Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park’s dog-friendly package gets pawfect marks
The luxury hotel has launched a new dog-friendly stay for pampered pooches
Who rules the world? Beyoncé would have us believe it girls, but I know it is a chunky little Pomeranian-chihuahua named Freddie.
When I was offered the opportunity to review the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park’s new dog-friendly Pawfect Stay package, my partner and I could not get on a train from Brighton quick enough so we could pamper our pooch.
We arrive at the hotel in Knightsbridge and pass the red-jacketed doormen and onto the reception where Freddie is fussed over by several staff members. We are then whisked up to our suite, which is the same size, if not bigger, than our two-bedroom house. Our pom-chi has a field day running around the suite.
The suite has recently been renovated by acclaimed designer Joyce Wang, who has added panels of wallpaper featuring motifs of oak leaves and hand-gilded with a bit of gold, stunning light fixtures that mimic acorns, and a huge blue rug that is reminiscent of a Monet painting. All these little nods to nature help bring a little of Hyde Park into the space, which our suite looked onto.
Elsewhere in the suite, there is Art Deco furniture including a curved fluted glass bar. The bathroom is white marble with a walk-in shower, a bath, and a Japanese-style toilet. In the bedroom, there is a framed photo of Freddie, my partner, and I which the hotel set on a table next to our massive bed.
But most importantly, Freddie was spoiled with a dog bed, dog toy, a little leather poo-bag holder all from the British luxury brand Teddy Maximus.
There is also a handy ‘Pawfect Ideas’ newsletter curated by the hotel’s concierge with an illustrated map showing some of the local dog-friendly restaurants and shops. There are also some areas of the hotel that are off-limits to the canine member of our trio including the two-Michelin star Dinner by Heston Blumenthal restaurant, fitness facilities, and indoor pool.
But for those looking to treat themselves, dogs can accompany hotel guests to their spa treatments where they will be offered a complimentary ‘Fruity Facial’ when booked alongside another treatment.
For brunch, we can take Freddie to The Aubrey, the hotel’s Japanese izakaya restaurant. It is the Sunday service, and we pass a DJ playing chilled tunes as we sit in a comfy booth surrounded by 250 Japanese panel paintings on the walls. We both order the Lobster Tamogoyaki Scrambled Eggs, which is sensational.
On the weekends the restaurant has a doggie brunch menu, so Freddie enjoyed a bowl of chicken with coconut-scented rice.
After brunch, we take Freddie for a walk around Hyde Park meeting other dogs. We then visit some posh shops on Elizabeth Street including Mungo & Maud, which sells high-end pet products.
In the evening, we sleep alongside our four-legged friend, who has never been interested in dog beds. Thankfully, the bed is so cosy even his snoring doesn’t keep us up.
The following day we take Freddie to breakfast where we’re spoilt for choice. The staff were brilliant with Freddie even offering to make him anything he wanted. He had scrambled eggs as we took turns raiding the buffet and overindulging from the à la carte menu.
Back in our suite, we glimpse the King’s Guard passing Hyde Park on their way to Buckingham Palace. Soon we are marched down to the Royal Parkland to give Freddie one more sniff around the area.
He calls the shots in our family and he definitely gave the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park his pawprint of approval.