The Goring has the enviable reputation of being a five-star London hotel with a sense of humour. With a man like Jeremy Goring (great-grandson of the founder, Otto R Goring) at the helm, how could it not? The surprisingly modest hotelier met with Sydney media on Thursday during his latest Australian visit to share an update over a lunch of dumplings, scallops and Peking duck at Mr Wong.
The Goring has once again secured a Royal Warrant from HM The Queen for ‘Hospitality Services’, remaining the only hotel to have this honour bestowed upon it by a monarch. The Belgravia institution bears a five-star rating from Forbes, which also named The Goring the best hotel in the world for service. With inspections taking place three times per year, Forbes has “ramped up” what it means to be a luxury hotel, says Jeremy.
Of course, it comes down to the details: how long it takes to answer the phone, for example, or placing a bookmark in an open magazine before closing it. The Goring is known for its handsome red-coated footmen who bring guests a cocktail each night. The concierge team naturally plays a huge role in this, and ‘Big John’, as Head Concierge John Andrews is fondly known, has been voted the world’s top in his profession.
The Dining Room holds a Michelin star (The Goring is the only hotel in London with a Michelin-starred restaurant actually run by the hotel), and will soon be joined by a “fun” seafood restaurant. The institution has also hired a top British herbalist, who has planted 130 new herbs in the garden with the aim of creating wellness-focused flavoured waters to assist with memory or combat jet lag, among other uses. With the biggest hotel garden in London, it is also a smart choice for families.
With its distinctive style and quintessentially British sense of humour, it is little wonder that the number of Australian visitors is growing year on year.