Belgraves

The Scene

Usually seen as the place where aristocratic London resides, a Belgravia address affords choice location in Central London flanked by Royal addresses in Kensington and Buckingham Palace. Flashy Knightsbridge is a hop and a skip away. Frankly, this is the quite the residential side of Belgravia…but you’re the benefactor in that Belgraves is laid back and on the quieter side---the perfect place to hang out, really. Given the enviable proximity to royal properties and gardens (not to mention the infamous Sloane Square), you may be content to wander down tree-lined streets and squares without ever touching the Tube. (That being said, Victoria Station is a 15-minute walk.)

The Concept

Belgraves shines as a tongue-in-cheek sort of place, a hotel that cultivates an air of the bohemian era in New York City in the décor but deliberately undermines its own authenticity by ensuring top-quality décor and service. Like the dilettantes of their time, Belgraves taps into the boho look---but not a grungy feel---and comes out the more stylish for it. Hanging out is a definite theme of this property; every room features a seating area (though the Thompson Suite and Penthouse really blow it away with the addition of a complete living room and wet bar). For a less private mingle, enjoy a handcrafted tipple downstairs in The Bar (featuring a library chosen more for look than content) or in the Cigarden on the terrace (where you can enjoy choice vintage Cuban cigars). Executive Chef Sophie Michell brings a fresh neighborhood touch to Belgraves in Pont St, paying homage to the oyster shucking competitions of yore that occurred on the eponymous street by focusing on seafood in her menu. The floor plan is open, free, and altogether inviting.

The Look

Designer Tara Bernerd brings a calm chic to the rooms. Rich, dark colors are used in the plush fabrics that adorn the chairs and thick rugs on the floors. Warm woods throughout keep a consistently welcoming feel that permeates the space and is the perfect backdrop to other details. Accent pieces in rooms include cow hides and pop art prints from a rotating variety of artists such as Mario Testino. The bathrooms are straight luxury, featuring floor-to-ceiling marble in either black or white. The multi-floor lobby is the real showstopper; the sheer openness of the area begs you to be adventurous and explore the hotel. The sleek glass and shiny brass adorning the staircase is a swank touch to the space, but the real fun is in the details like the provocative pop art on the walls and the enormous plush turquoise alcoves in The Bar that are over-the-top but simultaneously restrained enough to enjoy.

In Short

(North) Americans have a penchant for cheekiness and occupying two seemingly disparate worlds. Belgraves, itself an Americanized slang term for Belgravia, straddles the Old World and the New with New York boho-inspired charm and elegant grace. For the hip rich kid in all of us, Belgraves is your landing pad in London.