As the years pass my bridesmaid CV is unfortunately becoming more and more extensive, each year though the level of difficulty increases with an advancement in responsibility. I found myself this December a Chief bridesmaid to my cousin Zara and in the tricky position of organising a ‘Hen Party’ for some pretty trendy girls about town and so the challenge began of organizing a ‘Luxury Hen’.

Where better to host such an event than 47 Park Street, in the heart of Mayfair Park Street offers a luxuriant home away home from home. Following a multi-million pound refurbishment, 47 Park Street is now available to accommodate members and guests. A magnificent Edwardian-style town house the residence is more often utilized by international players with a need for a central London foot hold whilst globe trotting for business or pleasure. They run an ingenious scheme; a unique brand of fractional ownership. This alternative to a second home allows you to own a share of a luxurious Mayfair residence, to be used at your convenience, at a fraction of the cost. You have an allocation of days in the year to make full use of your residence as you wish, having bought into a deluxe, one or two bedroom residence. The days you do not use can be re sold to other part owners or to guests staying on an impromptu basis. This was the perfect solution, for where better to play ‘Hostess with the Mostest’ than an immaculate suite complete with discrete butler service. It really is ideal because is removes all the worst aspects of hosting any event, shopping or ordering food, presenting it, serving it and tidying up! Leaving you to the happy task of enjoying your own party - Surprisingly guilt free!

Park Street offers so much more than a hotel ever could, without the demanding upkeep of a second or third home, attention to every detail is made by the capable staff. If the selection of a la carte room service menus don’t quite have what it take to make you feel thoroughly at home then your fridge can be stocked with all your favourite goodies and personal items will be safely stored by 47 Park Street and popped around your rooms before your arrival so it feels like you never left.

We began, as I believe every good party should, with a champagne tea. I breathed a huge sigh of relief as many of the girls who had never met before seemed to be getting along nicely. All was elegance and serenity and not a faux veil or a set of joke ‘L’ plates in sight.

Another reason that you have to love Park Street is what it can do for you. As I discovered it can offer the time poor so much more than an anonymous hotel with is it’s rather handy connects. Park Street has a relationship with the ever glamorous Morton’s Club and insiders at the Royal opera house not to mention The London Golf Club and Pasley-Tyler Business Club. All this can be coordinated for you by one of their extraordinaire concierges who will literally remove the need for forward planning from your life and look after you own personal whims better than any obliging relative.

It is also affiliated with the sumptuous catacomb that is Spa Illuminata, a stone’s throw away on South Audley Street. Offering the most extravagant and pampering treatments to nourish and perfect your whole body. The bride to be and I had booked in the next day to fully experience a body treat, but for today (being a party of 19 we were certainly too many to be accommodated by their boutique premises), the Spa came to us! Margot and one of her specialist beauty therapists came to give us a little insight into what we should be doing to fight the effects of city, sun and stress and give a few sample products. This was most definitely the right audience to play to and they closed with extending a warm invitation to all the ladies to visit the Spa and sample it’s delights.

We moved on to a little fun and games, I shan’t go in to detail but suffice to say it involved a video aided Q&A session and the construction of a frightfully tasteful nude jigsaw of the groom – well it couldn’t all be style and sophistication. Next stop was Morton’s the discreet members club a few streets away overlooking tree filled Berkeley Square. Here we sampled some of the many unique cocktails available and a little champagne. The ladies from the Spa would all have been ashamed of us as we completely disregarded their delicious range of detoxifying drinks on favour of quite the opposite.

It was soon time to head off to the Royal Opera house where we where treated to the truly mesmerising spectacle of Zenaida Yanowsky dancing La Bayadere, Zenaida, who has for years, had to wait behind Darcey Bussell and Sylvie Guillem for a man tall enough to partner her in the big classical roles. Now that the two ballerinas are out of the Royal Ballet, both the men and the roles are finally hers for the taking - and it has been worth the wait. The Royal Opera House never fails to deliver a truly intangible magic the costumes and sets alone are spectacular but there’s something in the air. I just want to sit forever and found the production truly stunning in the literal sense of the word.

Another perk of Park Street’s association with the Royal Opera House is the ability to arrange back stage exclusive tours for small groups of theatre-philes to be guided through the fascinating and normally inaccessible engine rooms of the building and just generally have a good back stage snoop around. This delight would have to wait though for another day – and a slightly smaller group!
In the Floral Hall Champagne and the most delicious smoked salmon sandwiches I have ever had the pleasure of eating certainly kept the wolf from the door at the first interval.

Having been informed by my cousin at this stage that her plans for dinner had been scupperd I decided to offer the concierge the ultimate test: could he arrange dinner for 19 on a Saturday night in Mayfair with 2hrs notice? Yes, he could! Truly a miracle, sure enough by the time we left we had a reservation.

After dinner all that was left for the evening was for Zara and I to retreat to Park Street to luxuriate in our bedrooms and enjoy a tripple glazed Mayfair nights sleep, having completed the “Hen” in sublime style.

www.grandresidenceclub.com
www.royalopera.org
www.spailluminata.com