When a blockbuster art exhibit or hot show hits London, look to the Athenaeum Hotel & Apartments. This hotel takes care of clients with packages that include hard-to-find tickets. Right now, for example, guests can get tickets to the first blockbuster show of 1999, "Monet in the 20^th Century", held January to April 18.

The care of guests - whether it’s providing culture, food or just plain comfort - is the primary aim of the Athenaeum. The boutique hotel on Piccadilly, opposite Green Park, is close to the Royal Academy of Arts, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, and the shops and restaurants of Mayfair and St. James. The property, opened in 1973, was purchased in 1992 by Ralph Trustees, Ltd. The new owners launched an $18 million renovation that was completed two years later. They also brought in a dynamic executive manager, Sally Bulloch, who oversaw the renovation and whose lively presence animates the hotel.

Clientele

The location and style of the Athenaeum is perfect for leisure travelers who like a laid-back, discreet ambience and luxurious service. It is recommended if you want to be within a walking distance of Mayfair and St. James, as well as easy access to the theater district. The apartments are natural for families and guests who want complete privacy.

Accommodations

The 111 guest rooms and 12 suites are furnished in traditional English style, with mahogany furniture, and brocade or print bedspreads and drapes. Homey amenities include a doorbell, umbrella, tea and coffeemaker, and morning newspaper delivery. All rooms have double-glazed windows for absolute quiet, particularly welcome in parkview rooms that overlook well-trafficked Piccadilly. Rooms have two phone lines with free access to AT&T, MCI and Sprint; voice mail; and fax/modem capability. In-room entertainment includes a TV, a CD player, VCR, and complimentary library of music and videos. The bathrooms are decorated with two-tone marble and feature heated towel bars, hair dryers and, in some suites, double sinks and roll-out bides.

The hotel’s 33 one- and two- bedroom apartments are located in two townhouses next to the property and have private entrances, elevators and TV/Phone security systems.

Public Areas

The small, inviting lobby, with beige walls and a large green rug on the wood floor, announces the intimate friendly style of the hotel. A jar of candies sits on the registration counter. The staff and top-hatted doorman address clients by name. Glass doors open onto Piccadilly and Green Park.

A few steps off the lobby is the Windsor Lounge, reminiscent of a country-house living room, with inviting groups of beige and green sofas, and chairs placed around tables, as well as bookshelves and glass cupboards holding china and bibelots along the walls. The dark, clubby Whisky Bar is famous for its 70 malt whiskeys, some of which are decades old. A small exercise rooms offers fitness equipment, a plunge pool, sauna and marble steam room.

Facilities for corporate guests include a business center and four small meeting/conference rooms on the mezzanine that seat from 10 to 36 boardroom-style.

Dining

Bullochs at 116, named for the hotel’s executive manager, is the main dining room, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The room has a Mediterranean ambiance, with a glass-paneled roof, stone floor edged with antique mosaics and an Italian-glass chandelier. The international menu ranges from lobster risotto and shrimp tempura to grilled dover sole and roasted lamb.

The Windsor Lounge is open 24 hours a day and serves continental breakfast, light meals, after-theater snacks and drinks. 24 hour room service is also available.

Service

Personal service is the landmark here, from the twice-daily maid service to the concierge who asks if you enjoyed the theatre tickets he procured, from the New York Times fax and daily papers in the breakfast room to valet parking.

Could be improved

The push-button, three-way lighting panels at the door and bedside are so sophisticated and complicated that clients should ask for a demonstration.

Strongest Selling Point