Are you ready for a bit of quintessentially British elegance?

After leaving Trotters which you can read more about HERE we made our way to, drum roll please… The Ritz London!

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It’s not somewhere I envisioned us ever staying – especially as a family. For the few that don’t know, The Ritz is pretty much the embodiment of lavish London. I’ve always been more of a contemporary, boutique hotel kind of girl and this was the polar opposite – as traditional as they come, dripping in character and opulence… I mean, the word ‘ritzy’ derives from this place and if you look it up in the Oxford Dictionary, the definition says it all: “Expensively stylish”.

And so we arrived – in our Saturday morning best trying to look as presentable as possible (Ayman even traveled down in a tie) – to a mass of fresh flowers with sparkling, cut-glass chandeliers drooping over our heads. Our bags promptly disappeared; a smartly-dressed porter in top hat and tails was already relieving our heavy arms by wheeling a number of cases up to our suite. We approached the reception area and were greeted by Luisa who proved to be the most lovely, meticulous and professional reservations staff we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. Nothing was too much trouble.

We felt at ease – although typically at a time where you could feel the sense of etiquette all around us, there’s always an unruly toddler to bring you back down to earth! Hugo was a little grouchy after an early start and a morning of travel but Luisa showed great humility and patience in trying to cajole him and it was very much ‘mission accomplished’ when pulling out a VIK (Very Important Kids) booklet which entitled Hugo to free ice cream on demand throughout his stay. He could ask any staff member and they had to get him some. Those were the rules. His eyes lit up, his smile returned, and all was well.

It’s so strange because Hugo is usually so loud and confident but put him in front of people he doesn’t know and he can become this shy and introverted soul who looks down to the floor and wouldn’t say ‘boo to a goose’ – infant mood swings?!

Anyway, we headed off towards our room having been pleasantly informed of an upgrade to a Deluxe Suite. More on that shortly. Downstairs we took in the lobby area; this vast and palatial space daubed in pastel palettes of pink, lemon and blue with gold-leaf cornicing.

When we opened the door to our room… or should I say rooms… I was taken aback by its elegant and regal design. We had two beautiful rooms; one with a huge super king size bed with a cot already set up and the other with a sofa, single bed (for Hugo) and the sweetest table and chairs set in-front of the window… Ayman had eyed up this perfect spot for reading the Sunday papers.

Luisa had asked us if we would like any help booking taxis or a table in the Rizoli Bar for evening entertainment but having seen our suite, we were like… “Erm, we’re staying right here!”. We wanted to soak it all up and do nothing but relax.

It boasted a gorgeous marble bathroom with underfloor heating and a double sink and large bath that filled up within a couple of minutes.

A few other little added extras that made our stay that touch sweeter:

• They had prepared a basket full of baby essentials like nappies, creams, wipes, towels and a cute little teddy.
• They provided special children’s shampoo, bubble bath and body wash.
• Champagne chilled in an ice-bcuket and a large fresh fruit bowl.
• An hour or so after settling in they even came to our room with a piece of cake for the children.

Breakfast was every bit as grand as you can imagine; it’s little wonder the Queen enjoyed her 80th birthday celebrations in this room. We arrived and were seated in a private area away from the array of tables and like the aforementioned Queen Lizzy, we were treated like royalty. Again, staff in tails waited on us hand and foot; the beauty was in the little things… from standing behind our chairs so they could tuck us in to providing the finest coffee and poached eggs you’d ever wish to taste. Before the exquisite cooked breakfast, we helped ourselves to delicious fresh pastries, cheeses and what Ayman described as the best rice pudding he’s ever had. We spent a good 90 minutes down there; taking in the moment of breakfast at The Ritz and just absorbing the magnificent decor.

All-in-all, our stay at The Ritz was an unforgettable experience. I feel very lucky and honoured that we were provided with such an amazing opportunity and I would absolutely love to return to this stunning hotel but next time I must fulfill the renowned ‘Afternoon Tea at The Ritz’ experience – that’s one to tick off the bucket list for sure. We were dashing around a lot so couldn’t fit that in as well but from what we saw, it looked truly lovely.

We carried on the weekend vibe of British splendour and aristocracy by walking across Green Park and taking our two little princes to see Buckingham Palace; of course Hugo was more infatuated by the soldiers stood outside than the thought of our reigning monarchs living there!

Thank you so much for reading. And a huge thank you to The Ritz for providing us with a complimentary one-night stay; we will treasure these memories.

Love Sally

xxx

I had to share this extra photo of Remy on the train because his facial expression tells it all.

As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I only blog about brands/places that I truly connect with and would legitimately recommend to others.