The Goring

As elegant and quintessentially British as it comes, The Goring is easily one of the best hotels we've ever stayed in. The Goring is unapologetically traditional - they do not attempt to win you over with fancy facilities or high-tech gadgets in your room. What they specialize in, however, is just plain, utmost care that they place on their guests, and the impeccable service that comes with it. From breakfast staff who remembered where we sat the previous day and our love for berries, to the concierge picking up flu medicine for us, almost everyone we met in The Goring was extremely lovely and pleasant. I can spend a full day in my room without feeling like I'm wasting time as one can argue that time spent in The Goring IS the British experience that tourists like us are looking for. The highlight of our stay was the breakfast, so much so that even though we'd never been early birds, breakfast in the beautiful dining room was the thing that we looked forward to the most, every single day. There's something about the experience that I can't quite put my finger on, perhaps it's the sound of silverware clattering and newspaper turning, and the muffled dialogue in an otherwise quiet room that made us feel like we were part of a period drama. Not to mention that every single dish was carefully prepared using the best ingredients and beautifully presented. If you stay at The Goring, breakfast is a must, and please come early. Our stay, however, has not been without fault. For example, no one helped us with our luggage when we arrived, and we struggled to bring it up the stairs into the lobby. There was a flickering light in our room that, despite telling the front desk about it, didn't seem to be completely fixed. In addition, we had dinner at the famed Goring Dining Room and it was rather underwhelming. Those things were, however, very easy to overlook if you consider the otherwise wonderful experience The Goring offered, and we can't wait for our next stay here.

From arrival until departure, everything that could be done was done to make us comfortable. I have stayed at some of the finest hotels in the world and this ranks among the top five. It is exceptional. The staff are outstanding, they anticipate just about every possible thing you could want. The decor is beautiful, the room was incredibly homely and comfortable. The restaurant was the only slight disappointment - and I’m being very picky here. The food was world class, the setting is delightful. But on occasions the service let the side down. Incredibly warm and friendly people but the attentiveness wasn’t as with the rest of the hotel. The time between seating and ordering (dinner and breakfast) was slower than I’d expect, things were forgotten. Coffee was served instead of tea (at breakfast). A pity. Possibly these small things wouldn’t have stood out but for the fact that everywhere else it was beyond reproach. On departure a staff member asked if I’d enjoyed my stay. I said it was exceptional, and he replied “See you next week sir?” - I thought that was the perfect response. I wish I could go back that soon. I will go back though, it is an absolute delight.

Such a treat and one of the few London hotels that makes you feel like family. I only wish the room's aircon could have been a tad cooler. The dining here is special and worth it. The staff focus on every customer and make you feel special.

Outstanding champagne afternoon tea for my 60th birthday. The food and service were outstanding. There were little touches that made me feel very special. A personalised card on the table, a mini birthday cake and an instamatic photo of us. All unexpected. I'm a vegetarian and the food was some of the best I have eaten at an afternoon tea. We had a table looking out on to the beautiful garden. The staff are very attentive but not intrusive. The Verranda is beautiful. The whole experience made my 60th birthday celebration exceptional. Thank you so much.

What a wonderful experience at The Goring. As a first time visitor to London, I could have not been met with a more delightful experience. From the moment you step into the hotel, it’s like being home with family. Everyone in the staff, from doorman to general manager made sure our stay was perfect. I had my first afternoon tea ever here and was blown away by the service. Lovely food and seats overlooking a sunny London day, a true delight. We cannot wait to come back!