Travel: The Dorchester, London

WHETHER you yearn for a city break or a weekend in the country, the Dorchester is number one for luxury

The Promenade at London’s Dorchester Hotel is the epitome of elegance – marble columns, ornate furniture, stunning flower displays and a tinkling pianist at the heart of the establishment. I experienced two versions of the Promenade – first, for a sumptuous afternoon tea. The following morning it was cathedral-quiet as I enjoyed a full English breakfast.

Later I took in the decor of the main bar off the Promenade: upmarket Hades with music and stylish crimson stalactite and stalagmite effects. Hotel bar individuality is to be commended, and the Dorchester delivers.

I knew from the gossip pages that celebrities such as Kate Moss use the hotel’s China Tang restaurant. There was no Kate, unfortunately, but it was worth the cocktail in the Cantonese restaurant just to enjoy its interior, a picturesque homage to Shanghai Art Deco.

And so it was to the famous Dorchester Grill for dinner. You’ll either love it or think you are hallucinating. The restaurant is warm and welcoming on a chilly autumn night, but some customers may consider it to be a symphony in kitsch.

A key test, perhaps, will be your attitude to the massive tartan frescoes, and what resembles bed headboards behind some of the seating.

There’s no such uncertainty about the food, however. It is superlative. I had melt‑in‑the‑mouth black pudding with fruit garnish, a succulent turbot for mains, and an outstandingly good chocolate pudding.

And so to bed. The Dorchester’s 51 suites and near‑200 twin or double rooms are luxurious. Each has a private lobby and Italian marble bathroom, with, I am reliably informed, the deepest baths of any five-star London hotel. After a long soak, a wonderful night’s sleep followed.

Next stop, Ascot and Coworth Park. The Dorchester group’s newest addition, opened last year, is a very grand country house hotel just 45 minutes’ drive from Mayfair, allowing it to offer an interesting “town and country” package. The contrast with the Park Lane flagship is striking, and ideal for guests who might want to sample bucolic as well as metropolitan high living in the same break from the daily grind.

Coworth Park is set in 240 acres of private Berkshire parkland with Great Windsor Park on the doorstep, its own equestrian centre and two professional polo fields in the grounds.

There are 30 rooms in the main house, with stylish outbuildings, a stream (complete with swans), and abundant foliage. It is very relaxing.

The rooms are impressive. I was in an upstairs suite in the main building, with lobby, lounge, bedroom and bathroom, with panoramic country views that could beguile you into believing you had taken over the entire top floor.

After a pedicure in Coworth’s ultra‑modern spa, which includes an exotically lavender‑lit swimming pool, I dozed in a copper‑framed free‑standing bath. Then came an electric buggy ride around the grounds at dusk.

After dinner and drinks in the bar adjacent to the John Campbell restaurant, I slept like a log in my four‑poster.

Breakfast in my room the next morning was followed by a bracing walk in the light rain. Unfortunately, there was no time for a dip in the pool before I had to depart, but I had certainly enjoyed two days of contrasting deluxe relaxation.

THE FACTS Rail travel from Edinburgh to London Kings Cross starts from around £28.50, www.nationalexpress.com; The Dorchester (Park Lane, London, tel: [phone], www.thedorchester.com), double/twin rooms start from £265 per night. Coworth Park (London Road, Ascot, Berkshire, tel: [phone], www.coworthpark.com), double/twin rooms start from £265 per night. Prices for a London Weekend Rail Special, including return rail travel from Edinburgh, start from £169.95pp, www.thescotsman.reader.travel