The Business

 

Indulgences; Festive Hotels

 

Room at the Inn - Whether it's a place to relax after a hard day's shopping or a bolthole to forget all things festive, Esther Shaw has the low-down on leading London hotels this season

 

Best for... Christmas Shopping

 

The Rockwell

Just a stroll away from Harrods and the King's Road, the Rockwell is an ideal base if you want to shop 'til you drop. Popular with the fashion crowd, this chic yet cosy boutique hotel, with its calm sophistication, is a favourite of Jasmine Guinness and Jade Jagger, and a great place to unwind after a day spent fighting fellow shoppers. It also offers excellent dining in the intimate One-Eight-One restaurant. Standard double: £150 ($310, €209) a night; suite: £299 a night. Between 22 and 28 December, the Christmas Package includes three nights in a deluxe double room, breakfast and ice-skating tickets, £566 for two - 181 Cromwell Road, SW5 0SF. 020 7244 2000; www.therockwell.com

 

Durrants

Durrants is ideally positioned for those bold enough to brave Oxford Street or Bond Street. After a tough day battling the hordes, this discreet Georgian townhouse offers relaxed drinking and dining in the Grill Room and cosy George Bar. Rooms: from £180 a night. The Christmas Shopping Weekend includes room, breakfast, bottle of wine and late checkout from £180 per night. - George Street, W1H 5BJ. 020 7935 8131; www.durrantshotel.co.uk

 

 

Best for... Eating and Drinking

 

Claridge's

Why slave over a hot stove when Gordon Ramsay can do it for you, delivering turkey and Christmas pudding with added flair and Michelin star-style? The traditional Christmas lunch menu costs £180 for five courses; dinner is £95 for three courses and both include crackers, gifts, and a visit from Santa no less. If you want to stay overnight, Claridge's has a selection of packages, including Holiday Sparkles from 189 for a superior queen room (room only) - Brook Street, W1K 4HR. Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's: 020 7629 8860; www.claridges.co.uk

 

The Hempel

The iconic, minimalist Hempel - with its artistic presentation and fusion of East and West - is a perfectly manicured backdrop to festive partying. The Bayswater base has a variety of superb drinking and dining options, including I-Thai, The Jade Room and the H-Bar. On offer are both the traditional turkey and trimmings, and a Thai menu of tiger prawns and green chicken curry. Dinner: from £45 for three courses Superior double rooms: from £195 - 31 - 35 Craven Hill Gardens, W2 3EA. 020 7298 9000; www.the-hempel.co.uk

 

 

Best for... New Year's Eve

 

The Dorchester

For those seeking a hint of Hogmanay in the capital, the very Scottish setting of The Grill at The Dorchester should be perfect. The Park Lane hotel is hosting a gala dinner, and once you've got over the décor - the walls are adorned with tartan-clad Scotsmen - the assured cooking of Alain Ducasse will include terrine of duck and foie gras, Scottish diver scallops, confit of salmon and fillet of beef. Gala dinner: £310 per adult, £150 per child under 16; Delux double: £305 (guests must stay a minimum of two nights) - Park Lane, W1K 1QA. 020 7629 8888; www.thedorchester.com

 

Royal Garden Hotel

Alternatively, celebrate New Year's Eve in the candlelit Palace Suite at Kensington's stylish Royal Garden Hotel; the spread includes a champagne reception, three-course meal and live band. You are also perfectly located for a bracing New Year's Day walk in Kensington Palace gardens, and for being first in the queue for the January sales at Kensington High street's many boutiques. Gala: from £95 per person; New Year's Eve guests can stay in a superior room for £180, or upgrade to a deluxe room for £195 - 2 - 24 Kensington High street, W8 4PT. 020 7937 8000; www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk

 

 

Best for... Ignoring Christmas

 

Nobu at the Metropolitan Hotel

Need a break from the sugary excesses of the festive season? Head to Nobu on the first floor of The Metropolitan Hotel. With absolutely no frills for Christmas, Nobu is continuingto serve its renowned new-style Japanese cuisine - with not a turkey or piece of tinsel in sight. It is open throughout Christmas, except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day; hotel guests must make reservations. And if you cannot get away with completely ignoring Christmas, then to help ease you through it, The Metropolitan is offering a Tote-to-Toe package, which includes breakfast, £50 of shopping vouchers, champagne, shopping guide and late checkout - £250 per night. - 19 Old Park Lane, W1K 1LB. Nobu: 020 7447 4747; www.noburestaurants.com/london The Metropolitan: 020 7447 1000; www.metropolitan.como.bz/london

 

The Berkeley

What better way to forget the hordes and horrors of Christmas than being pampered at The Berkeley's stylish yet soothing spa, high above the crowded Knightsbridge streets? The candlelit rooms are on the seventh floor of the hotel, along with the steam room, gym and one of the few heated rooftop pools in the capital, with panoramic views. A range of Bali-inspired treatments are on offer; try the Snow White's Secret package, which includes scrub, massage, facial and warming manicure and pedicure, £250 for two hours. Like its sister hotel Claridge's, The Berkeley has a range of accommodationo packages: Holiday Sparkles costs from £179 per night for a superior queen room (room only) - Wilton Place, SW1X 7RL. 020 7235 6000; www.the-berkeley.co.uk

 

 

Bookings for many packages can be made through Luxury Explorer, an online concierge service. www.luxuryexplorer.com