The best hotels in Knightsbridge

A family-owned townhouse hotel in an excellent location on a cul-de-sac near Harrods, the Beaufort offers a good standard of comfort in low-key surroundings. Plush rooms are classic and neutral, with marble bathrooms, bathrobes and White Company toiletries. Complimentary afternoon tea is served in the lounge, with windows looking on to the street, and there are soft and hot drinks in the free residents’ bar too. For Knightsbridge, the Beaufort is reasonably priced.

A renovation has updated the glamorous Berkeley, elegantly dovetailing contemporary additions onto the stylish original. A new Richard-Rodgers designed façade, with a huge steel and glass canopy, is joined by a state-of-the-art glass extension to the iconic Blue Bar, which has kept its distinctive blue stuccoed panelling and original Lutyens lighting. There’s two-Michelin-starred dining in Marcus Wareing’s Marcus, and rooms are as chic and luxurious as one would expect. The ultimate luxury is the beautiful outdoor rooftop pool with a retractable roof.

The name is a hint: this new-build hotel on the edge of Hyde Park is the last word in luxury (with prices to match, of course). There are riffs on the jewellery connection in the historic Bulgari patterns on the sumptuous fabrics in the bedrooms and the touches of shimmery silver everywhere. Swanky public spaces include a wood panelled cigar lounge. The serene underground pool area – with its cabanas and walls of textured Vicenza stone –  has something of a mid-century Palm Springs vibe.

Behind a smart, red-brick Knightsbridge townhouse lies the well-cared-for, family-owned Capital Hotel. Spacious guest rooms are decorated in classic English style, with antiques and touches of chintz. Large windows add to the light, airy feel. All rooms come with robes and slippers, suites have Nespresso machines, and marble bathrooms come with Temple Spa products. Public rooms maintain the restrained classic vibe. The intimate Capital Bar specialises in whiskies and cocktails, and there’s Michelin-starred dining with a seafood bent in Outlaw’s restaurant.

The Egerton takes the hallmark maximalist luxury of its owners, the Carnation Group, and takes it down a notch, with spaces such as the wonderfully elegant cream panelled drawing room. What stays, however, is the super-high level of service, with two members of staff per guest, and the dramatic guest rooms, with looks ranging from monochrome patterned wallpaper with plaid fabrics to gilt-edged scalloped headboards and heavy drapes. You’ll find fresh fruit and flowers on arrival and a valet service among the many room perks.

On a quiet, tree-lined street, the Knightsbridge has the typical – yet never repetitive – eclectic decor of the Firmdale company. House designer Kit Kemp artfully teams English classic furnishings with contemporary and whimsical fabrics and art to create a distinctive boutique luxury brand. Here, the drawing room has a Southwestern vibe, with earthy colours, cowhide and arty takes on hunting trophies, while the library has sofas upholstered in fresh, crisp patterns. Striking, individually designed rooms have oak and marble bathrooms.

With a more contemporary style, the Levin has gone down a different path from its sister hotel next door, the Capital. The laidback Metro bistro, with an open kitchen, patterned wallpaper and bright orange-, pink- and red-striped chairs, exudes energy, while the duck-egg blue panelled lounge is a serene space. Twelve individually furnished rooms meld original features like fireplaces with swathes of colour and a mix of contemporary and classic furnishings. All have Nespresso machines and there’s underfloor heating in the marble bathrooms.

The grand Mandarin Oriental occupies an imposing building overlooking Knightsbridge on one side and Hyde Park on the other. It’s currently undergoing a refurb to make the public rooms even more stunning, with a focus on Art Deco. Rooms are classic, with all the luxuries one would expect, including a pillow menu. There are two outstanding places to dine on-site: Bar Boulud and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. The sleek wellness centre has a swimming pool and a relaxation area with Four Senses Loungers.  

It started life as the original Hyde Park tube station, then it was jazz venue Pizza on the Park. Now it’s the small, super-luxe Wellesley, with art deco-inspired style in spaces including a cigar lounge complete with a portrait of Winston Churchill (there’s a heated cigar terrace too), a moody jazz lounge and the gleaming 1920s-style Crystal Bar. Rooms are sumptuous, in caramels and creams, with decor and artwork evoking the theme. Carrara marble bathrooms have Hermès Eau d’Orange Verte toiletries. Suites come with butler service.