Family travel expert and host of the Mother Tongue podcast Maryanne Peacock checks into an elegant hotel alternative in London perfect for stylish families: COMO Metropolitan London Residences at Hereford Street
Why book COMO Metropolitan
The beauty of COMO Metropolitan Residences at Hereford Street is the size and location, making this a stand out option for families when visiting London. Hertford Street was laid out in London during the great building boom of the mid-1760s, its name taken from a nearby inn at the time: The Hertford Arms. The inn is long gone, but the street’s history of hospitality continues with our newly renovated Hertford Street Residences, which are elegant yet contemporary in style, with every home comfort. The Residences have been redesigned as larger, brighter spaces with layouts that allow for seamless stays of any length, with full access to COMO Metropolitan London services. All The Residences are two bed-rooms with two duplex options and come fitted out with a kitchen, living room and some, an outdoor courtyard.
Location: 10/10
The hotel is in the heart of the British capital; it’s bang on Park Lane, overlooking Hyde Park with easy access to both the tube and bus routes. In the middle of Mayfair and Knightsbridge, you can pop to the park, swing by Harrods or dine out in on of Soho’s many trendy restaurants. The nearest airports are Heathrow and Gatwick. Heathrow is 45 away by car and Gatwick 75 minutes away – both are also accessible by train via Paddington or Victoria.
Rooms & Suites: 8/10
There are various residences on offer from the Class Residences, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a separate kitchen as well as spacious living and dining spaces; The Penthouse Residence, with four bedrooms – two master en suites, one twin room and one single bedroom plus The Duplexes. There are also interconnecting residences that can be connected to create flexible communal living arrangements. Furniture is contemporary, sourced from Porada, Morgan and Bo Concept, chosen to complement the architecture instead of obscuring it. The kitchen is by DesignSpace with Siemens appliances and Unistone worktops. The Residences have also been fitted with encrypted, high- speed Wi-Fi 6 – the industry’s highest-performing wireless connectivity that offers faster, steadier data transfer speeds. Additionally, each Residence comes with an COMO Tablet, which guests can use to access COMO Metropolitan London services, order in-room food, request amenities, contact the hotel team and more. Entertainment is at the touch of a button with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Youtube, Spotify and other preferred services all available – the Music Concierge has also curated playlists to play through the Bose sound systems in every room to accompany you on your stay.
Food & Drink: 8/10
Whilst there aren’t many F&B options, the offering they do have is strong! Home to Nobu, the world-ranking restaurant, a visit to COMO Metropolitan is not complete without a visit to the modern Japanese-Peruvian fusion eatery, where you’ll find the signature black cod dish – the best in town. Breakfast is served at the White Room and whilst staying in the residences, the room service menu is an easy go to! All order-able on the in-residence iPad, the room-service menu, which includes Nobu specialties, offers an array of burgers, sandwiches and drinks, any time of the day or night. A children’s menu is available during the day too, and dishes from the Como Shambhala Urban Escape spa menu can be summoned at the click of a button. If you are staying in the residences, you also have the option of popping to the local supermarket and whipping up a feast in your own private, fully kitted out kitchen.
Spa & Facilities: 9/10
The hotel has also got a fantastic relationship and on-going partnership with the V&A Museum. On 20th May 2024 they are hosting a COMO Conversation: A curator-led discussion with Lydia Caston, Exhibition Project Curator of the new ‘Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection’ exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). They have also recently partnered with The Royal Parks, to bring guests a series of inspiring tours and special events in London’s historic green spaces.
The spa at the main hotel is also highly impressive. The holistic Como Shambhala Urban Escape spa offers a range of treatments in its six treatment rooms. Options range from massages, including Shiatsu and Thai massage, facials, reflexology and acupuncture. To compliment the wellness offering, Como Shambhala has a wellness menu in the restaurants and the spa for the healthy-conscious.
The Verdict: 9/10
Whilst it might not be the most stylish or trendy hotel in the city, I loved this hotel for its location and space – in fact, of all the hotel’s I have visited in London, this would be my preferred choice when visiting with my family. The spacious, bright rooms also have AC and heating, so perfect for both the winter and summer months and I love that you can easily pop to the park on a warm day. Whilst F&B options might not be in abundance inside the hotel, the few options they have cover all essential basis plus there are hundreds of great options on your door step (as well as Deliveroo).
