A FEW MINUTES AWAY from London's bustling Oxford Street, weary shoppers can take a step back in time. Durrants Hotel – one of London's last family-owned hotels – nestles on George Street, in the heart of Marylebone. Surrounded by all the trappings of modern society, it is hard to imagine how this Georgian townhouse has managed to retain so much of its original character.
The hotel opened its doors in 1790, the year US president George Washington gave the first State of the Union address. Back in the UK, prime minister William Pitt was busy refusing to recognise Belgian independence. Meanwhile, the ordinary folk of th
e capital were living in fear of the so-called "London Monster", a large man who followed women down the street, shouting obscenities before stabbing his victims in the buttocks.
Durrants certainly tries hard to remember its past – some might say a bit too hard. Anyone who regularly stays at the hotel chains that dominate holiday websites will find it hard to adjust to what they find here. Walking into Durrants, which has been owned by the Miller family since 1921, is like entering a stately home or museum.
Paintings of stern-looking aristocrats adorn the walls. Display cabinets show off collections of decorative plates and ornate glass. The carpets are of the patterned variety an elderly aunt may insist on keeping despite the fact they clash with her furniture. Colourful and intriguing objects vie for your attention everywhere. Despite all this, we managed to locate the reception desk tucked to one side and were shown to one of the hotel's 92 rooms.
The historic theme continues upstairs. The rooms are decorated with colourful prints and classical English fabrics; there is not a mini-bar in sight. There is not even a sad little tray with mini kettle and pots of UHT milk. Still, you don't get the impression that Durrants is looking for the kind of client who pockets the complimentary sachets of coffee while sizing up the towels.
There is only so much history you can take in one go, so we head out into London's West End and back into 2008. No matter what your reason for visiting the capital, there is no denying that the hotel's location makes it an attractive option. A brisk five-minute walk finds you amid the shopping frenzy of Oxford Street. It is not long before we spot a group of photographers hanging on a street corner awaiting some celebrity or other. And across the road, style guru Gok Wan, of Channel 4's How to Look Good Naked, is checking out the latest high-street fashions for his show. Two celebrity close(ish) encounters in just a few minutes. Yowza!
If it's a high celeb count you're after and you have cash to splash, then there are designer stores on Bond Street, also just a short walk from the hotel, with Gucci, Armani and more Royal Warrant holders than you can shake a stick at.
But it would be a shame not to venture a little further afield. Theatreland is just a couple of Tube stops away, or you can walk if you don't mind fighting your way through the crowds. In fact, for general sight-seeing, it is not too difficult to walk to any of the main attractions.
After all this hustle and bustle, it is a pleasure to return to the calm of Durrants. As we make our way to the room, we linger in the corridors to take in a bit more history. In the traditional George Bar, a British military flintlock musket hangs on the wall for you to admire from the comfy leather chairs beside the open fire. Pictures of fox-hunting expeditions also decorate the room, perhaps to help soothe any nostalgic country types who have ventured into the Big Smoke.
Along the hall is a more genteel sitting room where in days gone by the ladies may have been sent to "protect" them from the serious talk in the bar. The flowery furniture and paintings of children having their hair plaited couldn't be more of a contrast to the masculine room next door.
Having dinner in the Grill Room restaurant is also a historical experience. The menu includes a relic from the hotel's early days – a bill for a party of 69 people, who managed to quaff several bottles of sherry, claret and soda along with their meals for the princely sum of £9.18. Of course, these days that would pretty much pay for your starter. But the modern menu does include many traditional dishes that have lasted the centuries, such as roast beef with all the trimmings.
Eating here is a serene and pleasant experience, though there are some who may find it a bit hard to relax in the starchy surroundings, especially with yet more perturbed, oil-painted aristocrats gawping down at you from the walls.
Durrants is likely to appeal most to an older clientele (even when a child arrives in the restaurant she is with her grandparents). But being in the heart of the city means it should not be overlooked. For the amateur historian of course, it could also be heaven.
Factfile Durrants, LondonHOW TO GET THEREFlights from Glasgow and Edinburgh to London on easyJet (0871 244 2366,
www.easyjet.com) start from around £50 return.
WHERE TO STAYDurrants Hotel, George Street, London (0207 935 8131,
www.durrantshotel.co.uk). Single rooms from £165, doubles from £225. The hotel has a special offer for £99pp. This includes a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, half a bottle of Champagne, tea for two, English breakfast and a late check-out.
AND THERE'S MOREScotsman Reader Holidays offers four-day sightseeing trips to London with flights from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen from £349. Visit
www.holidays.scotsman.com for details.
The full article contains 982 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
