There are few places that one might want to retire to after the jolly highs of a Field Macnab Dinner. But after the morning after the night before it was to the elegant tranquillity of The Connaught on Carlos Place in Mayfair that we repaired, ready to be restored. It proved a wise decision. From the moment the taxi deposited us at the door of this London landmark The Connaught welcome affirmed we were in discerning company: marvellous doormen and polished, friendly service at the front desk where scented Trudon candles added to the aura of cocooning luxury.

A short tour of this compact but classic London hotel introduced the three bars, three restaurants (one, Hélène Darroze, boasts three Michelin stars) and an Aman Spa, all neatly fitted into a hotel of eminently sensible size. There are 114 rooms and suites at The Connaught and more than 500 staff, which contributes to the distinct feeling that you are far more house than hotel guest.

The Connaught Suite’s drawing room

Any ennui being felt post-Macnab was swiftly jettisoned on entering the first-floor Connaught Suite: a refined proposition with a drawing room in calming hues of green replete with a complimentary maxi bar, bathroom and bedroom, and a butler on call. It is a room for high days and holidays, showcasing the best of a top-drawer British hotel interior – mercifully without the concomitant taint of bling that luxury hotels can boast. The Connaughty Hound, a chocolate hazelnut confection that looks almost too good to eat, was waiting to greet us in the suite: a delicious example of the hound motif found throughout the hotel.

It is rare that a busy Field life finds one without a dog to feed or car to pack for some sort of sporting adventure. So it was time to wallow in being cosseted. A bowl of nourishing vegetable soup was ordered, to reset the ravages of a buoyant week, and it arrived with efficient ease from room service. Then it was on to the subterranean Aman Spa (the only one outside an Aman hotel) for a facial that managed to be both effective and deeply relaxing. A restorative posttreatment tea taken by the swimming pool was a marker of the hotel’s ethos: unhurried luxury where nothing is too much trouble.

The Connaught bar

That same ethos was in full swing as we took our table in the award-winning Connaught Bar for pre-dinner snifters. Popular enough to regularly draw a long queue of cocktail aficionados, this venue had an excellent buzz without it being a crush. Every guest is greeted by a welcome house aperitif that sets the tone. The famous martini trolley is worth the pilgrimage and we matched bespoke creations from the inhouse mixologist with well-chosen canapés before supper in The Connaught Grill, where carefully sourced produce is paired with a wood-burning grill to excellent effect. We sat in a discreet wooden booth perfect for dinner à deux, which consisted of foie gras and a scotch egg followed by the fish of the day and a top-notch steak with thoughtful wine pairings from the in-house sommelier.

The Aman Spa at The Connaught

A spoiling evening was topped off by watching Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), an absolute favourite, in the suite’s drawing room (the hotel offers a curated collection of classic films on request). With check-out at noon there was little need for hurry. A leisurely pre-breakfast swim led to a chance meeting with a fellow guest, a shooting chap from Northumberland staying in town for the Six Nations, who concurred with our enthusiasm for the hotel. It was with deep reluctance that we finally packed our bags but it was time to head north for a hunt ball later that evening. We left The Connaught feeling like we would soon return. This British institution is the perfect London destination, be it for an escape or just an evening: subtle, understated and simply spot on. The perfect tonic.

• Don’t miss: The Connaught Cigar Merchants: a discreet cigar lounge where one can indulge in some of the finest cigars on the market under the eye of the hotel’s head of cigars, Adam Lajca.
• Good for: Top-drawer service, cocktails when in town

A striking staircase