Yesterday I was treated to something very lovely indeed – a behind-the-scenes tour of The Dorchester hotel in London. Going behind the scenes is always fun, but discovering the secrets of a 5 star hotel was particularly exciting. So here’s a little peek…
I was a little bit late arriving, so I was whisked through the main lobby, eyes wide and head swivelling in all directions. I didn’t manage to capture the stunning entrance to The Dorchester, but trust me – it’s jaw-dropping. After a quick peek at Afternoon Tea I joined the rest of the group in the kitchen to see chefs hard at work, creating food for the day.
With mouths watering (I didn’t quite manage to grab one of those profiterole buns), we headed upstairs to discover a Dorchester Suite, spotting Smythson along the way.
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, The Dorchester have teamed up with Smythson to create a very special keepsake… but more on that later.
Peeking into a Dorchester Suite was a wonderful experience – it was just so decadent. Macarons in the living room as standard, amazing views of Hyde Park and your own personal butler (although, they’re more like PAs these days – it’s not Downton Abbey, y’know). Fresh flowers, a sumptuous bed and a bright and airy bathroom that was perfect for a selfie.
Next we took a trip to the Dorchester Spa for a delicious breakfast of pastries and fruit juice and a fascinating talk from The Dorchester’s Designer Florist, Phil Hammond. Listening to Phil talk so passionately about the floral arrangements he creates for the Dorchester – including the huge, beautiful urns in the lobby which feature thousands of blooms and are created once a week from 3am so they’re ready when guests wake up – was so inspiring. Quite tempted to become a florist now…
The reason for our visit to The Dorchester was to discover their latest collaboration with classic stationer Smythson. If you plan on spending a romantic night at The Dorchester or their sister hotels 45 Park Lane and Coworth Park, you can tweet before you arrive using the hashtag #headoverheels and this exclusive Smythson keepsake – a leather-bound flip book with Smythson’s signature gold lettering – will be waiting for you in your room.
After our tour of The Dorchester, we visited Smythson on Bond Street to have our Head Over Heels flip books personalised. Lettering is one of Smythson’s long-running services – at a cost of £6 per letter, you can add personalisation to almost all Smythson products. As well as classic choices like your name or initials, you can also get cute symbols, and you can watch your personalisation come to life in store.
Here’s the finished result – I went for my full name as it’s new and still somewhat of a novelty. I absolutely love it. It’s a great gift for someone special and a little bit of luxury that’s meaningful, too.
I had a pretty magical day exploring The Dorchester and learning more about Smythson… is Valentine’s Day too early to return?
