Hotel Review: The Carlton Tower Jumeirah, London
As part of Wander-lust's Three-Day London Guide, I was invited to stay at the newly refurbished Carlton Tower Jumeirah for a complimentary night's stay and to review it on behalf of Wander-lust.
To say my experience at The Carlton Tower Jumeirah was special would be an understatement. From the moment we checked into the hotel to after we checked out of it, the team at The Carlton Tower Jumeirah treated us like VIPs and made us feel at home (we even got our own leather house keys to prove).
Check-in
The check-in was probably the smoothest one I've ever encountered. Once I informed them of my arrival, we were asked to wait by the concierge with some fruit tea and a towel to freshen up and wipe our hands. After all, COVID is here to stay.
We were met by the manager not long after, who gave us an informative but concise tour of the hotel, starting from our room.
The Junior Suite
I would've been glad to be in any air-conditioned room, as it had been one of the hottest weeks in London then. However, not only did we get to enjoy the AC on full blast, we had ourselves a wardrobe the length of the corridor and a fully stacked mini-bar before we arrived at the 48 sqm sitting area and king-sized bedroom.
The suite was elegant and tastefully decorated but not niche. Unlike Shila Athens, which is very artisanal and a favourite of mine, The Carlton Tower Jumeirah is a place where most guests would feel comfortable. It also comes with a balcony that looks over the leafy Cadogan Gardens, which is a private garden in the area that guests of The Carlton Tower Jumeirah have the privilege to enjoy. We truly had the perfect spot for sunset. And if the weather was slightly cooler, I'd be standing there all day.
The bathroom was another masterpiece in its own right. Marbled floors with a big white bathtub, his & her's sink etc... But what lies on the sink counter is a face towel embroidered with our initials (brb, going to wipe my tears of joy with said face towel).
The towel was not the only personalised treasure we found in the room. Slippers with our initials on each foot, the most colourful fruit bowl (rambutan and mangosteen! Are you kidding me?) and a scrabble board with "Welcome to CTJ Ms Pang, Wanderlust" spelt out in white chocolate alphabet tiles snuck into our room when I was out enjoying an aromatherapy massage at The Peak Spa. I mean, as if we were not spoilt enough. This was the next level!
The Peak Fitness Club and Spa
The gym and the clubhouse
A visit to The Carlton Tower Jumeirah is not complete without a visit to their renowned wellness centre. The gym, located on the 9/F is fully equipped with the newest and exclusive Technogym equipment. With a view like the one at the gym, I too would be a fitness junkie.
Right opposite the gym is a spacious area where guests can sit down and grab a bit at the all-day buffet. The options here are healthier, albeit with a smaller selection than that offered in the main restaurant. And since we had a lie in the next morning, we came up for our morning bite. However, bear in mind that anything ordered in the "clubhouse", shall we call it, is to be paid for separately and the breakfast (buffet bar + a pot of tea) was £70 per person! My advice would be to wake up earlier and be at the main restaurant before 10:30 a.m.
The pool and the spa
Since wellness is what the hotel is known for, there are not one but two floors dedicated to nurturing your body and mind at The Carlton Tower Jumeirah.
On the second floor of the building, you'll find a full-length indoor pool with an abundance of natural light shining into it and a good number of sun beds for guests to rest and just enjoy the view. In the summer, this place feels extra warm, but it is not often that we get such hot weather in London so I can imagine this being the perfect swimming spot all year round as you feel like you're outside with all the natural light coming in, but you're definitely protected from the unreliable weather the country is known for.
Just above the pool is the spa, which I call "heaven on earth". My hour-long aromatherapy massage started with a health form with a side of ginger tea, a selection of oil and down I striped. The massage took me to a place of tranquillity and relaxation that meditation promised but never achieved (for me). Its ending was the only time I felt sad during my stay.
Al Mare restaurant
I was especially excited about dinner when the manager explained to us that they do the best French toast here. Of course, he'd say that. His job is to be the hotel's hype man and he was good at it. But since I have a massive sweet tooth, I was sold.
We arrived at our reservation starving since we had both skipped lunch and shared only ice cream at Al Mare earlier. I did finish 80% of the fruit bowl so I was surviving but nonetheless eager for more nourishment.
Drinks
The sommelier brought us each a pink welcome cocktail - apparently, the bartender whipped it up spontaneously just for us so we didn't even manage to catch the name of the drink. All we knew was that it was delicious and I thirsted for more. Luckily, the sommelier topped us up with wine throughout the night.
Food
Like a traditional Italian restaurant, there are more courses to choose from than I could stomach. So we ordered a selection of plates to share and asked for smaller portions. The meal progressively got better and the entrées started strong too! The Risotto all’o Zafferano (v) and Chitarrine alla Pescatora were showstoppers. The lamb (Carré di Agnello) was smashing and I wished I had a bigger stomach for it but I had lost count of how many courses we had by then.
The real star of the meal for me, however, was the French Toast ‘Crème Brulée’. The Manager was not bluffing when he said it. It was one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth. I mean... French Toast and Crème Brulée are both supreme in their own right, but together? It's like they've joined forces to dominate the entire dessert menu.
You bet we rolled ourselves back to our room by the end of the night.
Midnight Special
The attention to detail at The Carlton Tower was second to none,
When we got back to the room, the bed was nicely set up for us, with a bottle of filtered water by our bedside and a box of skincare to keep us and our skin nourished and hydrated. Our housekeeper even wrote down the weather forecast for the next day for us and placed my dirty sunglasses on the desks with a cleaning cloth and solution. For someone who is used to settling for the bare minimum (or less), these "grand gestures" touched me the way no hotel has ever done before.
I always say this, and The Carlton Tower Jumeirah is proof, that a five-star luxury hotel is easy to come by (especially in London), but what makes one stand out from the rest is in the details.
Have you stayed at The Carlton Tower Jumeirah before? If so, let me know how your stay was; and if not, do yourself a favour and book yourself a stay there ASAP.
