London Syon Park, a Hilton hotel, is set in beautiful, tranquil grounds in west London, just a stone’s throw from Kew Gardens and although a little plain from the outside, looking like a modern barn conversion, it soon opens up into a really smart modern hotel. Set within the Duke of Northumberland’s glorious 250 acre estate this hotel is only 7 miles away from central London and transforms you to the great British countryside. As you walk into the lobby you are greeted by the beautiful sight of butterflies in a glass enclosure, amazing coloured wings and a rare see-through butterfly which the Facilities Manager, Jeremy Bouedo, climbed inside to find for Charlotte and I (keep your eyes peeled it is difficult to see).
The butterfly theme runs strong through the hotel from plates in the restaurant to bathrobes for the grounds once played host to a majestic butterfly house. After a smooth, efficient check in we were escorted to our room by Jeremy who carried our luggage and showed us around the amenities in the room. We were in a beautiful room in the East Wing of the hotel, overlooking the Syon Park Greenhouse and grounds of Syon Park itself.
Inside the rooms are very spacious and comfortable with a super marble and limestone bathroom with heated floors, bath and rain shower with TV plus snuggly bathrobes embossed with the butterfly of the hotel. We had a stunning private balcony where we enjoyed breakfast delivered to our room and over looked the stunning grounds the following morning. The room service menu is very impressive with lots of choice not only for breakfast but for other meal and snacks, one slight issue with the room service was the disappointment of it just being wheeled into the room and left, we only had a few items so it was not hard to set up ourselves, but when staying in a luxury hotel one hopes for such service as having breakfast laid out for you.
In the room there are also the usual tea and coffee making facilities, a mini bar and an Apple TV (which embarrassingly we had to call reception for help with but much to our relief this is a common happening for guests who are not used to Apple TV systems). The luxury of Apple TV meant you could record TV shows and return to them later after your day out and about and also play DVDs, very good for weekend stays or people with children. There is also every social butterfly’s need of high speed wireless internet, for one must tweet after all!
After eating the gift of the fruit basket we ventured on a tour of the hotel, we were shown all the areas of the hotel from the impressive Grand Syon Ballroom, Brownies where sweet treats can be found and enjoyed on an outside terrace, Peacock Alley a very vivid Martini Bar to the beautiful and calming Kallima Spa. After our tour we headed out to Syon House to see the country playground outside our hotel doors, after a short walk you are located within the impressive sight of Syon House, a classic country estate with extensive grounds.
As a hotel guest you can visit the gardens for free, we unfortunately could not go into the house on this occasion as a wedding was taking place but I would definitely return to see it as it was a spectacular period home. One can explore the bountiful artistry of Syon Park by marvelling at the landscape, go for a bike ride, go fishing for trout, photograph the stunning flowers and scenery, play croquet, listen to birds and do not forget to watch out for butterflies! The only problem with the hotel location I found was that it is really quite isolated and can only be reached by car or by being picked up by the hotel at the local train station. The luxury of the helicopter landing pad was much appreciated for a comfortable landing for our visit!
After invigorating walk around the grounds Charlotte and I returned to our room to prepare for dinner at The Capability. Located off the bar, where we sampled a cocktail or two before dinner, this restaurant offers re-imagined classics from the original Waldorf Astoria, featuring vegetables, fruits
and herbs grown at London Syon Park combined with produce sourced from the British Isles. After dinner we sojourned to our room where we delighted in ordering off the ‘Pillow Menu’ our chosen pillows for the night, Charlotte opted for the sleep aiding pillow infused with lavender while I tried out the memory foam option to support my nights sleep.
After a sun drenched breakfast on our balcony it was time to head back to the Big City. On leaving we were given some sweet treats from the ice cream and coffee parlour Brownies, which were thoroughly enjoyed on the journey back to Central London! Like a butterfly I would return to this rare and beautiful hotel to experience the gracious surroundings, efficient staff, great tasting food and comfortable beds. London Syon Park became my own secret garden for the weekend and restored my senses in the idyllic charm of nature and the nurturing hospitality of a Hilton masterpiece.
Hilton London Syon Park
Syon Park
Middlesex, TW7 6AZ
United Kingdom
