The Grosvenor Hotel Goes Back to Its Roots With Victorian Themed Cocktails

LONDON, December 8, 2011 -

Guoman Hotels has announced that the Grosvenor hotel’s stylish new Reunion bar will be offering an exclusive limited edition Victorian themed cocktail menu throughout December.

Inspired by the Victorian era when the historic London hotel was originally built, guests can enjoy a delicious ‘Penny Black’, ‘Dorian Gray’ or ‘Victorian Martini’, whilst relaxing in elegant surroundings overlooking the busy concourse of Victoria station.

Visitors to the new destination bar can also sample ‘The 19th Century’ made with Beefeater premium London dry gin, orange juice and dark chocolate infused with baby figs and Madagascan vanilla, which has been shortlisted for the prestigious Beefeater 24 South Regional cocktail championships.

Explosive rum based cocktail including gunpowder tea, the ‘HMS Temeraire’, is named after the first British ship to be equipped with barbette gun shields in 1876 and ‘Cuffs and Buttons’ is a refreshing fruity tipple based on a traditional Victorian recipe which later became known as Southern Comfort.

Reunion’s Head Barman, Paul Bradley, said: “This is the first of a regular series of themed menu offerings that we have designed to celebrate the rich history and heritage of Reunion and the hotel itself. We created each bespoke cocktail to reflect the charm and character of this iconic Grade II listed building and to give visitors a valuable insight into Victorian life. The Grosvenor was one of the largest and grandest hotels in London when it was originally opened in 1862 and our aim is to put Reunion on the map as the destination bar in the capital. The limited edition menu also serves as a souvenir for visitors so that they can feel like they are part of the hotel’s story.”

Reunion bar, which was designed to reflect the hotel’s colourful past with unique decor and art inspired by the golden age of railway travel, was formerly the VIP lounge for first class rail passengers at Victoria station and was often frequented by famous actors including Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. Platform one, which could be accessed directly from the lounge, was famous for the luxurious trains The Orient Express and the Brighton Belle, the latter being depicted in paintings hanging at each end of the room.

The Grosvenor hotel is nearing the end of an extensive £20 million refurbishment which will see it become the official fifth member of the luxury Guoman Hotels collection in January 2012. London’s oldest railway hotel will also celebrate its 150th anniversary next year.

About Guoman Hotels

Guoman Hotel Management Limited operates two hotel brands within the UK market; Guoman Hotels, an exclusive collection of luxury hotels located in central London and Thistle Hotels, a chain of quality full service hotels in the UK’s major cities.

Guoman Hotels in the UK consists of four landmark properties; Charing Cross, The Cumberland, The Royal Horseguards and The Tower. Whilst each hotel in the portfolio is different with its own unique identity and style, each provides the very highest levels of comfort and service to its guests. 

In 2010, Guoman Hotels launched internationally with its new property opening in Shanghai.  In the UK, The Grosvenor Victoria property will join the collection in 2011.

Guoman Hotel Management Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GuocoLeisure Ltd, part of the Hong Leong Group which has hospitality and leisure businesses across the globe with hotels in Europe, USA, Australasia and Asia.

PR Contact:
Victoria Savill
Siren PR
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+44(0)20-8237-1210
www.guoman.com

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