Easy Escapes: Brown’s Hotel, London

 If you’re looking for a break in the capital and want to bring the kids along with you, then you’ve come to the right place. The iconic Brown’s Hotel in London has collaborated with Swedish luxury family brand DockATot to deck out the rooms with that extra little bit of comfort for little ones.

The location: You won’t find a more central hotel if you try. Brown’s is a stone’s throw away from most of London’s major attractions, including Buckingham Palace, Green Park, Burlington Arcade and Oxford Street. Practically speaking, it’s a five minute walk from Green Park tube, and a five minute tube ride from Victoria Station.

The rooms

Now that I have a baby, it’s important for me that any hotels we stay in are family-friendly - any parent will know that travelling with a baby is not the most relaxing of experiences, but Brown’s really took the stress away. From its Rocco Forte Kids’ services to its children’s Afternoon Tea to their Little Ones treatment menu at The Spa at Brown’s, children are really catered for. My one-year-old was a little young for all that, however she did appreciate the nappies, baby toiletries, books and complimentary Alby the monkey soft toy.

As previously mentioned, Brown’s has teamed up with DockATot to provide treats for the whole family. This translates into a beautiful Moses basket, A La Maman Wedge nursing pillow, as well as the brand’s famous Deluxe+ and Grand Docks. In the signature suites, you’ll also find its award-winning tent, which creates a fun space for play and bedtime stories.

For the grown-ups, the facilities are just as decadent. The quintessentially British hotel, London’s first, boasts 115 authentically designed rooms and suites designed by Olga Polizzi, each paying tribute to the hotel’s world-renowned heritage and charm. For example, the Kipling Suite honours Rudyard Kipling who famously wrote ‘The Jungle Book’ at the hotel. We stayed in the incredible Paul Smith suite, the fruit of a collaboration between the designer himself and Olga Polizzi. The eclectic suite features a range of custom and vintage furniture, hand-picked artworks, interior collaborations and soft furnishings from the debut Paul Smith home collection, all injected with the fun colours we’ve come to expect from Paul Smith.

We didn’t manage to make it down to the spa (I hear great things though), but we did make the most of the lavish bathtub and rainwater shower in the marble-decked bathroom.

The food

There are three dining options at Brown’s. Charlie’s, the restaurant, serves contemporary British fare with European influences, and a delicious traditional breakfast for adults and kids - they kindly recreated our daughter’s favourite yoghurt and banana breakfast. We also tried room service (don’t judge us, we’re new parents) and loved the dishes we were served, which were a more relaxed take on Charlie’s dishes.

Then you have The Drawing Room, where Queen Victoria took tea, which of course serves a rather delicious traditional afternoon tea and The Donovan Bar, which serves impressive cocktails. 

The need to know

Rooms at Brown's Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel in London, start from £795 (room only).

Book online at Brown’s Hotel or phone +44 20 7493 6020. +