by Bonnie W., Been There! Manager
Location, Location, Location! Everyone knows that sometimes it's not just which hotel you stay in when traveling, but the location of that hotel. When staying in London, the "Location" is the "Sheraton Park Lane Hotel."

The Park Lane is a lovely old, but thoroughly modern, Sheraton hotel on Picadilly Street, overlooking Green Park. Being across the street from Green Park is in itself a bonus. You get the total sense of the real London when visiting this quiet, shady park and it is the focal point for a number of must see events in London.

Walk across Green park and you are at Buckingham Palace where you can watch the changing of the Queens Guard, and see the Horse Guard on their daily rides past Hyde Park as they head for the Mews.

Or you can just sit in the park and enjoy the beautiful, golden gates which are located on the Green park side of the road from Buckingham.

Ready to see other attractions? The subway (called the "Tube" in London) can be accessed at one of the two nearby stations Green Park, or Hyde Park Corner.

The Park Lane Hotel, built in 1927 but recently refurbished, is a perfect starting point for all your outings. A Statuesque hotel with many amenities for the business or leisure traveler, the main entrance to the hotel is located off an intriguing alley named Brick Street.

The doorman and Concierge make you feel immediately at home and the friendly hotel staff will make sure your every need is met during your stay.

The rooms are large, airy and nicely decorated in a traditional British style. The Park Lane has 305 guest rooms and a large fully equipped fitness room (for those who still have the energy left after a day of sightseeing).

If business is your cup of tea while in London, the wonderful business office at the Park Lane is for you. You can get on the Internet to check email, create work documents or letters, or just sit

and spend some quiet time going over work for the next day. Messenger service is available at the Concierge desk should you need to send documents across town.

The Concierge, who is a wealth of information, arranged a tour and Eurostar train tickets for me and of course they can help with air tickets, cabs, and directions for most all of the tourist sites of London.

There are two restaurants at the Park Lane, The Brasserie on The Park, and the Garden Breakfast Room. We had dinner one evening at the Brasserie on The Park and the food was great. The restaurant spills out on to street so you can enjoy breakfast, sandwiches or coffee street side if you wish.

The Palm Court bar was a great place to meet friends for drinks. You could also enjoy high tea with trays of finger sandwiches, or just grab breakfast before starting out your day. In the evenings, the Palm Court was filled with business people meeting for a quick drink and to enjoy the lovely harp or piano music provided by the hotel.

There is 24 hour room service available (which we used several times after a long day of trekking across London). I especially enjoyed their great omelet with French Fries, or salad and hard rolls.

So if location makes the difference when you're traveling, the Park Lane hotel makes a perfect place to stay the next time you're visiting London.

For more information, visit Starwood Vacations.

Photographs by Bonnie W.