If you want to feel like royalty, you simply must visit 5 star The Goring Hotel in Belgravia! 

Here I am in front of one of the most gorgeous hotels in London… The Goring

Fact! The Goring remains the only hotel in London to hold a royal warrant and unlike other luxury hotels in the capital, is still under the control of its original owners, Jeremy Goring & CO. The Goring is loved by lords, ladies and top members of the Royalty… It was actually here the Middleton family stayed the days before the royal wedding! 

It was Frenchie’s birthday the day, we were invited to The Goring for dinner, and we were really excited! I have always dreamt of visiting The Goring, and what better occasion than celebrating my husbands birthday!

Bonus-info: Built by Jeromy Goring’s great-grandfather Otto in 1910, The Goring has been lovingly run by the Goring family since its inception. A visionary, Otto Goring saw great promise in a plot of land situated at the Buckingham Palace end of what today is known as Beeston Place. After removing a public house and several cottages, the path was laid clear for the last grand hotel of the Edwardian era – The Goring. Opened on the 2nd March 1910 this historic hotel was finally complete, along with en suite facilities and central heating in each and every bedroom – widely believed to be the first

Today, The Goring remains a favourite address and hidden gem for anyone seeking out that quintessentially English luxury hotel in the centre of London… (Will you look at this garden! Isn’t it just pretty?) Let’s take a closer look!

Birthday boy found a lobster… I think he already knew, what was on the menu that evening!

The stunning Goring Garden is one of the finest (and largest) private gardens in London. We particularly fell in love with the secret garden…

Oh, and I simply must mention the fact, that The Goring is currently hosting a very fine guest! Teddy the Shetland Pony is gracing The Goring with his presence, and I was so excited to meet him…. But Teddy was asleep! We did pop our heads in to say goodnight to him, but I decided to let him rest without taking a photo (and perhaps come by another day, because he is absolutely adorable!)

Bonus-info: To commemorate the arrival of this very distinguished guest, not only is there a limited edition Teddy the Shetland Afternoon Tea but guests can also enjoy an overnight Teddy stay. Read more here

Photo kindly lent to me by The Goring Hotel. I just thought you should see, how beautiful and lovely, Teddy is! 

A sneak peak of The Veranda (by night), that offers stunning views of The Goring Garden…

The Veranda is the perfect place to enjoy an exquisite lunch, decadent afternoon tea or opulent drinks from The Goring Cocktail Bar. The architecture and interior design has been led by the inimitable Russell Sage, who has worked to create an eccentric, uplifting space, accentuating the impeccably English and perfectly individual feel of this unique hotel. I simply must try the Afternoon Tea here one fine day!

Welcome to The Dining Room. It was time to celebrate Frenchie!

From the very beginning we were extremely well taken care of! I would even go as far as to call it “world-class service” – because that is exactly what it was!

No doubt that The Goring stands out in the crowd! Frenchie and I agreed. The service here is exceptional and the food and drink likewise. Being French, Frenchie knows a lot about wine and champagne – and he can be really hard to impress, so it was quite amusing seeing his eyes pop out, when he looked at the wine menu! The selection is wide and the sommelier could read our minds! Well, that’s what it felt like, because she knew exactly, what we liked (which can be a challenge – especially when it comes to me!) After my pregnancy I have become very selective, and the pouilly fume, she brought to me was spot on. It was the best wine, I have had in a very long time!

Bonus-info. In 2016, The Dining Room was awarded its first Michelin star. You can expect everything from beef Wellington (sliced at the table), foie gras pate, saddle of venison, triple-cooked chips and divine house-baked bread, luxe puddings and as previously mentioned a delicious selection of wines dished out by a fleet of tux-and-tail waiters

It is very, very hard to choose from a menu, where everything looks utterly delicious, but if you simply can’t choose, feast on the lobster omelette for the main. Apparently this was a firm favourite of the Queen Mother and has been a signature dish on the menu for years. It’s pretty obvious why. Fat, juicy with generous portions of lobster meat cooked in a rich eggy sauce served with duck fat fried chips. Frenchie and I could not get enough! What a birthday treat!

Frenchie and I could not have asked for more! We tried a lot of the signature dishes, and they did not dissapoint! To be honest, I don’t think you can go wrong with anything here. There is a reason why The Dining Room is the holder of a Michelin Star and three AA Rosettes!

Cheese, glorious British cheese! And I also had my share of Frenchie’s “Single origin chocolate cremeux, Alfonso mango, passion fruit and sea salt”, because I just loved it so much…

Birthday boy happily did not mind sharing with me! He was in his happy place after all that champagne, lobster, wine and espresso!

We ended our romantic evening at the cosy and classy The Goring Bar & Lounge. I could have stayed here all night pretending, I was living in another century… This place just takes my breath away!

Fun fact! If you visit The Goring, you will immediately notice the presence of sheep!

Yes, the sheep have become as iconic as the hotel itself. Here is a little history on how they came to be…Guests used to remark to the late George Goring that they did not feel as if they were in London, when they stayed at The Goring, but rather it had the peace and calm of a country hotel – due to the beautiful garden and the very quiet location in Belgravia.

So one day, when he was driving through Devon, Mr Goring came across the workshop of a gentleman, who made the most engaging wooden sheep with real sheepskin fur. He bought one and took it back to The Goring, as he thought it really brought the country feel of the hotel to life. The guests loved it – and he subsequently commissioned him to make more and more.

When guests visit The Goring today, they will be able to see some of these famous sheep dotted about the hotel and on each bed, ready to welcome guests to The Goring. I love it!

It is always hard for me to finish a blog post, when I have had such an amazing experience, as I did, when I visited The Goring. It is true what they say… When you come here, it is like stepping in to a different world. Expect a lot of character, history and humour! And that is, what I love about this place! You feel like royalty, but you are also treated like a friend or family! I honestly can not wait to come back, and hopefully bring little Clara, so she can meet Teddy or some of the lovely sheep!

We were invited as guests at The Goring. All opinions are as always my own