The Connaught
A CASUALTY OF THE GERMANOPHOBIA that swept Britain during the Great War, The Coburg, which could trace its origins back more than a century, was rechristened The Connaught in 1917. Happily, its essential character was unimpaired. Renovated at intervals to ensure that its amenities are as cutting-edge as one would expect of an establishment of this calibre, the atmosphere is, at heart, that of late Victorian London. With its robust wood panelling and encrustations of ornate plasterwork, The Connaught strikes me as a rather ‘masculine’ hotel. But not for a moment do I mean to imply even a hint of chauvinism.
On the contrary, skill and sensitivity on the part of designers and decorators have imbued its interiors with a sunny ambience that speaks of the conservatory as much as the gentlemen’s club. Long renowned for its exceptional cuisine, The Connaught showcases the talent of top chef Hélène Darroze in a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in which contemporary furniture and artworks by Damien Hirst are softened by natural wood and blush-toned fabrics. A brace of bars, appropriately dubbed The Coburg and The Connaught, have an after-hours feel throughout the day. The Coburg cocktail menu is a decade-by-decade spin through the classics of the last century. Try a Prince of Wales, inspired by the drinking habits of the future King Edward VII.
See also: Brown’s Hotel, Claridge’s, Dukes
