COMO The Halkin, Belgravia - hotel review
It’s unusual to mention you’re staying at an established five-star hotel in London, particularly one that’s been open since 1991, and not one of your eight friends at dinner to have ever heard of it.
But that’s exactly the magic of The Como Halkin. Tucked away on a very quiet street in Belgravia, a five-minute walk South of Hyde Park, it’s an incredibly discreet hotel that doesn’t shout about its existence. In fact, much to the delight no doubt of its high profile clientele, it barely whispers.
The area
Located in Belgravia, a wealthy district situated just south of Knightsbridge, The Halkin is a ten-minute walk to Green Park and Buckingham Palace, and 15 to Harrods and Harvey Nichols.
This is embassy land, which means the streets are mostly empty at the weekend, bar a handful of diplomats and the occasional lost tourist.
The hotel
With a Georgian-style exterior of brick, Portland stone and arching windows, The Halkin has an elegant yet understated exterior on Halkin Street, with very little in the way of signage or pomp typical of most five star hotels.
Enter into the light and airy marble-floored reception where you will immediately be greeted by smiley and professional staff. Bags are whisked off you and check-in is done with satisfying efficiency and you’re sipping on a Friday night G+T in your room less than 15 minutes from arrival.
While most five star hotels invest their money in luxury public spaces and extensive facilities, the Halkin, with no spa, lounge or library spaces, has very little of the above. Instead the property delivers five star luxury via its discreet and uber slick service and an emphasis on privacy for all guests.
If you’re looking to lounge around in the hotel all day, or you’re a celebrity that secretly likes getting papped, it’s not the one for you.
Rooms
The 41 rooms and suites, reached via curved corridors of black wooden panelling, are spacious and elegant, with a calming neutral colour scheme. The décor is best described as bespoke Italian luxury-meets-contemporary Asian minimalism, and is reminiscent in places of some of the Aman hotel chain’s beautiful city hotels.
The rooms are furnished with soft carpets and warm wood panelling, with accents of brown and purple, and have some of the largest bathrooms in London, designed in floor-to-ceiling marble. All rooms come with Egyptian linen-clad giant beds, Bose iPod docks and wall consoles to call the butler and guest services, control lighting, room temperature, and doorbell
Most popular, though, are the hotel’s spacious and incredibly relaxing suites, located on the sun-soaked fifth floor, some of which have private balconies that face into the inner courtyard.
Food & drink
On the ground floor, Ametsa, the hotel’s restaurant, brings flavours of the Basque Country to Belgravia. The tapas-style food here is colourful, packed with flavour and beautifully presented. There are excellent wines on offer and a sommelier talented with pairings.
Ametsa is also the location where an a la carte breakfast is served, featuring some delicious Spanish-inspired egg dishes, alongside more traditional fare of granola and avocado toast.
The décor of the restaurant is cool, minimal and overwhelmingly white bar the hundreds of spice-filled test tubes suspended from the ceiling. It’s elegant, but lacking in atmosphere or cosiness of any sort. The service is however impeccable.
This is not entirely unconnected, presumably, to its general emptiness. We had dinner on a Friday night before Christmas and were the only people in the restaurant – based on the culinary finesse on show, it deserves to be busier. At breakfast, we were joined by a solo female business traveller, and a wealthy-looking American couple. This is most definitely the place to read your morning papers in peace.
Also on the ground floor is the 24-hour Halkin bar, a long, thin and brightly lit space with Georgian windows and a black and red colour scheme serving daily afternoon tea and an all-day menu of hearty classics like pasta and fish and chips. More of a meeting point than a sexy low-lit cocktail bar.
Facilities
The hotel is limited when it comes to facilities. There’s no spa or pool, and a tiny fitness centre, with personal trainers available. A jog in beautiful Hyde Park would definitely be preferable.
Those looking for a treatment are able to book into the ‘Como Shambhala Urban Escape Spa’ at the Halkin’s sister hotel, The Metropolitan, located a ten-minute stroll the other side of Hyde Park corner.
Read our review of the Como Shambhala Urban Escape here.
Detail
Rooms start at £320 and suites from £470.
