London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Some hotels are such gems I wish I could call them home.

The Arch, a few minutes walk from Oxford Street, is one of them. The rooms are luxurious, of course, bathed with natural light, every detail absolutely perfect. It is the comfortable atmosphere you will fall for, the ever so friendly staff who make you feel like you have been here before even on your first visit.

Rather than an pen lounge, the ground floor offers a separate room with welcoming sofas and a library, a clever mix of modern lines and dancing shadows. You immediately picture yourself sipping on a cup of tea on a rainy afternoon.

Another room is available close to reception if you need to print your boarding pass, check your emails, bring the final touches to a report… Wifi is complementatery of your reservation so no surprise on your final bill.

The hotel has invested in beautiful art pieces which bring personal touches here and there, even in the rooms. Wander in the corridors on the different floors to discover them:

Each door indicates elegantly your occupation – wonderful upgrade from the traditional paper sign:

6 types of rooms are available, each more elegant than the other but more importantly each with its own decoration and theme, down to its Cole & Son wallpaper. Windows open on the neighbourhood yards, with glimpses of adorable gardens and extra quietness.

Here on business? Each room includes a working space as well as US and Europe adaptors:

On top of the large flat screen TV and CD/DVD player, guests will find an internet radio and i-pod dock. The management worked on eahc setting to make them straightforward to use.

Coffee and tea? Yes, in the most refined way: Nespresso (What else?) and Jing. Evenbetter, as wifi but also soft drinks in the minibars, these treats are complementary.

For those prefering a touch of freedom, a couple of the suites offer a kitchenette as well as the usual separate sitting room. Believe me, it is terribly hard to walk away from this amazing palace…

The bathroom is most opulent – up to a flatscreen above the bath… If your partner is losing patience over your favourite program, he can opt for the rainshower in a different setting just aside the bedroom. This will give you more time to enjoy Malin + Goetz natural products, a NY brand The Arch was the very first to import here.

Facilities in the building include a gym open 24 hours a day – jetlag won’t get in the way. Probably the widest range you will ever find, from yoga balls to Technogym treadmills that allow you to watch TV while burning calories…

We loved the idea of  round leather sofas circling on a table which can be sheltered from the rest of the room by slightly transparent curtains – gives you privacy while enabling you to spy on what is going on.

Reading the cocktail menu proves both a torture and a delight – so creative it proves hard to choose. The ginger and passion fruit mojito (£9) will bring an exotic touch to your evening -  ever so refreshing and playing on a multitude of tangy notes. The absolute must definitely is their Mar-tea-ni (£9.50), infused with Earl Grey, enhancing exquisite bergamot and lemony aromas.

Being very French, I just could not resist the steak Tartare (£19.50). Do trust the chef on its spicy mix -  a clever balance of textures, from sweet to crunchy, top quality meat, the right dose of capers and topped with the rich yolk of a quail egg. Pure heaven for a froggie, one less reason to rush to Paris! The dish is served with a generous portion of fries and crackers. A very British idea yet the crunchiness works amazingly well with the preparation.

We finished on a sweet note – ice-creams and sorbets are homemade, following the day inspirations. Avoiding the too-sugary, they focus on taste only, offering cloudlike textures and authentic flavours – as biting into the best of pistachio, plunging your spoon into the creamiest milk, or the most refined of honey nectar. It is impossible to settle on a single scoop and your spoon will constantly try the following one.

The Arch is a constant suprise – they even make their own chocolate. You know from the beautiful cacao smell they are gorgeous. Sadlythe picture does not pay them any credit so I will leave you to imagine, under a crunchy layer… a tender banana ganache… a cherry cream with sugar grain or nougat that does rival with the South of France’s. Only negative note – please make them available to take away too!

We will go back to taste the afternoon tear which includes a selection of éclairs (Think trout and horseradish, stawbery and champagne). The restaurant can print the picture of your choice on a chocolate plaque to decorate them -  an interesting ide of any celebration or corporate event.

Ideally situated a couple of streets from Selfridges and the most beautiful London shops, this exquisite hotel deserves to be a secret address, of those you only share with friends.

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