hotel, yet utterly enchanting and a girlie girls absolute dream! Everything is pink. From the huge sprays of dusky pink roses that welcome you through the doors, to the keycard to the room, and the branding on all of their stationary. It’s subtle enough not to discourage male visitors, but noticeable enough to melt the heart of any girl who adores the little details.
And that’s what The Langham are great at; the little details. I opened the door to my Grand Room to find beautiful pink macarons waiting for me, along with a gorgeous card from the staff welcoming me. And then there was the turndown service, where they left a chocolate mint, a pink bottle of water, and a lovely quote from Oscar Wilde – I’ve already pinned it onto my wall at home. Watch the video below for the full room tour, then scroll down to see what I got up to the rest of my stay (including the incredible pool/spa!).
After settling in I got all dressed up and headed out to the ROSL Burns Night – my dress matched the hotel! It was raining so I took one of their umbrellas with me and accidentally left it in the cloakroom of the club. I told them I would pick it up and they told me not to worry, they said I could keep it as they had so many. I was secretly very happy as their umbrellas have the most gorgeous floral pattern on the underside.
I finally got back to the hotel from the burns night dinner at around 2am, and collapsed into the huge kingsized bed. I do love spreading out across a huge bed and laying the wrong way. The next morning I awoke late, went down to the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, Roux at the Landau, for breakfast, and then went for a dip in the pool. What a pool! It’s not huge but it was empty and absolutely stunning! They also have a gorgeous jacuzzi and a saltsauna.
After my swim I shuffled back up to my room in my bathrobe and slippers, and flopped onto the bed while I waited for my bath to run. I had a lovely relaxing bath (best bath ever FYI – it’s super deep!), and then tested out the shower (is it just me who can’t wash their hair in the bath?!) which was pretty good indeed!
I finally checked out at 12noon, which was just pure bliss. So often hotels ask you to checkout between 10am-11am, which is just far too soon, you can’t spend the morning relaxing and I often miss breakfast because I don’t wake up in time for it! I then left my bags behind the desk and went for afternoon tea with my mum, which I’ll be telling you all about in the next couple of weeks!
A huge thank you to The Langham for being so lovely, the entire experience really did enchant and wow me, and I can’t recommend them enough whether you’re staying from abroad or having a staycation. They’re also located right opposite the BBC centre at the top of Regent Street, so you’re close enough to the action but at the end that normal tourists don’t venture to.
Oh, ha. You thought I’d become refined and forgotten to take my standard throwing-myself-on-the-bed photo? Oh no no no. It’s here…I may have been slightly intoxicated when I returned from the ROSL event, I’m quite proud for getting the exact perfect moment on the self-timer though.
Catherine Lux is a veteran travel blogger by night and the Head of Content Marketing at Amazon by day. Originally from Surrey, she spent four years living in Australia (2007-2009, and 2016-2018), and now lives in London. An ex-party girl sometimes prone to relapses, she loves nothing more than sharing her fine dining and luxury travel experiences with her loyal readers.
It's such a beautiful hotel, I love the bar there especially. I'm the same with the hair bath thing, it doesn't feel really clean unless I wash it in the shower!
Lots of love,
Angie
Yes, it's gorgeous isn't it! I don't understand how people can wash it in the bath – you're using dirty water!
C x
Unknown
February 3, 2015 / 12:32 pm
Looks SO gorgeous! Very jealous!
Catherine Lux
February 9, 2015 / 3:16 pm
Isn't it beautiful! I wish I oould live there haha!
C x
Charli
February 3, 2015 / 12:43 pm
Oh wow- the pink. All the pink. This looks just lovely and very relaxing indeed! The last time I did a London staycation it was at Hotel Verta in Battersea. It always feels so decadent to stay in your own city as a guest; I'd love to do it more often!
Charli
Catherine Lux
February 5, 2015 / 1:20 pm
Yes, it was quite strange playing 'tourist' a five-minute walk from my office, but also really lovely!
C x
Unknown
February 3, 2015 / 2:29 pm
Love this!! I'm going my own little staycation this weekend, and this has really got me in the mood!
Same, I had no idea it was filmed there! I'm gonna have to watch it again now to try and spot the hotel!
C x
Unknown
February 3, 2015 / 9:44 pm
Wow! Now, that is what I call a hotel! A good pool is a must and it this one looks insane and so elegant. Officially in love! Looks like you had a lovely time on your staycation. I need to do one soon!
Isn't it amazing! So beautiful and classy! You must, it's brilliant having a mini-holiday in your own city!
C x
Frankie The Mayfairy
February 4, 2015 / 11:59 am
Hehehe I know exactly what you mean about the bed. As soon as you get a bed that's big enough to sleep the wrong way around YOU MUST sleep the wrong way around. It's a compulsion!
Catherine Lux
February 5, 2015 / 1:24 pm
Hahaha YES!
C x
Posh, Broke, & Bored
February 5, 2015 / 7:53 am
Oh I do love a good staycation! Hotels are the best – all that room to mess up and it magically cleans itself the next morning! 😉 And the last photo is gold x
I know, great isn't it! 😛 Hahaha, what a loser eh, drunkenly launching myself across the bed in front of the camera ha!
C x
Elle Croft
February 5, 2015 / 11:02 pm
I adore the Langham Hotel – the thing that I love the most is the scent in the lobby. It is just so classy and delicious and brings back great memories. And the pink, of course I love the pink!
Catherine Lux
February 9, 2015 / 3:16 pm
It's such a lovely scent isn't it! It very much reminded me of Intercontinental and Shangri-La hotels – all Asian based hotel groups funnily enough!
SO much pink, I loved it!!
C x
Unknown
February 10, 2015 / 9:16 pm
This sounds simply divine – a perfect staycation! (And well done on the flying shot!)
Katie
February 11, 2015 / 11:13 pm
Haha love the flying bed selfie!! Looks like a lovely stay. I've yet to have a stay cation in London yet. I'd really like to at some point though!
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It's such a beautiful hotel, I love the bar there especially. I'm the same with the hair bath thing, it doesn't feel really clean unless I wash it in the shower!
Lots of love,
Angie
SilverSpoon London
Yes, it's gorgeous isn't it! I don't understand how people can wash it in the bath – you're using dirty water!
C x
Looks SO gorgeous! Very jealous!
Isn't it beautiful! I wish I oould live there haha!
C x
Oh wow- the pink. All the pink. This looks just lovely and very relaxing indeed! The last time I did a London staycation it was at Hotel Verta in Battersea. It always feels so decadent to stay in your own city as a guest; I'd love to do it more often!
Charli
Yes, it was quite strange playing 'tourist' a five-minute walk from my office, but also really lovely!
C x
Love this!! I'm going my own little staycation this weekend, and this has really got me in the mood!
Polly xx
Follow Your Sunshine
Ah have a wonderful time!!
C x
Loved this post! The hotel looks incredible!
Cariad
cariadjade.blogspot.co.uk
x
Thanks! Isn't it just!
C x
I love the Oscar Wilde quote, am a big fan of his. Didn't know that Goldeneye was filmed there. The pool looks beautiful
Suze | LuxuryColumnist
Same, I had no idea it was filmed there! I'm gonna have to watch it again now to try and spot the hotel!
C x
Wow! Now, that is what I call a hotel! A good pool is a must and it this one looks insane and so elegant. Officially in love! Looks like you had a lovely time on your staycation. I need to do one soon!
Aftab | Fresh And Fearless
Isn't it amazing! So beautiful and classy! You must, it's brilliant having a mini-holiday in your own city!
C x
Hehehe I know exactly what you mean about the bed. As soon as you get a bed that's big enough to sleep the wrong way around YOU MUST sleep the wrong way around. It's a compulsion!
Hahaha YES!
C x
Oh I do love a good staycation! Hotels are the best – all that room to mess up and it magically cleans itself the next morning! 😉 And the last photo is gold x
Jasiminne | Posh, Broke, & Bored
I know, great isn't it! 😛 Hahaha, what a loser eh, drunkenly launching myself across the bed in front of the camera ha!
C x
I adore the Langham Hotel – the thing that I love the most is the scent in the lobby. It is just so classy and delicious and brings back great memories. And the pink, of course I love the pink!
It's such a lovely scent isn't it! It very much reminded me of Intercontinental and Shangri-La hotels – all Asian based hotel groups funnily enough!
SO much pink, I loved it!!
C x
This sounds simply divine – a perfect staycation! (And well done on the flying shot!)
Haha love the flying bed selfie!! Looks like a lovely stay. I've yet to have a stay cation in London yet. I'd really like to at some point though!
Katie <3