Marriott County Hall, Southbank

Marriott County Hall has an enviable location on the edge of Southbank, overlooking the Thames and many of London’s most famous landmarks. Housed in a beautifully restored historic building which boasts impressive architecture and polished marble floors, County Hall is reminiscent of a sophisticated bygone era.

Our room was spacious but quite dated in design, decorated in browns and beiges with simple furnishings. It felt a bit like visiting a great aunt but this is all part of the vintage appeal. A lovely gift had been left for me, a box of treats including spiced pear chutney, cider mustard and strawberry jam, a statement of the hotel’s proud British heritage. The ultra-comfortable king sized bed provided a peaceful night’s sleep. The bathroom was large and functional with a lovely deep bath and Aromatherapy Essentials toiletries.

The hotel has various gym and spa facilities as well as an indoor 25 metre pool, a rare asset for a central London hotel, and definitely a selling point. There are also eleven dedicated meeting rooms, perfect for fulfilling business needs.

The restaurant, Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar is perhaps the nicest part of the hotel; with impressive views and a stylish contemporary look, it feels like it has been updated more recently than the rest of the hotel. We enjoyed a typically English meal, garlicky grilled prawns followed by the finest dry-aged Aberdeen Angus steaks. There is a huge range of steaks on offer to satisfy even the most fussy of meat fans. Various bone-in and bone-out options are available including a gigantic 1kg ‘Bull’s Head’ which I was amazed to see a small woman tackle alone on a nearby table. Our more modest fillet and sirloin steaks had a lovely depth of flavour and were cooked exactly to our specification. Truffle and Old Winchester chips are an indulgent side. The delicious Spanish wine accompanied the meat well.

Breakfast is also served in Gillray’s and looked lovely especially in the morning light. Big baskets of fruit, cereal, bread and pastries were laid out at the bar. There is an a la carte menu but we found the continental options more than adequate.

With Big Ben, the Thames and the London Eye on your doorstep, Marriott County Hall is ideal for those wishing to have  the London experience.

More information and book a stay here.