The Wellesley hotel, Knightsbridge, London: review
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The Wellesley, in London, is a Knightsbridge hotel offering glossy Art Deco interiors, plush rooms and Rolls Royce transfers, near Harrods, Harvey Nichols, West End and Hyde Park.
Wealthy, discerning travellers who have tired of London’s longstanding luxury hotels. Middle Eastern visitors make up a notable proportion of the Wellesley’s guests, but the clientele is international.
Location
The hotel is buffered by Harrods and Harvey Nichols on one side, and the West End’s theatres and restaurants on the other; Hyde Park is just across the road, too. All are easily reached in the hotel’s Rolls Royce - guests can enjoy complimentary transfers in the automobile (up to 1.5-miles), on a first-come, first-served basis.
Style/character
Housed in a decommissioned London Underground station, the Wellesley has adopted an Art Deco theme with gusto and seemingly no consideration for expense. Behind the hotel’s bronze doors, the marbled lobby shimmers under dazzling crystal chandeliers; bespoke furniture flanks the corridor and the concierge desk is draped in studded ostrich leather. All those disparate elements combine to create a look that is glossy, extravagant and immaculate.
Service
Fine, generally. Staff, most of whom seemed to be Italian during my stay, are typically quite helpful but standards could occasionally benefit from refinement. Round-the-clock butler service is provided for guests in suites but my only attempt to use it was a disappointment: clothes I had requested be pressed were returned to me on hangers but in the same creased state as before.
Food & drink
The hotel’s designers have made a virtue of the Wellesley’s small footprint by creating communal spaces that are intimate and exclusive. The jewellery box-like 28-cover Oval restaurant is awash in soft golds and dusty pinks; plushly furnished and dimly lit, the adjacent lounge draws amorous couples for hearty Italian cuisine and Live at the Wellesley, the hotel’s series of live jazz performances. I enjoyed dining at both, though waiting times – particularly at breakfast when an à la carte menu is served – could be lengthy. Belying its diminutive size, the hotel’s bar stocks an expansive selection of rare cognacs and whiskies, and a covered cigar terrace is among the largest in Europe (according to the hotel). No doubt that’s a lure for many, but as a non-smoker it didn’t interest me and the drift of stale smoke, noticeable when I first entered the hotel lobby, marred the positive impression made by the property’s exceptional looks.
Rooms
Plush and richly detailed, the hotel’s 36 rooms and suites feel lavish and decadent without being overwrought. Finished in veined Carrara marble, bathrooms are glamorous affairs decked out with Hermes toiletries and vintage photographs from Vogue. Most finished in golds, ivories and champagnes, rooms retain an Art Deco feel, with some featuring crescent-shaped couches and lacquered coffee tables. Discreetly integrated though they are, more modern amenities are present too. Curtains can be operated electronically, a tablet with local information – which could do with being updated more frequently – is available in each room and Wi-Fi is fast, reliable and complimentary.
Value for money
Rooms cost from £550, excluding breakfast and including Wi-Fi. The Wellesley’s target audience is unperturbed by high prices – you can order a shot of 18th-century cognac at the bar for £4,000 – but exceptional service is a key requirement for this market so the hotel has some way to go before it can be said to offer the best value possible. Should you wish to have a drink at the bar, a minimum spend of £25 applies at certain times – a policy that hasn’t met with universal approval.
Access for guests with disabilities?
Yes.
Family-friendly?
This is a retreat intended for adults; families would feel more comfortable elsewhere.
Wealthy, discerning travellers who have tired of London’s longstanding luxury hotels. Middle Eastern visitors make up a notable proportion of the Wellesley’s guests, but the clientele is international.
Location
The hotel is buffered by Harrods and Harvey Nichols on one side, and the West End’s theatres and restaurants on the other; Hyde Park is just across the road, too. All are easily reached in the hotel’s Rolls Royce - guests can enjoy complimentary transfers in the automobile (up to 1.5-miles), on a first-come, first-served basis.
Style/character
Housed in a decommissioned London Underground station, the Wellesley has adopted an Art Deco theme with gusto and seemingly no consideration for expense. Behind the hotel’s bronze doors, the marbled lobby shimmers under dazzling crystal chandeliers; bespoke furniture flanks the corridor and the concierge desk is draped in studded ostrich leather. All those disparate elements combine to create a look that is glossy, extravagant and immaculate.
Service
Fine, generally. Staff, most of whom seemed to be Italian during my stay, are typically quite helpful but standards could occasionally benefit from refinement. Round-the-clock butler service is provided for guests in suites but my only attempt to use it was a disappointment: clothes I had requested be pressed were returned to me on hangers but in the same creased state as before.
Food & drink
The hotel’s designers have made a virtue of the Wellesley’s small footprint by creating communal spaces that are intimate and exclusive. The jewellery box-like 28-cover Oval restaurant is awash in soft golds and dusty pinks; plushly furnished and dimly lit, the adjacent lounge draws amorous couples for hearty Italian cuisine and Live at the Wellesley, the hotel’s series of live jazz performances. I enjoyed dining at both, though waiting times – particularly at breakfast when an à la carte menu is served – could be lengthy. Belying its diminutive size, the hotel’s bar stocks an expansive selection of rare cognacs and whiskies, and a covered cigar terrace is among the largest in Europe (according to the hotel). No doubt that’s a lure for many, but as a non-smoker it didn’t interest me and the drift of stale smoke, noticeable when I first entered the hotel lobby, marred the positive impression made by the property’s exceptional looks.
Rooms
Plush and richly detailed, the hotel’s 36 rooms and suites feel lavish and decadent without being overwrought. Finished in veined Carrara marble, bathrooms are glamorous affairs decked out with Hermes toiletries and vintage photographs from Vogue. Most finished in golds, ivories and champagnes, rooms retain an Art Deco feel, with some featuring crescent-shaped couches and lacquered coffee tables. Discreetly integrated though they are, more modern amenities are present too. Curtains can be operated electronically, a tablet with local information – which could do with being updated more frequently – is available in each room and Wi-Fi is fast, reliable and complimentary.
Value for money
Rooms cost from £550, excluding breakfast and including Wi-Fi. The Wellesley’s target audience is unperturbed by high prices – you can order a shot of 18th-century cognac at the bar for £4,000 – but exceptional service is a key requirement for this market so the hotel has some way to go before it can be said to offer the best value possible. Should you wish to have a drink at the bar, a minimum spend of £25 applies at certain times – a policy that hasn’t met with universal approval.
Access for guests with disabilities?
Yes.
Family-friendly?
This is a retreat intended for adults; families would feel more comfortable elsewhere.
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