5 minute read
Setting the scene The opulent London hotels designed for entertaining in style
SETTING THE SCENE
When it comes to London hotels, these suites aren’t just for sleeping. Tempus discovers the five-star venues made for entertaining in style, no matter where you choose to rest your head
Words: Georgia Peck
CLASSIC REVELRY | THE CONNAUGHT
The mist rising from the Tadao Anda-designed water feature as you sweep into Carlos Place, Mayfair, sets the tone for a grand reception at The Connaught. It’s a perfectly subtle meeting of traditional opulence and modern fun – especially on breezier days when the slight spray is rather difficult to avoid.
Despite its grandeur, this hotel retains a level of authentic class that tells you nobody is trying too hard to be cool. In fact, the aim of the game is to enjoy your time with like-minded individuals, interesting strangers, and the feeling that you've somehow ‘arrived’ in London.
Nowhere is this more apparent than the Connaught Bar. Designed by the late David Collins, the relaxed cocktail bar evokes 1920s English and Irish Cubist style with its textured walls and cool grey bar. It’s the perfect place to luxuriate in an informal cocktail – and at night it is notorious for its Martini trolley. For a more intimate space, the Coburg Bar is made to linger, offering a choice of rare vintages and premium spirits under very flattering lighting day or night.
Choose from two dinner options: Jean-Georges at the Connaught, overlooking Carlos Place, is perfect for those wanting to be seen, while two-Michelin-starred Hélène Darroze at the Connaught plates up precision and privacy in decadently comfortable surroundings.
If you’re not done entertaining, then The Apartment may be calling you home. The hotel’s £19,200-a-night premier suite features deep pile carpets, lavish upholstery, an abundance of in room gadgetry and, of course, 24-hour butler service. Sleeping four, dining eight, and with extra connecting rooms available to accommodate your whole party, the Apartment has earned a reputation as one of the most lavish penthouse suites in London – and rightly so.
THE ZETTER TOWNHOUSE
London is awash with boutique hotels. By definition, one expects something a little smaller, perhaps quainter, than one of the capital’s many luxurious five-star behemoths. But if you’re looking for an independent hotel with extraordinary quality, there are few better than the 24-room Zetter Townhouse. The Georgian building of the Townhouse’s Marylebone venue is gilded in history; the ambiance is more like stepping into the home of an eccentric relative than a conventional hotel and bar.
The luxurious Lear’s Loft penthouse suite is named for The Owl and the Pussycat poet Edward Lear – former resident of the townhouse – and his influence can be seen in the style, which begs its guests to have fun in the fabulous space.
And fun is exactly what you’ll find in the award-winning cocktail lounge, Seymour’s Parlour. A dark and sumptuous lounge with monthly parties – including boisterous Mardi Gras celebrations, roaring 20s-themed flapper-fests and Bastille Day parties peppered with all things French – all featuring bespoke cocktails by the talented bar staff and the guarantee of a wickedly entertaining night. »
thezettertownhouse.com
A compact and classy five-star boutique in the heart of Belgravia, The Hari is known for its sophisticated restaurant Il Pampero – a truly excellent Italian restaurant that is still, somehow, something of a hidden gem – and elaborate window displays. But with its intimate 170-seat bar, private dining rooms and regular pop-ups, The Hari is a stunning venue with serious party potential.
Bordering Chelsea, Kensington and Knightsbridge – and surrounded by various embassies – The Hari with its sumptuous décor brings together a mix of international travellers, trendy Chelsea-locals and lovers of fine cuisine. Its latest pop-up has seen the covered Garden Terrace transformed into a colourful Japanese garden, in partnership with The House of Suntory.
Stay in the Penthouse Suite – with its cosy bedroom, stylish living area and spacious marble bathroom – and enjoy after-hours entertaining with views over the city from your beautifully secluded balcony.
thehari.com
Suite photography © Louis Beausoleil This page:
FASHIONABLE FESTIVITIES |
HOME HOUSE
From the outside, with its discreet front doors on Portman Square, you could be forgiven for underestimating London’s Home House private members’ club. But step through the doors of Robert Adam’s finest surviving townhouse and you are transported into 18th century opulence. A breathtaking imperial staircase rises towards the magnificent glass dome and sky beyond.
But Home House is more than a members’ club, boasting one of London’s finest suites – the Duke of Newcastle suite, with its Georgian windows overlooking the square and a beautifully detailed country home interior style.
Guests looking to entertain have an array of choice. Enjoy local produce at The Restaurant, explore the Octagon Dining Rooms’ take on contemporary Asian cuisine, or take your afternoon tea in the lavish Drawing Rooms.
Come nightfall, however, it’s time to party. For sophisticated cocktails and nightcaps, head to the Bison Bar, or choose the Vestibule Bar for its stunning terrace. But for us, the House always wins – designed by the late Dame Zaha Hadid, the House Bar combines astounding sculpture with chic cocktails Tuesdays to Saturdays until 3am. For after-hours revelry, head to the Vaults Bar’s private rooms for DJ entertainment or even karaoke on request.
