The first British venture for this Italian group, the Baglioni Hotel certainly brings a slice of haute Milan to Hyde Park. It’s housed in an attractive red-brick listed building opposite Kensington Gardens; so far, so traditional. Step inside, though, and we’re not in London any more.
The facilities
Two black Murano chandeliers provide mood lighting for a hallway of dark wooden floors leading to a burnished bronze reception desk, which is lit in turn by the brilliant smiles of the sharp-suited reception staff. Water trickles over a glass panel to your right, screening the luxury hotel’s lounge-restaurant-bar. Here there are ten-foot beaten bronze urns, banquette seats in gold, copper and wine-red velvet, more black Venetian glass lighting, bare-faced plastered walls and swathes of dark leather and satin. This is where guests come for breakfast and for the devilishly black-hearted espresso, in place of Kensington’s usual genteel afternoon teas. There’s a restaurant, Brunello, which was named in Tatler’s ‘Best Newcomer’ list for 2005. There’s also a bar, and a downstairs cocktail bar and club where you can lounge lizard to your heart’s content.
The rooms
Sharp Italian styling continues upstairs as well. The Baglioni Hotel has 52 suites of varying sizes and just 16 standard rooms. The best rooms in the house are the first and second floor suites, which benefit from the high Victorian ceilings. The front-facing first-floor rooms have little terraces with a view over Hyde Park. All are spacious and beautifully equipped, down to the Illy espresso machines, should you feel the need for a midnight caffeine boost.
Walls are striped bronze and purple, or pale gold and chocolate, setting the colour tone for the rooms. There are opulent, baroque touches, like the contemporary arrangements of twiggy flowers in huge vases on either side of a bed and the beautiful dark wood wardrobes and desks. Fabrics are tactile and sensuous and the lighting is take-home good. Bathrooms are roomy, with smart black marble.
There are nice touches: the use of natural light, the witty votive candles, the working fireplaces and the genuinely charming staff give the luxury hotel character. All internet and TV access is free, which is an unusual courtesy. Best of all, each floor has a couple of personal butlers on 24-hour duty – just the thing when you can’t work out how to use your espresso machine.
Hotel hotlists
"Beautifully cut, the sleek crash pad is ideally located across from Hyde Park, although arguably more Milan than Jermyn Street."
