Bulgari hotel, London: review
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The Bulgari, in Knightsbridge, London, is a luxury hotel offering superb beds, charming service and an above average restaurant.
What on earth has happened to luxury? It used to be such fun; now it takes itself so very seriously. Back in the day, I remember adoring my occasional visits to London’s top hotels: drinking cocktails in the American Bar at The Savoy, dancing at The Dorchester, lunching annually with a beneficent godfather in the hushed surroundings of The Connaught, where British sobriety so perfectly met French culinary savoir faire. Even taking tea with disapproving aunts at Brown’s had a sense of occasion.
Now what? For me, only The Goring and The Ritz have retained the time-honed character that makes a prime London hotel more than just luxurious.
Take the Bulgari, London’s newest enclave for the super rich. It’s bland. It’s humourless. It’s overpriced.
Bland? The lobby, deliberately meant to be more “des res” than “grand hotel” is stern, granite grey. There are acres of glossy sapele mahogany veneer, in public rooms, bedrooms, corridors. All 85 bedrooms are spacious, extremely comfortable and superbly kitted out, but they are all the same, their big excitement being bedheads and curtains based on a 19th-century Bulgari brooch design (the company started as Italian silversmiths) and the clever minibars that look like steamer trunks. The restaurant, down a swirling, gleaming staircase, could be on a cruise ship.
Humourless? Doormen in grey-black; porters in grey-black; robotic security men, pacing up and down, in grey-black; receptionists in grey-black. A group of women, dressed mainly in black, were taking tea, surrounded by designer shopping bags, but they weren’t smiling either. Yes, there are huge jars of children’s sweets in the lobby, and a cabinet of Italian cakes set out like Bulgari jewels, but they don’t help all that much.
But all is not lost. Far from its roots though Bulgari may be (the company is now part of LVMH, the vast luxury goods conglomerate, and its three hotels – in London, Milan, Bali – are operated in conjunction with Marriott) it is humans who steer this sterile ship, and despite their Men-in-Black exteriors, the hotel team, led by a true, old-school professional, Sylvain Ercoli, were natural and friendly and anything but oleaginous.
At dinner (overpriced; the £30 lunch is more affordable) we enjoyed ticking the list of options for our antipasti; my risotto alla Milanese with bone marrow was the business and Sam the sommelier generously extended his selection (mainly Italian) of by-the-glass wines in order to accommodate us. And the spa (see “Fiona’s Choice”) is seriously cool.
The hotel claims to be running at 92 per cent occupancy (14 per cent of its guests are from the UK) so someone must like its sleek and chic design. But as far as I’m concerned, you can keep modern luxury. Put the laughter back in luxury, I say.
Who goes?
Foreigners, including plenty of Italians, naturally. Lots of men in black with designer stubble and sunglasses and women surrounded by designer shopping bags, none seeming to be having much fun.
Location
Knightsbridge, a strange place these days, full of shaven-headed chauffeurs guarding their limos and bemused, footsore tourists plodding along to Harrods. The traffic is terrible and there are no decent views from the Bulgari. Perhaps it’s a fitting part of London in which to corral the super-duper rich who now inhabit the area; it certainly doesn’t feel typically London anymore, which it certainly once did.
Style/Character
Designed by Antonio Citterio and Partners, also responsible for Bulgari Milan and Bulgari Bali, the granite grey lobby is deliberately pared down to resemble a ‘des res’ rather than a grand hotel, but it only succeeds in feeling sombre, and the acres of too glossy sapele wood veneer are repetitive, while the sweeping stainless steel staircase to the restaurant reminds me of a cruise ship.
Service
Not in the least oleaginous, but professional and friendly, with some charming personalities behind the Men in Black exteriors (uniforms are grey-black throughout). The team is run by old school professional Sylvain Ercoli.
Rooms
It’s a shame that all the rooms are the same, their decorative highlight being headboards and curtains whose motif is based on a 19th-century Bulgari brooch, but they are certainly supremely comfortable and well kitted out with excellent marble bathrooms, Bulgari toiletries, and superb beds.
Food and drink
For competent, if above average Italian food, the prices are wildly expensive, but it was fun ticking the boxes for the choice of antipasti, the service was excellent, and my Risotto alla Milanese with bone marrow was the business.
Value for money
The prices of the grandest of London hotels, but with none of the fun. Doubles from £500 per night, singles £400; breakfast from £27.
Family-friendly?
Yes.
Access for guests with disabilities?
Specially adapted rooms
What on earth has happened to luxury? It used to be such fun; now it takes itself so very seriously. Back in the day, I remember adoring my occasional visits to London’s top hotels: drinking cocktails in the American Bar at The Savoy, dancing at The Dorchester, lunching annually with a beneficent godfather in the hushed surroundings of The Connaught, where British sobriety so perfectly met French culinary savoir faire. Even taking tea with disapproving aunts at Brown’s had a sense of occasion.
Now what? For me, only The Goring and The Ritz have retained the time-honed character that makes a prime London hotel more than just luxurious.
Take the Bulgari, London’s newest enclave for the super rich. It’s bland. It’s humourless. It’s overpriced.
Bland? The lobby, deliberately meant to be more “des res” than “grand hotel” is stern, granite grey. There are acres of glossy sapele mahogany veneer, in public rooms, bedrooms, corridors. All 85 bedrooms are spacious, extremely comfortable and superbly kitted out, but they are all the same, their big excitement being bedheads and curtains based on a 19th-century Bulgari brooch design (the company started as Italian silversmiths) and the clever minibars that look like steamer trunks. The restaurant, down a swirling, gleaming staircase, could be on a cruise ship.
Humourless? Doormen in grey-black; porters in grey-black; robotic security men, pacing up and down, in grey-black; receptionists in grey-black. A group of women, dressed mainly in black, were taking tea, surrounded by designer shopping bags, but they weren’t smiling either. Yes, there are huge jars of children’s sweets in the lobby, and a cabinet of Italian cakes set out like Bulgari jewels, but they don’t help all that much.
But all is not lost. Far from its roots though Bulgari may be (the company is now part of LVMH, the vast luxury goods conglomerate, and its three hotels – in London, Milan, Bali – are operated in conjunction with Marriott) it is humans who steer this sterile ship, and despite their Men-in-Black exteriors, the hotel team, led by a true, old-school professional, Sylvain Ercoli, were natural and friendly and anything but oleaginous.
At dinner (overpriced; the £30 lunch is more affordable) we enjoyed ticking the list of options for our antipasti; my risotto alla Milanese with bone marrow was the business and Sam the sommelier generously extended his selection (mainly Italian) of by-the-glass wines in order to accommodate us. And the spa (see “Fiona’s Choice”) is seriously cool.
The hotel claims to be running at 92 per cent occupancy (14 per cent of its guests are from the UK) so someone must like its sleek and chic design. But as far as I’m concerned, you can keep modern luxury. Put the laughter back in luxury, I say.
Who goes?
Foreigners, including plenty of Italians, naturally. Lots of men in black with designer stubble and sunglasses and women surrounded by designer shopping bags, none seeming to be having much fun.
Location
Knightsbridge, a strange place these days, full of shaven-headed chauffeurs guarding their limos and bemused, footsore tourists plodding along to Harrods. The traffic is terrible and there are no decent views from the Bulgari. Perhaps it’s a fitting part of London in which to corral the super-duper rich who now inhabit the area; it certainly doesn’t feel typically London anymore, which it certainly once did.
Style/Character
Designed by Antonio Citterio and Partners, also responsible for Bulgari Milan and Bulgari Bali, the granite grey lobby is deliberately pared down to resemble a ‘des res’ rather than a grand hotel, but it only succeeds in feeling sombre, and the acres of too glossy sapele wood veneer are repetitive, while the sweeping stainless steel staircase to the restaurant reminds me of a cruise ship.
Service
Not in the least oleaginous, but professional and friendly, with some charming personalities behind the Men in Black exteriors (uniforms are grey-black throughout). The team is run by old school professional Sylvain Ercoli.
Rooms
It’s a shame that all the rooms are the same, their decorative highlight being headboards and curtains whose motif is based on a 19th-century Bulgari brooch, but they are certainly supremely comfortable and well kitted out with excellent marble bathrooms, Bulgari toiletries, and superb beds.
Food and drink
For competent, if above average Italian food, the prices are wildly expensive, but it was fun ticking the boxes for the choice of antipasti, the service was excellent, and my Risotto alla Milanese with bone marrow was the business.
Value for money
The prices of the grandest of London hotels, but with none of the fun. Doubles from £500 per night, singles £400; breakfast from £27.
Family-friendly?
Yes.
Access for guests with disabilities?
Specially adapted rooms
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