伦敦布朗酒店
Brown’s Hotel, London
www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/browns-hotel/
名门贵胄的精神乐园
哈斯勒酒店有史以来都是罗马城的最佳观景点之一Rocco Forte集团旗下的Brown‘s Hotel，于1837年维多利亚女皇登基的一年，在梅费尔区中心开业，成为伦敦的第一家酒店。至今180年来，酒店曾款待多位造访伦敦的皇室贵族和文豪，还有普立兹奖和金像奖得主，以及音乐家科学家探险家和政治人物等。
回溯酒店的传奇前身
1837 年布朗酒店开张时曾被称作“高级客栈”（时人以此称呼 “酒店”），老板名为詹姆斯・布朗（James Brown），做过大诗人拜伦勋爵的贴身男仆，美丽的寡妇拜伦夫人临终前把全部财产交给这对仆人夫妇继承。于是，布朗先生在多佛街（Dover Street）买下四幢联体住宅，创办了布朗酒店。1859年酒店被转卖给詹姆斯・约翰・福特（James John Ford），后者在酒店内安装了电梯，并将位于阿尔伯马尔街（Albemarle Street）背对多佛街的圣乔治酒店（St.George‘s Hotel）归入名下。布朗酒店很快以低调雅致闻名，着力营造私密氛围并提供顶级服务。
政要大咖的下榻之地
伦敦布朗酒店（Brown‘s）深具英国气质，这间百年老店曾经是维多利亚女王和推理小说家阿加莎・克里斯蒂（Agatha Christie）常常光临之处。布朗酒店在其一百多年的历史中，接待过众多皇家贵胄，如拿破仑三世和妻子欧仁妮皇后（Empress Eugenie）美国总统西奥多・罗斯福（Theodore Roosevelt）及埃塞俄比亚皇帝海尔・塞拉西（Haile Selassie）。如此一来，布朗酒店的常客自然会视其为一间倍受仰慕的高级酒店。
电话的发明者亚历山大・格雷厄姆・贝尔（Alexander Graham Bell）于1876年在布朗酒店拨通了英国第一个电话；当时尚未有电力供应，贝尔只得利用布朗酒店和福特住宅之间的专用电报线路拨打电话。维多利亚女王常光临布朗酒店，不过从不在此过夜，盖因白金汉宫即在附近。作家拉迪亚德・吉卜林（Rudyard Kipling，英国第一位诺贝尔文学奖获得者）在此创作《丛林奇谭》（The Jungle Book）。 1905 年记录下布朗酒店历史上辉煌的一页，那一年不仅又新添了三幢建筑，而且富兰克林・罗斯福夫妇在此度过甜美蜜月。1941年，荷兰流亡政府在布朗酒店向日本宣战。
1965年，酒店常客小说家阿加莎・克里斯蒂（英国著名女侦探小说家剧作家，世界三大推理文学宗师之一）出版了根据她在布朗酒店入住经历写成的《柏翠门旅馆之谜》（At Bertram‘s Hotel）。最后，别忘了丘吉尔，据说他曾声言：“我住过的地方，只有布朗才称得上是真正的酒店。”酒店内时时都能目睹他那威严的仪态，每一间客房内都有他的照片，并附以《丘吉尔名言录》《感受伦敦》（London Perceived）和《牛津英国诗集》（Oxford Book of English Verse）中收录的丘吉尔妙言佳句。
重温酒店的英伦今世
曾经住过这里的朋友临行前提醒我：一定要留出时间来品尝一下该酒店闻名遐迩的传统下午茶，并且这里绝对是英伦风范的理想下榻之地。无论是踏上吱嘎作响的地板，还是漫步于走廊的古旧地毯上，以及推开房门映入眼帘的绿意盎然地满墙壁纸，仿佛走进了人间天堂。更为难忘地是酒店门前那些彬彬有礼消息灵通的礼宾专员，他们的举手投足间透着满满地绅士范儿，言谈之间更是浓浓地伦敦腔儿，让人不禁想起《唐顿庄园》里庄重优雅地老管家，令人莞尔。
去年曾经是 Brown‘s Hotel 开业 180 周年，酒店特别为尊贵的客人们策划了独一无二的入住体验，让人在了解酒店故事的前提下，来感受酒店与无数重要客人谱写的众多传奇。在处处鲜花盛放的五月伦敦，我们的伦敦酒店考察小组一行也藉此来重温一番酒店的“英伦今世”……像阿拉伯的劳伦斯 （Laurence of Arabia） 和传奇作家乔治・奥威尔 （George Orwell） 一样，在美国前总统罗斯福 （Franklin Roosevelt） 曾经度蜜月的房间内享用下午茶，而由于酒店的历史显赫，这间客房更是成为伦敦城中最著名的茶室之一。在这里呷一口香槟或英式香茶，品尝资深名厨准备的美味三明治和司康饼，在惬意的环境里享受悠闲时光和多位历史名人感受过的宾至如归的氛围。
由于 Brown‘s Hotel 毗邻白金汉宫，维多利亚女王经常光临，因此我们也能跟随君王的足迹，不仅惬意地随同工作人员漫游了酒店，还在遍洒明媚阳光地清晨游览了近在咫尺的海德公园。在全新装修过的 Brown‘s Suite 套房，体会本世纪家喻户晓的作家们曾经完成大作的场景；例如经常光临的鲁德亚德・吉卜林（Rudyard Kipling），便是在这里完成了《丛林奇谭》一书；而斯蒂芬・金（Stephen King）也曾在房间的同一张书桌前完成了新作；而由Olga Polizzi特别设计的雅致套房，每一间都设有书房，让我们在休憩之余能拜读一众文豪的经典之作。
在如今朝夕万变的时代背景中，布朗酒店依然坚守着她的不可替代和无法重塑，同时也坚持着逆势而上不为现代时尚观念所撼动；她不仅是政要大咖们的下榻之地，更是名门贵胄的精神乐园。
The Spiritual Paradise of the Nobility
Brown’s Hotel, a Rocco Forte hotel in the heart of Mayfair, opened its doors in 1837 as the frst hotel in London, the same year Queen Victoria ascended to the throne. In the 180 years since it has rightly become a London base for royalty and writers,from Pulitzer Prize and Oscar winners to musiciansand scientists, explorers and politicians alike.
The Retrospect of Hotel Legends
When Brown‘s Hotel was opened in 1837, it was called the ”Highend Inn” （what ”Hotel” was called then）. Its owner was James Brown, valet to the big poet, Lord Byron. The beautiful widow, Mrs.Byron,gave all her property to the servant and his wife. Afterwards, Mr. Brown bought four conjoined dwellings on Dover Street and founded Brown‘s Hotel. In 1859 the hotel was resold to James John Ford, who installed an elevator in the hotel and would soon include St. George‘s Hotel on Albemarle Street, with its back facing Dover Street. Brown‘s Hotel would soon be known for its lowkey and elegant style, that strives to create a private atmosphere and provide topnotch services.
Politicians’ London Base
Brown‘s exudes a deep British temperament. This centuryold hotel was once frequented quite often by Queen Victoria and the novelist Agatha Christie.Brown‘s Hotel has received many royalties in its over one hundred years of history, such as Napoleon III and his wife Empress Eugenie, American President Theodore Roosevelt and Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie. As a result, Brown‘s regular guests will naturally regard it as a highlyadmired highclass hotel.
Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, made the first telephone call in the UK at Brown‘s Hotel in 1876. At that time, electricity was not yet available. Bell had to use a special telegram line between Brown‘s Hotel and the Ford residence to call. Queen Victoria visits Brown‘s Hotel often, but never stays overnight, because Buckingham Palace is nearby. The writer Rudyard Kipling （the first Nobel Prize winner in literature in the UK） wrote The Jungle Book here. In 1905, the history of Brown‘s Hotel was recorded. Not only did it add three more buildings that year, the Franklin Roosevelt couple also spent their sweet honeymoon here. In 1941, the Dutch government in exile declared war on Japan at Brown‘s Hotel.
In 1965, the hotel‘s regular guest and novelist Agatha Christie （a famous British female detective novelist, playwright, and one of the world‘s three mystery novel masters） published the book ”At Bertram‘s Hotel” based on her experiences at Brown‘s Hotel. In the end, don‘t forget Churchill, who allegedly once declared: ”Of all the place I lived in, only Brown‘s is a real hotel.” Everywhere in the hotel,the guests can witness his majestic demeanors. Each room has photographs of Churchill accompanied by his words from the ”Winston Churchill Quotes”,”London Perceived” and ”Oxford Book of English Verse”.
Reliving the Hotel Legends
Those who have stayed here reminded me to make sure to set aside time for a taste of the hotel‘s famous traditional afternoon tea. This is definitely the ideal place to stay in England. Whether it is walking on the crackling floors, strolling on the old rugs in the corridors, and pushing the door open to the green wall paper, it seems as if one is walking into a paradise on earth. The most unforgettable is the courteous and wellinformed concierge staff at the front desk of the hotel. Their acts are full of gentlemen‘s bearing and their talks are that of London accents, and people can not help but think of the elegant old butler in the TV episodes of ”Downton Abbey”.
Last year was the 180th anniversary of Brown‘s Hotel.The hotel designed a unique experience tour for distinguished guests,allowing them to immerse in many legends cocreated by the hotel and countless important guests under the premise of understanding the hotel story. In the blossoming May in London, our expedition team also used the opportunity to revisit the hotel legends... The guests can follow the footsteps of Laurence of Arabia and legendary George Orwell, sipping tea in the honeymoon room of the former United States President Franklin Roosevelt. Due to the hotel‘s history, this room is one of the most famous tearooms in London. The guest can take a sip of champagne or English scented tea, savor the delicious sandwiches and scones prepared by senior chefs, enjoy the laidback atmosphere that had been home to many.
Since it is adjacent to Buckingham Palace, Queen Victoria often visits Brown‘s Hotel, so we can also follow the king‘s footsteps, not only did we roam the hotel with the public relations staff, but also visit the nearby Hyde Park in the bright sunshine. In the newly renovated Brown‘s Suite, we have appreciated the scenes where the famous writers of this century completed their masterpieces; for example, a regular guest Rudyard Kipling, penned ”The Jungle Book”; and Stephen King followed by writing a novel from Rudyard‘s very own desk. Olga Polizzi‘s elegant design includes libraries in each of the rooms, so guests can peruse the selection of books by the talented authors.
In the backdrop of today‘s everchanging era, Brown‘s Hotel not only adheres to her irreplaceability and a uniqueness that can‘t be duplicated, but also insists on sailing against current and remained unmoved by popular trends; she is not only the staying place for politicians, but also the spiritual paradise for the true nobility.
