Location & Appearance
Conveniently located on Piccadilly, just south of Mayfair, the Athenaeum Hotel & Residences is right across the street from Royal Green Park and a quick walk to Hyde Park Corner and Green Park tube stations. Complementing the park’s greenery, a vertical garden created by the French botanist and artist Patrick Blanc covers a 10-story-high section of the hotel’s façade.
An antique penny-farthing stands by the entrance, and cheerful, attentive doormen wear top hats and tails. The compact atrium lobby’s two-story-high windows, modern artwork and contemporary teal and mustard hued furnishings make it a pleasant spot to meet up or take a break.
Guest Room
I stayed in a Park View Teal room, so named for its pleasant blue-green 
contemporary décor that included the lampshades, bed throw, curtains, pillows and velvet upholstery, and for its views of Green Park through floor-to-ceiling windows.
The room was outfitted with a comfortable king size bed flanked by nightstands, desk with chair, and a small table with two chairs by the window. Amenities included a Nespresso coffee maker, complimentary coffee and tea pods and bottled water, a well-stocked mini-bar, LED flat-screen TV, Bose music docking stations, free Wi-Fi, a safe, and an iron and ironing board. The white marble bathroom featured a tub with overhead shower, heated towel racks, steam-free mirrors, ESPA bath and body amenities, a hair dryer and plush towels and bathrobes.
Nights Stayed: Two
Restaurants & Bars
Just off of the compact lobby, Galvin restaurant offers a menu of updated British cla
ssics. Dishes, like the tasty roast Cornish hake with chickpeas, piquillo peppers, olives and ndjua feature locally sourced, globally inspired ingredients. Desserts included a Valrhona chocolate marquise with raspberry sorbet that was both rich and refreshing. Galvin offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as afternoon tea.
The adjoining bar serves garden-inspired specialty cocktails, like the chamomile 
Martini, concocted with chamomile infused Bombay Sapphire gin and limoncello mixed with orange flowers bitters and offers an impressive international wine list.The View lounge on the top floor showcases sweeping views of the city, including the London Eye and offers guests a complimentary daily drink to sip while noshing on bites from Galvin restaurant.
Facilities
The hotel’s REN Spa offers a range of body treatments, a steam room, sauna, and two cedar hot tubs. The fitness room includes free weights and state-of-the-art cardio equipment.
Residences
The hotel’s serviced residences are housed in historic red brick townhomes adjacent to the hotel. They feature contemporary furnishings and décor and include roomy, high-ceilinged one-bedroom apartments with kitchenettes.
Hotel Staff
Staff members were upbeat, affable and promptly assisted with any needs. When I ordered a pizza from room service after a late-night arrival, staff quickly and courteously delivered it, and it was fresh, hot and delicious.
Conclusion
A quiet, cozy, comfortable enclave in the middle of all the action on Piccadilly, the Athenaeum Hotel & Residences is an excellent choice for business or leisure travellers in London.
