History at The Athenaeum : Dawn Geddes

Dawn Geddes, Freelance Journalist

London is a city I visit often, but I’ve always ventured there alone without my family in tow. Although I’d always been tempted to bring them along, I was worried about how we’d all manage. They only have small legs – how would they manage to walk big distances between the tube and hotel? Would they cope with being cooped up in a small hotel room for three nights? Would they actually eat anything if I took them out for dinner? My list of worries was long.

When we finally decided to book a trip to London in Spring, I was convinced that our visit was going to be a washout – for me at least. But then during an online search for hotels, I discovered The Athenaeum in Mayfair which promised to provide a family friendly experience for its guests. I booked it and hoped for the best.

The hotel’s Children’s Concierge had already visited our accommodation before we arrived, leaving us an abundance of things to keep the children amused during our stay. From toys and games to bird food for Green Park’s resident ducks and swans – our kids had plenty to keep them happy, but the thing they enjoyed most about their stay was the milk and cookies that were delivered each night during the hotel’s turn in service. It was the perfect way to end each day of their stay in London.

I needn’t have worried about meal times either. With our own kitchen, we were able to eat as a family without worrying about the children sitting still and behaving themselves in a restaurant. For breakfast, each morning we made our way downstairs to the hotel’s Galvin Restaurant which provided a delicious selection of culinary delights including Eggs Benedict for the adults and waffles and chocolate sauce for the children.