"The milk cost $5.75. The chauffeur cost $655 - so it was a very expensive pint of milk," Davoren recalls.
For my husband, Scott, and I, the good life begins when our butler, Alberto Mascimino, opens the gleaming wooden door to our corner suite with a slight bow and a smile. Once our eyes adjust to the unaccustomed splendor - views of Wellington Arch, an elegantly draped bed, a tufted leather sofa, and a liquor-laden side table stocked with our favorite brands - Mascimino demonstrates a few gadgets and gizmos that would make James Bond proud.
With the press of a button, a large flat-screen television emerges from a bookcase. A touch-screen in the bedroom nightstand allows us to adjust the lighting, set an alarm clock, control the room temperature - and call a butler, day or night. When we do, our butler, in pinstriped trousers, vest, tailcoat, and tie, will typically respond in three minutes, even though he's not allowed to run.
Before departing, Mascimino asks whether we have any garments that need pressing, and we gratefully hand over an armful of wrinkled items. He also offers us refreshments, returning shortly with a silver tea service and a plate of biscuits.
Other luxuries include a pillow menu (hard, soft, or hypoallergenic), personalized stationery and business cards, an extensive list of complimentary movies, and free phone calls to the United States and within Europe. The Lanesborough's spa is stocked with La Prairie and Comfort Zone products. And the elegant Apsleys restaurant offers three meals and the "Best Afternoon Tea in London," as voted last year by the British Tea Council - with a "tea sommelier" to help you with your selection.
