Brown’s Hotel: A Luxury Home Away From Home in London

Getting ready for a family trip to Europe is exciting. With so many places to see, Europe has endless of options to offer families. A fantastic way to begin a family travel tradition is to take kids to London.

Why Visit London with Kids?

Why not London? In a land of royals and the palaces they call home, fancy mixes well with fun. From watching British history in action, to realizing cell phones will never replace all phone booths and maybe discovering a newfound affection for tea, London is easy to love.

British Home Away from Home

A good hotel makes you feel comfortable when you’re away from home. A great hotel makes you feel like you are home. The oldest hotel in London, Brown’s Hotel (part of the luxe Rocco Forte portfolio) has mastered the art of making families feel at home. It starts the moment the top hat-adorned doorman welcomes you.

“Look after the children and the parents will be happy,” said the late Stuart P. Johnson, former General Manager of Brown’s Hotel.

The looking after starts instantaneously. While parents check in, kids are asked to fill out their own registration paperwork. When you arrive in your room, depending on the ages of your children, a variety of surprises will be waiting. For the youngest guests, baby necessities will be plentiful, while themed linens and an “Alby the monkey” toy will be waiting for the school-age set. Impressively, tweens and teens are not forgotten, rewarded for their journey with magazines and Wii, X-box 360, and Play Station 2 & 3  gaming systems. Milk and cookies make all ages smile.

Children at Brown’s even have their own in-room dining menu, designed and created by a local school. The Spa at Brown’s also has a range of children’s spa treatments, ranging from manicures and pedicure to facials.

192 Years of History

Brown’s opened in 1832, and if the walls could talk they’d have amazing things to say. Alexander Graham Bell made the first UK telephone call from the hotel in 1876. Rudyard Kipling wrote The Jungle Book while staying there. Agatha Christie was a repeat customer, basing her novel At Bertram’s Hotel on Brown’s Hotel.

Afternoon Tea

Tea is an affair not to missed at Brown’s Hotel. A baby grand piano and steaming silver teapots set the tone in the Drawing Room, but an order from the Rare Tea Company will steal the show when it arrives at the table. Go to afternoon tea hungry — it’s a multi-course meal in its own right, and servers are constantly refilling plates with a variety of finger sandwiches, pastries, cakes and delicate macarons with flavors like blackberry and violet.

Save room for the scones. They’ll arrive warm with clotted cream and homemade strawberry preserves on the side. One taste and you’ll already be looking forward to breakfast, where an assortment of homemade preserves will give you a delicious sugar rush start to day of exploring London. On most weekends, there’s also a special breakfast buffet for kids. Think Nutella and lots of it!

Location, Location, Location

Along with being the oldest hotel in the city, Brown’s can easily boast about having one of the best locations, right in the heart of Mayfair. Green Park is just a few blocks away, offering plenty of room to run and a scenic, straight shot to Buckingham Palace.

If the timing works, stay for the Changing of the Guard (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 10:45 am) or just enjoy the view, then head to St. James’ Park. Thirty species of waterfowl call the 58-acre park home. The swans and ducks tend to be a social set, hopeful you might have a snack to share.

Make a stop at the playground or head to the Tiffany Fountain, where the pelicans like to hang out on the nearby rocks. Yes, there are pelicans living the high life in London. They were first introduced to the park in 1664 as a gift from the Russian ambassador.

If the energy level is still high or even if the stroller is full, you can amble past plenty more of London’s well-known landmarks, like Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Trafalgar Square. What kid doesn’t love getting their picture taken with those lions? Tweens and teens will enjoy shopping their way down Piccadilly and Bond Streets.

If shopping is a main goal, Covent Garden is also an easy walk from Brown’s Hotel. Street performers have been known to distract shoppers, but you’ll rarely hear any complaining. If you want to sit down for a nice meal, you can’t beat the view from Brasserie Blanc’s upstairs dining room, but there are also plenty of places to grab something on the go.

On your way to or from Covent Garden, stop in Fortnum & Mason. Though not as famous as Harrods, this specialty food purveyor knows how to make shopping an experience. You might have a tough time convincing the kids to leave. On the street level, there’s a colorful candy counter and a bakery area with some of the most beautifully decorated cookies I’ve ever seen. If the kids make it upstairs, the ice cream can’t be missed.

Relevant Links:

Browse all family-friendly London accommodations and activities on Ciao Bambino

52 tips for traveling in England with kids

Best playgrounds and parks in London for kids

Best restaurants in London for families

The best London museums for families

Game on! A sports-loving family’s guide to London

Guide to visiting London with toddlers

8 favorite day trips from London with kids

Photos courtesy of Brown’s Hotel except where noted.

Editor’s note: This post was accurate when published. We advise checking independently for the latest information and updates. Ciao Bambino does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in, or for any actions taken based on, the information presented.