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Country home to the Duke of Northumberland for over 400 years, Syon Park is a 200-acre oasis of scenic countryside, nestling in the concrete suburbs of West London. It’s also a perfect location for a luxury hotel like the Hilton London Syon Park, offering a soothing respite from the stresses of city life.
Room raider
The Hilton London Syon Park is equipped with a variety of stylish and contemporary rooms and suites, which provide beautiful views of the tranquil Syon Park estate. My wife and I are staying in a Twin Deluxe Room, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a private balcony that overlooks Syon House – the London home of the Duke. It’s spacious and incredibly comfortable, with sleek and tasteful décor throughout. But the most impressive thing is the tech. In addition to a huge 40 inch HD TV and media hub in the bedroom, there’s also a second TV built into the wall above the bath – which is deep and elegant – offering the perfect opportunity to unwind in the tub. After quickly scoffing the complimentary plate of mixed berries, I head to the spa to check out the gym.
Worth squat
Hotel gyms tend to be geared more towards cardio than serious lifting, but the fitness suite at the Kallima spa does an excellent job of catering for both. In addition to an impressive selection of cardio machines – including treadmills, exercise bikes and a versa climber – it also features a free weights area with two sets of heavy dumbbells, kettlebells, and a squat rack with a barbell and weight plates. There are also floor mats and useful bits of prehab kit, including resistance bands and foam rollers, which I use to work through some stiffness in my shoulders as a warm up. The tasteful tunes and lack of fellow gym-goers makes a pleasant change from the frenzied environment of a commercial gym, and it’s refreshing to get through an entire workout of barbell complexes without having to worry about hogging the rack or the bar.
Spa and away
After some more foam rolling to cool down, I head back to the spa reception to meet my wife. The range of luxurious treatments – both functional and aesthetic – on offer at the Kallima is vast, and includes signature therapies such as their exfoliating mineral mud masks and comfort touch full body massages. My wife has opted for the latter to help relieve some tension in her lower back and glutes, which the masseuse does a brilliant job of targeting, working through the tight muscle groups in a firm but relaxing manner. We spend the remainder of the day enjoying the rest of the spa facilities, alternating between the relaxation suite, the 15m swimming pool, the Jacuzzi, and the steam room and sauna. It’s a wonderful environment to unwind in, and by the end of the afternoon I feel mentally and physically relaxed and rejuvenated.
Steak out
A stay at the Hilton London Syon Park wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar And Grill. The menu offers traditional steakhouse dishes prepared to the highest standard. My wife and I share a ‘Best of British’ platter as a starter, which features an exquisite selection of classic native nibbles, including Bramley apple compote, cured ham with fruit chutney and a Glamorgan cheese sausage. It’s all incredibly rich and filling, and sets me up nicely for the main course, an enormous 16oz (450g), 28 day-aged T-bone steak, which contains a ridiculous 108g of muscle-building protein. If you enjoy dining on high quality meat, this really is as good as it gets.
MF verdict: 5/5
The Hilton London Syon Park has everything you could possibly want to work out, veg out or eat out, in the most tranquil environment you could hope to find in the confines of the capital.
