A first peek at the Dorsett in Shepherd’s Bush
A new hotel for London – the Dorsett, Shepherd’s Bush
February is a cold and dismal month so I was delighted to be invited to an evening press event at one of London’s newest hotels, the Dorsett at Shepherd’s Bush. Apart from a shopping trip to the Westfield Mall (a two-minute walk from the hotel), I’d not been in this part of London for years , not since our daughter was a medical student and shared a flat off Goldhawk Road.
With its imposing position overlooking the far end of Shepherd’s Bush Green, I noticed the Dorsett’s welcoming lights as soon as I emerged from Shepherd’s Bush Tube. West London’s newest hotel is built on the site of the old Pavilion Cinema, whose Grade II-listed façade hides the elegant four-star 317-roomed property and its glass and steel construction. The spacious and bright modern lobby and public rooms pay tribute to their historic origins, combining contemporary 21st century architecture with Art Deco style. One notable example is above the airy Jin Bar near the main lobby, where Art Deco tiered balconies soar eight storeys high to the hotel roof.
Owned by Hong Kong-based Dorsett Hospitality International, the Dorsett at Shepherd’s Bush is the group’s first UK property, with a second one opening soon at Westfield, White City. The group has hotels in several Asian cities and owns and manages three brands – d-Collection, Dorsett Hotels & Resorts and Silka Hotels.
Jin Bar
We started off the evening in the Jin Bar with drinks and canapés, then moved into one of the comfortable meeting rooms for the presentations. The hotel’s enthusiastic and friendly young staff topped up our wine glasses and served us bowls of tasty hot food as we learned about some of the world’s most desirable and upmarket holiday destinations – from new resorts in China to luxury villas in France and Italy, from new holiday islands in the Maldives to healing spas in Switzerland and the UK and much more!
I’d like to visit the Dorsett again and review the Pavilion Spa on the top floor, which I didn’t have time to visit on Wednesday. But what a pleasant way to spend a cold February evening – great food, wine and company in a fantastic new hotel. When I left to catch my train home, I felt considerably more cheerful than when I arrived and had lots of new and inspiring ideas for travel features in 2015 and beyond.
