By James Mason

A two-minute walk from Piccadilly tube station and I arrive at the Dilly Hotel and my first thoughts is for tourists visiting London. What a great place to be staying, right in the heart of London and by one of its most famous meeting places. For the record I have lived in London most of my life and when meeting people for a night out in this part of town, Piccadilly is where we meet.

The Dilly was one of London’s first grand hotels dating back to Edwardian times. In the 1930s, an outdoor pool on the terrace was centre stage for high class London’s social life and now the hotel has one of London’s largest indoor luxury pools, now part of the new health club at The Dilly. The hotel’s meeting and function rooms - designed in the style of Louis XIV with epoque chandeliers and detailed oak panelling - have been the destination for many weddings, dinner dances and private events.

After checking in I head up to my room and for the security conscious you will be pleased to know you can only access the room floors with your room key card. The big part for me when staying in a hotel is when you open the door to your room. For me first impressions at this moment really do count and I love the white, black and red décor. Now I have been told by Charmaine I must do the nosedive into the pillows to test the bed and linens and I can confirm the bed was nice and firm and the linens were crisp and fresh.

I head to the bathroom which is a step up and the crisp white design continues with a subway tile design and stainless steel fittings. The transformation of the property has seen a new exterior design to the entrance of the hotel and an extensive lobby refurbishment. The redesign of the 255 bedrooms and 28 suites is ongoing.



Facilities

I head down to the lower ground floor to check out the the new health club and while at this moment the spa treatment section isn’t up and running, the gym and fitness facilities look amazing. They are split into four sections with main weight machines, rowing machines etc by the reception desk then there is a cardio section with treadmill, cycles, xtrainers etc and then a few steps up is an open section with mats, free weights etc. It really is a perfect use of space. There is also a beautiful dance studio that can also be used for classes.

Heading towards the pool there are squash courts but it’s as I open the door to the pool that I’m taken back. It really is a beautiful place and I am gutted that I didn’t bring any swimwear with me. Swimming here is far from just a workout, I could float on my back just taking in these surroundings for hours. It's defiantly a must-do when staying at this hotel. The Dilly have also just installed a new Golfzon simulator, and that review is alongside this hotel review.





Restaurants
After taking a nap due to my exertions on the golf simulator and a shower, I am heading down to the Terrace at The Dilly restaurant. I ask to be seated near the window so I can look down on Piccadilly and people watch while I enjoy my meal. I have gone for the pan roasted scallops, pea puree, caper brown butter as the starter, and the 8oz rib eye steak with rocket garnish, tomato peppercorn sauce, garlic, pesto mushrooms and hand-cut chips as the main, cooked rare but burnt on the outside and a glass of Argentinian Malbec.

The view and the food are amazing, but I still have room for dessert and as there is no cheesecake on the menu, I have decided to go for the honey roasted pear, ginger ganache, oat crumble, caramelised pastry and honeycomb and I am so glad I have. It's delicious and the views looking down on Piccadilly at night are so good I have decided to enjoy a couple of beers and just watch Londoners and visitors from this perfect vantage point.



Conclusion
For those visiting London or Londoners who are on a night out or a weekend away and want to stay in town, The Dilly is perfectly placed next to Piccadilly Circus and in the heart of London and all its attractions. The food in The Terrace restaurant is wonderful and so too are the facilities, especially the Golfzon simulator. Don’t make my mistake and not bring your swimming shorts/costume as the swimming pool is a must-do/see while you are staying here.






The Dilly
21 Piccadilly
London
W1J 0BH

T: +44 20 7734 8000
W: thedillylondon.com