The Lanesborough's Garden Room: Cigars, Cognac and a July Redesign
Few hotel spaces in London have a following quite like the Garden Room at The Lanesborough. The covered terrace at Hyde Park Corner is where cigar smokers, cognac drinkers and people who simply like a quiet corner outdoors have long found a home. This summer it is in the middle of a transformation: a temporary Garden Room has been open since March, and the permanent redesign is due to be unveiled in July. If you want to see the space before and after, now is the moment to go.
What is changing
The Garden Room is the first phase of a multi-million-pound refurbishment at the hotel, as Knightsbridge London reported when the pop-up launched on 20 March. The work is being overseen by 1508 London, the design studio that also led the recent renovation of the Lanesborough Spa. The new look uses warm timber tones and layered materials, with Hyde Park as its inspiration, and the space remains covered so it can be used whatever the weather.
The cigar collection
The heart of the Garden Room is its cigar offering. The hotel holds one of the most distinguished collections of Habanos in London, including rare and limited-edition cigars, overseen by its Cuban-born head of cigars, Yeni Momblan. Cigars can be bought and smoked on the terrace, and the room hosts monthly cigar masterclasses on the covered outdoor terrace, which are an approachable way in for newcomers.
What to drink and eat
The drinks list is spirit-led, with fine Champagne and rare whiskies alongside cigar-inspired cocktails. The brown spirits are the real draw: a collection of rare cognacs and armagnacs, some dating back to the 18th century, as this week's round-up of Knightsbridge terraces notes. Food comes under executive chef Shay Cooper, with British farmhouse cheeses and charcuterie, sea bass ceviche and native lobster brioche rolls.
The rest of the hotel this summer
The Garden Room is not the only new space at Hyde Park Corner. The Lanesborough Grill, described as the hotel's newest opening, has been serving modern British dishes such as beef Wellington and roast Orkney scallop. For a pre-dinner drink indoors, The Library Bar remains one of the most atmospheric bars in SW1, and between them the three rooms make it easy to spend an entire evening without leaving the building.
Who it suits
You do not need to smoke to enjoy it. The Garden Room works as well for an after-dinner cognac, a client drink away from a busy bar or a late lobster roll after a concert in Hyde Park. Non-smokers should simply ask for a table away from the cigar terrace when booking.
Booking and practicalities
A minimum spend of £25 per person applies in the Garden Room. Reservations can be made by emailing dining@lanesborough.com. The Lanesborough is at Hyde Park Corner, SW1X 7TA, beside Hyde Park Corner station and a ten minute walk from Knightsbridge. Check with the hotel for exact dates before planning around the July reopening.
Lead image: nikoretro via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
