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Asian cuisine. Its main restaurant, Ting, with gleaming marble floors and a gracefully warm, minimalist interior, is a safe haven from the hus- tle and bustle of the city below. Executive chef Emil Minev excels with modern European dishes with an Asian twist. He uses produce from near- by local food markets and each dish is delicately crafted with meticulous attention to detail. His artistic creations are a sight to behold. Next to each bed, there is a bound book, “Lost Horizon” by James Hilton. It tells the story of a group of people marooned in “Shangri-La.” Everything they could want or need is there for them, away from the cares of the rest of the world. Shangri-La Hotel at the Shard London lives up to its name. www.the-shard.com/shangri-la THE DORCHESTER HOTEL When visiting the Dorchester, London, now over eighty years old and one of the world’s most iconic hotels, it is easy to see why it is a favorite of celebrities, world leaders and royalty

The Dorchester Spa, relaunched five years ago as an Art-Deco-styled temple to treatments, features the Carol Joy London hairdressing sa- lon, which offers a consultation, cutting, styl- ing and coloring. Its intensive hair treatments use golden millet oil and diamond dust ingre- dients. There is also a gentlemen’s barber shop that has been offering traditional grooming ser- vices for over thirty years. The Spatisserie is an intimate space for light lunches, afternoon tea, champagne and spa cocktails. The hotel’s other restaurants include The

minous oval curtain. The table is surrounded by 4,500 shimmering fiber optics, which drop from the ceiling, allowing guests to enjoy the ambiance of the restaurant while still being screened from view. Guests are served exclu- sively with Hermes china, Puiforcat silverware and Saint Louis crystal. A sample of Alain Ducasse’s lunch menu includes royale of foie gras accompanied by celeriac and dried figs presented in silver oval- shaped covered bowls. A soft-boiled quail egg in a cucumber sauce had a delicate flavor as did the succulent plaice, a light white fish sur- rounded by seasonal vegetables. Top this off with a dark chocolate bar surrounded by fresh raspberries or a dish of sorbet. 53 Park Lane, London www.dorchestercollection.com PARK LANE HOTEL 45 Park Lane, in the heart of London’s Mayfair, is the sister hotel to The Dorches- ter, located just a few steps away. Opened in 2011, it boasts 45 rooms, each overlooking Hyde Park, and containing unique works of art by contemporary British artists including Damien Hurst, Sir Peter Blake, and Brendan Neiland. Known for its contemporary inte- riors designed by New York-based designer

THE DORCHESTER HOTEL

ALAIN DUCASSE AT THE DORCHESTER

PHOTO BY PIERRE MONETTA

PARK LANE HOTEL

alike, for it is the epitome of timeless glamour. Its 250 rooms and suites, adorned with an- tique furniture, beautiful English wallpaper and the finest of fabrics, are designed with one’s comfort in mind. Everything from the white Italian marble bathrooms with their extra deep bathtubs, to the exquisite views of Hyde Park from the beautifully festooned windows, adds an aura of elegance to the surroundings. The suites at the Dorchester are indeed fit for a king and queen. Two adjoining rooms offer unpar- alleled luxury. A canopied bed, English writ- ing desk, a fireplace, and exquisite moldings throughout, add to the décor.

Promenade, with grand marble pillars, known worldwide for its afternoon tea, served from 1:30 to 6:30 pm; The Bar, known for its fine se- lection of award-winning cocktails; and China Tang, set in the Art-Deco style of the 1930s, offering authentic Cantonese cuisine. How- ever, visitors to the hotel must experience the three-star Michelin Alain Ducasse restaurant at The Dorchester, where executive chef Jocelyn Herland interprets the famed chef ’s cuisine us- ing seasonal produce from British and French suppliers. For a private gathering, The Table Lumiere is the centerpiece of this restaurant, shielded from the rest of the patrons by a lu-

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