The Berkeley is like the Chanel of London hotels: timeless, elegant and utterly beautiful. A French-Regency building ideally located on Wilton Place in Knightsbridge, the fashion connection doesn’t end there: the hotel is a favourite with fashion editors, designers and models, and is a regular scene of some of the most exclusive after-parties during London Fashion Week.
The bedrooms at The Berkeley are special. Palatial in size and wonderfully luxe-y in feel and facilities, they strike just the right balance between classic and chic. Perhaps their most lavish feature is the decadent materials used with thick, rich swathes of fabric covering the windows, beautifully upholstered sofas and chairs and cool, crisp linens adorning the sumptuous beds. Bathrooms are clad in gleaming Italian marble and are stuffed with organic Bamford products infused with notes of geranium.
The Berkeley’s dining credentials are the match of any luxury hotel in London, with no fewer than three top chefs in residence – Shaun Whatling, in the Caramel Room, Pierre Koffman, in Koffman’s, and the double Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley. Post-dinner, a trip to the infamous Blue Bar is definitely in order, where you’ll find original features subtly blended with a contemporary white onyx bar and black crocodile print leather floor – plus some fabulous cocktails.
One of the star attractions of The Berkeley, however, is up on the top floor in the form of a petite but still mighty impressive spa and health club offering indulgent treatments using botanical Green & Spring products. During the summer, you can relax afterwards by the tranquil rooftop pool, with a herbal tea, a stack of magazines, and the endless views over Hyde Park for company – bliss.
What’s hot?
- The luxurious bedrooms
- The stellar cuisine at Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley
- The stellar service
- The Green & Spring treatments in the spa
- The location – within easy strolling distance of the Knightsbridge shopping
What’s not?
- The price – it’s not a place for shallow pockets
Need to Know: The Berkeley
Number of rooms: 214
Check-in/check-out times: 2pm and 12noon
Room service: Yes. The concierge and a multilingual team are on hand at the front desk at all times
Swimming pool: Yes. There’s a rooftop pool with a retractable roof
Spa: Yes. Revitalising facials, calming massages, hot stone and beauty treatments are all on offer. Green & Spring’s Cloud 9 is a blissful holistic massage combining aromatherapy and acupressure.
Dogs welcome: Yes
Eating and drinking: There’s plenty of choice for fine wining and dining, from Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley to Koffman’s where Pierre Koffman dishes up signature dishes such as scallops with squid ink and pistachio ice cream for dessert. Then there’s Shaun Whatling’s Caramel Room for Middle Eastern delicacies and the hotel’s award-winning, fashion-slanted afternoon tea, Pret-a-Portea. The striking blue in The Blue Bar (which the designer has termed ‘Lutyens Blue’) sets a suitably stylish backdrop for a chic evening of well-shaken cocktails.
Near to? The Berkeley is perfectly placed in Knightsbridge with Harrods and Harvey Nichols just a stone’s throw away. Alternatively, you can go for a stroll through Hyde Park to the Serpentine Gallery.
Getting there: Nearest tube station Hyde Park corner, from where you can take the Piccadilly line all the way to Heathrow Airport, is a five-minute walk away. Paddington and the Heathrow Express are a 15-minute cab ride from the hotel.
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