LUXURY HOTELS KNIGHTSBRIDGE

Bvlgari

Location: Knightsbridge, London

Price: ££££

Address: 171 Knightsbridge, London SW7 1DW, United Kingdom

Best for: guests who rate a great spa above almost everything else.

The spa is the reason to book this hotel. It spans two floors underground, covers close to 2,000 square metres, and is built around a pool big enough to feel almost excessive. There is a private cinema down there as well, and a ballroom, which most hotels wouldn’t bother including. It’s easy to lose an entire day down there without noticing the time pass.

The rooms are dark. Black bathrooms, heavy leather, and thick fabric run throughout, giving the space a moody, masculine feel. This won’t suit everyone, and Bulgari’s own properties in Rome and Dubai lean lighter, which might appeal more to some tourists. Still, something about the London rooms holds up well despite the darker palette. 

Seven of the 85 rooms face Hyde Park and come with a butler around the clock.

Food has never been the strong point here. Sette serves a decent Italian menu, with good pasta and a solid spaghetti dish, but it sits in a basement with no natural light, which makes it a less appealing spot to linger over dinner. 

What it does have going for it is price, which stays refreshingly normal for a hotel at this level, when most five-star dining rooms in London aren’t shy about charging for the privilege.

The location is Knightsbridge through and through. Harrods sits on one side, Harvey Nichols on the other, and Hyde Park lies just across the road. It’s about as central as London luxury gets.

The bottom line is that this is a spa-first booking.