[PatJordan]

I was thrilled to receive a notification from St Ermin’s Hotel, London that I had won a two night stay in a junior suite (with breakfast), with one dinner for two included, courtesy of the team at Seatplans.com . This was a very welcome surprise, particularly as I received the email whilst sitting in my car on a cold winter morning, awaiting a breakdown recovery vehicle

I contacted Krystyna Hyrniewica to confirm dates and found her most helpful. Particularly so when I later asked if it would be possible to swap the dinner for afternoon tea: a cousin whom we hadn’t met for several years was travelling to London, and we felt this would be a nice location for a family reunion. I naturally offered to meet the additional cost involved. Krystyna was most helpful in making the arrangements.

St.Ermin’s Hotel is part of Marriott’s Autograph collection, and is located close to Victoria Station, and right beside St.James’s Park Underground. It is a beautiful building, just off Caxton Street, and uniformed doormen immediately appear to open the taxi door, carry luggage into the reception area and extend a very warm welcome.

The reception staff were equally welcoming and gave us an outline of mealtimes, facilities, etc.
As we arrived early, we stored our bags, and returned later. Our junior suite was decorated in a mixture of light green, beige and light brown it is very relaxing. The bathroom was very well appointed with “the White Company” toiletries. The sitting room had a wide (and very comfortable) sofa, ideal for relaxing after a day exploring London’s many sights.

Afternoon tea is normally served in a mezzanine overlooking the entrance foyer, but as this was closed for renovations, we were seated in a very pleasant area of the library. We had opted for the Prosecco (a mere £6 extra), and commendably, the staff were assiduous at keeping our glasses refilled.

The quality, the presentation and the service was superb. As each course was served, each individual item was described to us. Each of us thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We moved to the lobby to continue our reunion, and found a wine reception in progress. This was accompanied by some delightful canapés.

A lovely touches in the room included a turndown service, with slippers on a mat beside the bed. A chocolate bee adorned each pillow. This pays homage to the hotels bee garden (on the third floor).
The bed was very comfortable, and we had a very good night’s sleep.

Breakfast was a very high standard, and included a vast range of breads, pastries, cold cuts, fruits, and a very good quality tea.
On our second evening, we had a meal in the bar: none other than traditional fish & chips. A huge chunk of flaky white fish, encased in a light crispy batter, a good helping of chips, and mushy peas which had the sweetness of being freshly picked…it was perfectly presented and tasted divine.

This was one of our most enjoyable hotel stays, and from the moment we arrived in the St.Ermin’s hotel, each and every member of staff we encountered made us feel welcome. That this service standard was extended to us on what was a non-revenue stay is all the more remarkable.
The hotel’s location is excellent, with good access to all transport links. We were flying from London City Airport which is a mere 35 minutes using the Underground and DLR.
To paraphrase a fellow reviewer:

Would we recommend St.Ermin’s: Yes

Would we return to St.Ermins: Yes

[Mark Caswell]

Glad to hear you enjoyed your prize stay Pat. Coincidentally we’re giving away a similar prize on the Business Traveller website this month:

https://www.businesstraveller.com/competitions/win-luxury-two-night-stay-distinctly-individual-st-ermins-hotel-2/

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