Every year, I buy myself a birthday present. After all, I’m worth it. So every January, I treat myself to a holiday abroad; something that has become an unbroken tradition for 20 years. Until this year. Due to work commitments it simply wasn’t possible; and given my birthday fell on a Saturday it became increasingly obvious that for the first time ever – I would be celebrating it in London. Not quite what I had in mind.

I’d heard from several reliable sources that the food at London Syon Park was really good. As the hotel also has a spa, cool bar, is set in acres of grounds and is just a few miles from central London, I felt a Saturday night celebration coming on…

A quick and easy 20 minute train from Waterloo delivered my partner and I to Richmond station. “We’ll send a taxi to meet you” said the kind receptionist; and I knew we were in for a treat when a sparkling silver Mercedes with suited driver was waiting right outside. A few minutes later we were driving through the estate grounds and safely into the cosseting arms of London Syon Park.

Warm welcomes and check in complete, we were escorted to the Presidential Suite; a place so vast you could easily fit my apartment into it 3 times and still have space to swing a proverbial cat. This is a deeply sexy suite – blacks, silvers, greys, dark wood and mirrors all combined to create an atmosphere of extreme decadence. A welcome platter of birthday treats greeted us and after playing with the in-room tech ranging from no less than 3 huge TV’s, mood lighting and electronically operated curtains we headed to the bar. A well respected hotel journalist once told me that you can tell a lot about a hotel kitchen from the quality of their club sandwich – and in that regard London Syon Park scores top marks. They arrived to our table on rustic slabs of wood with perfect fries and spicy Bloody Mary’s.

Given the month it was cold, but luckily it was also one of those beautiful winter days with blue skies and crisp air – great weather to discover the estate grounds and walk off lunch. After exploring, the spa beckoned – and this is just one of the reasons why London Syon Park is the perfect weekend escape for Londoners. A few hours in their capable hands and I was happily snoozing back in the suite looking forward to dinner.

The bar was buzzy and atmospheric by 8pm, with intuative service and an extensive cocktail list. When it comes to Mojitos – I count myself as a true connoisseur; and the ones I drank here (I lost count after the 4^th) were the best I’ve ever encountered. This quality transferred to the restaurant where I enjoyed my most memorable meal in months – the Cornish Fish Curry so moreish that if I lived locally, I would find myself here on a weekly basis – it’s that good.

Back in our suite we drank yet more Mojitos (was that the 5^th or 6^th?) and slept soundly waking in time to order a room service breakfast in bed. Now, I’m also a connoisseur of sausages. They would, hands down, be my desert island food of choice. Again, London Syon Park set the benchmark with locally sourced, unbelievably delicious sausages accompanying our perfect omelettes.

It may only have been 24 hrs away, but the team at London Syon Park managed to make us both relax to such an extent it felt like much longer. We departed early afternoon vowing to return – Sunday lunch in the restaurant definitely on my wish-list. This is such a welcome addition to the London hotel scene. Far enough away to feel like you’ve escaped, but close enough to warrant a last minute decision to visit. I shall definitely return – if only for the Mojitos!