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This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to London
When the Singaporean hotel giant Pan Pacific opened its first London outpost in Liverpool Street post-pandemic, I thought: this is never going to work. The City was still largely empty at the time, and the sort of international business travel that a hotel like this attracts was still dead in the water. What a difference 18 months makes, and how wrong I was.
Now travel is well and truly back, and the City is buzzing again. On my visit, the revolving doors of this luxury hotel were in a near-constant spin with the afternoon-tea set arriving to celebrate landmark occasions in the Orchid Lounge, and suited after-work types heading for cocktails at the Ginger Lily bar followed by a Singaporean feast at Straits Kitchen. A slick reception team with iPads, freshly baked cookies and treasure hunts for kiddies, were welcoming a steady stream of guests from around the world and even closer to home (yes, Liverpool Street is, surprisingly, a popular staycation destination).
The floor-to-ceiling windows in our 17th-floor room looked down on to a glorious mish-mash of Wren churches, anonymous office blocks and disastrous architectural mistakes — a view that is unmistakably London. But once the curtains were drawn, and we were ensconced in the cooling neutral tones of international luxury, I felt we could be almost be anywhere. That kind of vibe isn’t for everyone — and fans of House of Hackney-maximalism should go elsewhere — but I rather liked the muted greige colour scheme. Bathrooms are more exciting, with oval tubs, Diptyque products and pots of house bath salt for an extended soak.
The spa is the real draw here. The 18.5-metre pool looks on to the One Bishopsgate plaza; as I lapped up and down before breakfast, I watched City workers racing to the office. An excellent sports massage worked out some stubborn kinks, while my children experienced their first ever mini treatment as part of the hotel’s new programme with Bonpoint. I told them not to get used to it. Breakfast is an eclectic, luxurious buffet of Singaporean savoury dishes and upscale continental fare, with a chef stationed making omelettes à volonté.
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Good for: An escapist staycation to Singapore
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Not so good for: Anyone wanting a cosy London experience
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FYI: ask for Todor at the spa if you want a strong massage
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Double: from £405
Rebecca Rose was a guest of Pan Pacific London
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