Review: Bulgari Hotel London hotel review

First impression Elegant, grand and extraordinarily shiny.
Staff Courteous and dapper.
Food and drink NYC-style upscale Italian and late-night cocktails.
Bed and bath Roomy and slick.
The crowd As Knightsbridge as you’d expect.
The neighbourhood Central Knightsbridge, a stone’s throw from Harrods.
Price Doubles from £600.
In a nutshell As smart as the jewellery – and maybe a tad more affordable.

Set the scene

Bulgari jewellery is all about gold, glitz and glamour, so it would be natural to expect the Italian brand’s hotel offering to be the same. But its Knightsbridge property is surprisingly restrained, channelling the brand’s history of sophistication rather than its bejewelled bling. It’s a masterclass in elegance: polished rich mahogany, black marble, velvet. And silver – lots of it – which begins in the lobby and continues throughout. Everything has an almost unreal high shine to it: no walls scratched by suitcase wheels or sticky fingerprints here.

What’s the backstory?

It takes a lot of gusto and cash to build a brand-new building in the middle of venerable Knightsbridge, but that’s exactly what Bulgari did in 2012 for its first London outpost, designed by Squire and Partners architects (the other Bulgari hotels to date are in Bali, Milan, Dubai, Beijing and Shanghai). The team took full advantage of having a purpose-built bespoke hotel, making use of the full plot space by digging down five extra floors to house a cocktail bar, grand ballroom, 47-seat cinema and resplendent two-floor spa and gym with 25-metre pool (one of the largest hotel pools in London). Above ground, there are six floors of rooms, while the top two storeys house two privately owned apartments.

What can we expect from the rooms?

From the entry-level bedrooms (the largest in London, they claim) to the sprawling Bulgari Suites (several times larger than most one-bedroom flats in the city), there’s a wealth of polish and poise, with shined silver lamps, veined black marble bathrooms and gleaming mahogany panels everywhere you turn. It’s so pared back it could feel austere, but the warm wood, mini-bar hidden in an old-fashioned trunk, brocade headboard and flock velvet curtains (based on an original Bulgari brooch design) warm it up – as does the remote-controlled fire that’s found in some rooms.

How about the food and drink?

Ground-floor restaurant Sette is the first London opening by the people behind upscale NYC Italian Scarpetta, famed for its divine pasta pomodoro. The creamy polenta with truffled mushrooms is a must and the homemade pasta (plump for squid-ink tagliolini with spicy tomato and lobster sauce) is hearty and satisfying enough to work as a main. It’s all served in a surprisingly relaxed setting for Knightsbridge, with leather banquettes, mid-century furniture, performative Italian waiters and a disco soundtrack that feels distinctively New York. The crowd is a mix of dates out to impress, locals having casual catch-ups and giggly groups of designer-clad twenty-somethings. Venture downstairs for a nightcap at Nolita Social, a darkly atmospheric bar with provocative wallpaper, cocktails named after pop stars, DJs, live music and a late licence that’s welcome in this part of town. Or for those partial to a cigar, pop into the secret cigar lounge run by Havana connoisseur Edward Sahakian for an indoor puff (it’s legal).

Anything to say about the service?

From the nodding capped doormen to the obliging suite butlers and spa staff, discretion is the watchword.

Who goes here?

We’re in Knightsbridge, so the crowd are well-groomed, well-dressed and very well-off: those staying in the Bulgari Suites are given personalised business cards stating the hotel as their London residence so shopping can be delivered straight to their room. And with the introduction of its creative and specialist staycation packages – catering for everyone from families to fitness fans to those who want the most self-isolated escape possible in the heart of London – anyone looking for an utterly upscale holiday at home.

What’s the neighbourhood scene?

Harrods and Harvey Nichols are basically on your doorstep, as are the other designer boutiques along Sloane Street. For culture, some of the best museums in London are a short walk away and you’re two minutes from a leafy stroll around the Serpentine in Hyde Park.

Anything we missed?

Arrive with enough time to make the most of the beloved London spa: an onyx pool large enough to swim actual lengths flanked by floaty white cabanas with ring-for-snacks buzzers and a shimmering gold-leaf-tiled hydro-massage tub. Opt for a healing Spa/Clinic by 111Skin facial which includes a deep massage that will make you realise how tense your face was.

Is it worth it?

Yes, for the gold pool alone. This level of glamour doesn’t come cheap, especially in such a prime spot, but it’s as decadent and deluxe as you’d hope.