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The Wellesley Knightsbridge, a Luxury Collection Hotel, London, UK [Master Thread]

The Wellesley Knightsbridge, a Luxury Collection Hotel, London, UK [Master Thread]

Old Apr 28, 2017, 10:15 pm
  #16  
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thecaterer.com/articles/492756/the-wellesley-and-the-westbury-hotels-join-marriotts-luxury-collection

36-bedroom Wellesley hotel (pictured) in Knightsbridge and the five-AA-star, 268-bedroom Westbury hotel in Mayfair will join the brand in the first half of 2017 under franchise agreements with their respective owners.

Opened in 2012, the Wellesley is owned by City and Country Hotels, a subsidiary of Arab Investments. It was initially managed by Bespoke Hotels on a white label basis.

The Westbury htoel, owned by Cola Holdings, is currently being refurbished by Alex Kravetz Designs. It features the Michelin-starred Alyn Williams at the Westbury restaurant and the Tsukiji Sushi outlet, as well as Polo bar. The hotel will join the Luxury Collection on completion of the renovation next spring.

The two London hotels have been announced as new additions to the Luxury Collection alongside three other European hotels: Htel de Berri, Paris, France; Cristallo, Cortina, Italy; and the Alexander, Yerevan, Armenia.
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Old May 15, 2017, 6:01 pm
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Dying to hear feedback about his property. Anyone who stays here, please do share with sincerest thanks!
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Old Jul 23, 2017, 7:56 am
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Originally Posted by lehms
anyone have any experience here, i am checking london stay options
Wondering if Any one can comment on recent stays at any. I plan to try either one for a 5 day stay in September
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Old Jul 23, 2017, 10:06 am
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at one point, at least one of their dining outlets had a minimum spend, at least for guests who were not staying in hotel, curious re currently
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Old Jul 24, 2017, 1:01 am
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Great Northern Hotel

I'd recommend the Great Northern Hotel instead. It's smaller but a great hotel in a great location
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Old Jul 24, 2017, 1:38 am
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Originally Posted by flyeronac
I'd recommend the Great Northern Hotel instead. It's smaller but a great hotel in a great location
I don't agree at all. The Kings Cross location of the Great Northern Hotel is not at all comparable to that of Knightsbridge. Knightsbidge and Hyde Park Corner stops are right off the Piccadilly tube line direct to Heathrow. Knightsbridge is one of the most posh parts of the city, with some of the most luxurious hotels in the city nearby: The Lanesborough and Berkeley just across the street, the Mandarin Oriental down the street, the Dorchester and Four Seasons around the corner, the the Halkin by COMO just a few blocks away.

I'm not a big fan of the Park Tower Knightsbridge, but its location is incomparable in London. The Wellesley offers a similar location in Knightsbridge with a much nicer, more luxurious boutique hotel.

If one is looking to be closer to the Kings Cross area, the Great Northern makes sense. Otherwise, the Knightsbridge area for Starwood calls for the Wellesley, the Park Tower, or even the closer Sheraton Grand Park Lane just south of Mayfair. With Marriott, there are even more options.

Last edited by bhrubin; Aug 8, 2017 at 2:48 pm
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Old Jul 30, 2017, 9:10 am
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So no one yet has a trip report post SPG takeover?

I have reservation at the Wellesley and the Westbury Mayfair for mid-September and trying to decide among these two. I am Platinum, so curious about amenities offered and upgrade willingness.

Anyone? Thanks
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Old Aug 8, 2017, 7:08 am
  #23  
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Posh boutique luxury in central London

The Wellesley London

Map| 1 Review | 100% Recommended

The Wellesley London

11 Knightsbridge London, GB SW1X 7LY

Posh boutique luxury in central London (6 Photos)

The Wellesley London

About time I reported on my late June one-night stay at the new star in SPG's extensive London presence, The Wellesley Knightsbridge hotel.

The Wellesley is an existing hotel that joined SPG's Luxuryt Collextion earlier this year. They market themselves as a "boutique-grand hotel" and is the highst categorized SPG option in London at a category 7 (paid rates often +400GBP).

Location

Very central in the Knightsbridge area, 50m from Hyde Park corner station (next door is former SPG hotel The Lanesborough. Park Tower hotel is two blocks away and Sheraton Park Lane 10 mins walk in the other direction).

Hotel front overlooks Hyde Park across the street.

IMG_4975.jpg

Room

Was preupgrade from cheapest room to classy One Bedroom Suite, with seperate living room, bed room and bathroom (think my SPG100 Ambassador pulled some strings). High quality classic furnishing/decoration, huge King size bed and marble bathroom with Hermes toiletries.

Didn't see any other rooms, but was under the impression that room layouts differs a lot and furnishing/decoration is bespoke for each room.

Roomed contained tablet with hotel/area information and a smartphone that could be used as wifi-hotspot.

Times of London is delivered complimentary to room, other newspapers are charged (5GBP for Financial Times).

IMG_4964.jpg

IMG_4965.jpg

IMG_4968.jpg

IMG_4972.jpg

IMG_4974.jpg

Check In

Friendly but still formal welcome. Chose Breakfast as Platinum welcome gift. Front desk employee escorted me to my room.

Dining

Had Platinujm breakfast in classy ground floor restaurants breakfast room. High quality continental with homemade youghurt, freshly cut fruit, bread, pastries, juice and coffee. Declined very expensive (30GBP) buy-up option to Full English hot breakfast.

There is also what seems like a very classy Cigar lounge/bar if you're so inclined.

Service

High Service level at all functions: front desk escort to room, knowledgeable concierge, front doors held by doorman, waiters, room service etc.

Nice cakes and note as welcome gift. Butler service is included for all rooms, but be aware that services like cofee and pressings are charged.

Special gimmick (but also very useful benefit) is the hotels Rolls Royce, that will take you anywhere within a 1.5 mile radius (first come first served, no reservations, no luggage).

One major short coming IMHO: The hotel has no gym (but do sell day access to a nearby health club).

 

Overall

Definitely the most classy SPG room, and highest service level in London (have stayed at LeMeridien, Sheraton, Park Tower, W, GreatNorthern, Aloft). Nice Platinum treatment with suite upgrade, breakfast and welcome gift.

Location is good for tourists, next to a Tube station with direct LHR link, and the Rolls Royce service makes most of central London easily accesible.

In comparision Platinum Breakfast is better at Great Northern, and if you prefer club lounge access Sheraton and LeMeridien is where it's at. If you need a well equipped Gym, the W has the best SPG gym in London.

A little heavy on the nickle'n'diaming for me, with heavy extra charges for alternative newspaper, simple butler services, health club and upgrade to Full English breakfast.

But fully recommended if willing to pay for a Posh London experience.

Posh boutique luxury in central London

Would you like to write a review on the The Wellesley London?

No, thank you.
Yes
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Old Aug 8, 2017, 9:24 am
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Thanks to @raunow for the review! It's really nice to hear from someone who has the perspective of having stayed at all of the London SPG properties.
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Old Aug 8, 2017, 9:35 am
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
I don't agree at all. The Kings Cross location of the Great Northern Hotel is not at all comparable to that of Knightsbridge. Knightsbidge and Hyde Park Corner stops are right off the Piccadilly tube line direct to Heathrow. Knightsbridge is one of the most posh parts of the city, with some of the most luxurious hotels in the city nearby: The Lanesborogh and Berkeley just across the street, the Mandarin Oriental down the street, the Dorchester and Four Seasons around the corner, the the Halkin by COMO just a few blocks away.
It's obviously impossible to say which location is better. Knightsbridge has become a theme park for rich Russians, Arabs and Americans and so you will almost never see anyone who lives in London going anywhere near there. It's fascinating, but in a pretty awful way.

Equally though, calling the drug-infested den of inequity which is Kings Cross a clearly "better" location is perhaps pushing things slightly. I'd certainly always pick Kings Cross over Knightsbridge as a base for London though.
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Old Aug 8, 2017, 11:14 pm
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Originally Posted by EuropeanPete
It's obviously impossible to say which location is better. Knightsbridge has become a theme park for rich Russians, Arabs and Americans and so you will almost never see anyone who lives in London going anywhere near there. It's fascinating, but in a pretty awful way.

Equally though, calling the drug-infested den of inequity which is Kings Cross a clearly "better" location is perhaps pushing things slightly. I'd certainly always pick Kings Cross over Knightsbridge as a base for London though.
As abase for london? Kings cross might be a good base if you plan on taking the train, but if you plan on staying in London? why bother? Don't get me wrong, I LIKE the great northern. I have stayed there for multiple 1 to 2 weeks stays, with a 9 day stay ins eptember, but normally when I do it's for when the girl and I plan on staying int he room more than seeing london Most everything most visitors are going to want in london is a tube ride away, so at that point why not just stay in the middle of it? the SPG properties in the tourist areas often times have rates that are on par with the great norther, at least if you stay in the cubit rooms (and those are still pretty small, even by london standards)
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Old Aug 9, 2017, 7:54 am
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Again, it will all depend what your centre of gravity is. Other than tourists and oligarchs, Knightsbridge and to a lesser degree Park Lane are devoid of anything of interest to a large majority of London residents and visitors - I say this as someone who used to live just off Park Lane
I'd suggest for many the centre of gravity is much closer to Kings X (just North of Mayfair, Soho, Covent Garden, close to Regents Park, etc.) than the properties further west which only really make sense if you want that vibe, are working further West (Kensington, Hammersmith) or intend to spend your time at Harrods.
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Old Aug 9, 2017, 8:07 am
  #28  
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Guys, could we get this thread back to discussing the Wellesley ?

A discussion of which London area we each prefer is by nature very circumstantial, and unlikely to reach agreement.

Nor will it add anything to the already stated fact that the Wellesley is very centrally located in the Knightsbridge area, and that most tourist attractions in London are well within reach.
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Old Aug 9, 2017, 8:21 am
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Looks very nice. I remember going there when it was a Pizza Express!
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Old Aug 9, 2017, 8:25 am
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Originally Posted by EuropeanPete
It's obviously impossible to say which location is better. Knightsbridge has become a theme park for rich Russians, Arabs and Americans and so you will almost never see anyone who lives in London going anywhere near there. It's fascinating, but in a pretty awful way.

Equally though, calling the drug-infested den of inequity which is Kings Cross a clearly "better" location is perhaps pushing things slightly. I'd certainly always pick Kings Cross over Knightsbridge as a base for London though.
I would say that labelling Knightsbridge a "theme park for rich Russians, Arabs and Americans" and Kings Cross a "drug-infested den of inequity" is pushing things slightly too.

Are either of these really that polarised ?

Originally Posted by raunow
Posh boutique luxury in central London
Nice review, thanks. ^
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