Marriott Grosvenor Square: I stayed at a five-star hotel near London's Oxford Street - and couldn't believe my eyes

Sure, you’ve got places like Dubai, Los Angeles and Monaco - where wealth has been ingrained into society - there is something to be said for central London’s history. The juxtaposition of fancy cars driving through ancient streets is the sort of sight you don’t see anywhere else in the world.

So when we were invited for a stay at the newly-renovated Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square, we jumped at the opportunity. The five-star hotel has received a facelift for its 40th anniversary, including a redesigned lobby with a new all-day food and drinks offering, an upgraded M Club lounge, and enhancements to its meeting and event spaces.

Before you even enter the hotel, you are met with a kind smile and warm greeting by a porter outside.

The doors slide open and your eyes will doubtless widen with them; the lobby area is opulent yet inviting, with marble reception desks and pillars. The redesigned lobby makes such a striking first impression, combining crisp modernism with a sprinkling of art deco.

The check-in process was swift and friendly, with the staff making you feel right at home. Our room was on the fourth floor, so after getting our key cards we headed up the lift.

"What did we do to deserve all this?" my wife asks me. I'm not quite sure how to answer that - all I did was go back and forth with a PR team, but here we are.

We arrived at our room, opened the door and both audibly gasped. This was far more luxurious than anything we were used to, as if we were stepping into someone else's shoes, like a tech CEO or reality TV star.

We stayed in one of the hotel's one-bedroom suites, which has both a bedroom and living room. Deep blues, marble whites and crisp metals exuded class, without feeling clinical. 'Warm minimalism' was the phrase we came up with to describe it.

Floor-to-ceiling windows brought in plenty of light - from the living room, you could see out to Grosvenor Square itself, our eyes level with the park's treeline; from the bedroom, you could catch a glimpse of the hustle and hustle of Oxford Street.

After a busy afternoon in Piccadilly Circus, we decided to treat ourselves to some of the amenities. Inside the room was a mini-bar with crisps, chocolates, an assortment of treats from the Dormen, and wine, plus complimentary waters and hot drinks (some of which were compatible with the Nespresso coffee machine in the living room).

A handwritten card from guest services and a pot of triple chocolate coffee beans shortly followed. We were totally spoiled for choice.

Having spent a couple of hours unwinding, we headed down to the Marriott Lounge. This is a members-only area (which we were kindly given access to) that serves breakfast, lunch, canapes and late-night treats.

When we walked through, there was a selection of canapes that included a watermelon salad, beef croquette and mac & cheese - as well as drinks, cheeses and some sweets for members to snack on before dinner. We kept things light, not wanting to spoil our appetite but keen to make the most of what was available.

Before we knew it, 7.30pm rolled around and it was time for dinner. The Marriott has multiple dining options, including Gordon Ramsay Grill and Lucky Cat. My wife and I opted for the latter, which offers an exquisite Asian dining experience.

The food comes out in waves - and so it's a case of order everything you want and watch it reach the table incrementally. Our combination of spicy tuna maki, fried squid, GFC, duck leg bao buns and egg fried rice quickly filled our humble two-top.

We were amazed by the rich, complex flavours; every ingredient in each dish had a purpose, and everything tasted sensational. My wife commented that it was “the best fried rice I’ve ever had” and honestly I can’t disagree with that.

I’ve always praised staff at the Ivy, saying that every move they make feels deliberate - here, every move made by staff at the Lucky Cat felt both calculated and effortless at the same time. Everyone moved with precision from table to table, but it seemed graceful at the same time. What’s more, and this is the case for the wider hotel too, everyone had time to talk with us throughout our meal, from discussing food and drink recommendations to chatting about our plans for the rest of the night.

"They're treating us as if we've got money," my wife said - but I don't think that quite explains it. They treated everyone the same, as if each person who walked through the door was the most important in the world, no matter where they had come from.

For the evening, we went to meet a friend over in Chelsea and had a wonderful time catching up. Walking back through to Grosvenor Square felt like a fever dream; going from Portsmouth - where having all four wheels on your car is often a flex - to a string of street-parked Ferraris, Lamborghinis and McLarens is quite the cultural whiplash.

It was at this point that my wife pointed out that Grosvenor Square is the central location of Netflix’s Regency-era drama, Bridgerton. Opulence has always been the way of life in this part of London, and it’s fascinating to see how everyone embraces that as the norm.

When we arrived back in the room, we were impressed to see that the staff had been in to make up our bed. It was such a lovely touch and really drove home how much effort is put into making every stay a special one.

Sinking into our bed for the night was like being hugged by a giant marshmallow - it was so soft and comfy that it practically enveloped us, and moments later we were both sound asleep.

We woke up the following morning feeling very refreshed, and headed downstairs for breakfast. Sitting down in the lounge we were presented with a smorgasbord of fruits, cereals, pastries, cold meats and cheeses, as well as all the makings of a full English breakfast.

As we finished our breakfast and checked out, we stepped outside and took a moment to reflect upon our stay. It was unlike anything we have ever experienced before, living a life of luxury at a hotel practically dripping with class, with staff who happily waited on our every need and went the extra mile like it was no trouble at all.

There were moments where we questioned if we belonged there - imposter syndrome hit us hard a couple of times - but we were made to feel so welcome that those thoughts quickly left our minds.

The next time someone tells me they’re staying in London, I will be recommending the Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square in a heartbeat.