The Twenty Two

An intimate hotel and members’ club brings a note of stylish hedonism to a genteel corner of Mayfair.

This previously residential Edwardian manor house has been turned into a 31-room hotel and member’s club by former Blakes owner Navid Mirtorabi, with the help of business partner Jamie Reuben, a scion of a family that owns swathes of Mayfair.

They hired interior designer Natalia Miyar, known for residential projects (but no hotels), to give the place a sensual makeover, heavy on blues and reds—with chapeau-tips to 18th-century France, but a prevailing sense of tactile modern luxury.

To bring new life to one of London’s less-hurried quarters, Mirtorabi and Reuben brought in managing director Darius Namdar, an alum of Chiltern Firehouse, Mark’s Club, and Annabel’s, who has clearly learned a thing or two from his old bosses Chris Corbin and Jeremy King.

When we meet in the basement club, he emphasizes the personal service from the cool multicultural staff and the fact that the team didn’t want to “over-egg” the concepts.

There’s crisp confidence here that’s rare in somewhere so new; and a sense that the posh Mayfair thing can actually evolve, without a black-and-white photo of Mick Jagger in sight.

Bacchanalia

Tucked in the heart of Mayfair, Bacchanalia takes its name from the mystery religion-cult of Ancient Rome, in which men and women freely mingled in an environment of joyful revelry, sponsored by wine and loud music.

Today, London’s Bacchanalia pays homage to its namesake through establishing a dining experience of similar ilk.

This is a restaurant establishment that leans into great decadence and tongue-in-cheek fun, to huge triumph on both fronts.

The ever-present murals and millennia-old Grecian sculptures drive the theme home, whilst the dimmed lighting and drifting music are successfully utilized to prevent the effect from spilling into kitsch.

With Richard Caring at the helm, it’s no wonder the Mediterranean restaurant has the elegant intimacy of nearby Harry’s Bar, and the big-night ambiance of next-door Annabel’s.

Bacchanalia may be as fresh on the scene as its bespoke Hirst sculptures – but like the long-gone era it’s taken its cue from, the restaurant already feels like a classic.

Internationally celebrated chef Athinagoras Kostakos has a CV that will be familiar to many of the diners drawn to Bacchanalia, with highlights including a stint as executive chef at Scorpios and Branco in Mykonos, and Mazi in Notting Hill.

A winner of Greece’s Top Chef, where Kostakos hails from, Kostakos.

The Mayfair Townhouse

The Mayfair Townhouse is an open book of tales, from the fictitious backstory of the tumultuous lives of former residents the Renards, to their address’s connections with Oscar Wilde, to a love of Lewis Carroll’s surrealism and even a nod to Cecil Beaton’s gardening prowess.

There are clues throughout, in the murals and paintings that hang on the walls, the fox-shaped door knockers and wiley fox portraits in intimate eatery the Den, and a curiouser and curiouser cocktail list that namechecks Wilde’s lover.

But, there’s space to write your own stories too, whether it’s a tryst in one of the eccentrically dressed rooms (some with leafy terraces) or a scandalous night in the Dandy Bar.

The Beaumont

The Beaumont has been transformed from old Selfridges car park into a towering art deco grand dame; a handsome home to top-hatted doormen, polished checkerboard floors, clubby corners and resplendent rooms.

It’s Magritte bar fizzes like a Parisian parlour, the Colony Grill restaurant is as boothed-and-banquette’d as all good brasseries should be and there’s a calming spa space to soothe after any late-night soirées.

There’s even a show stopping pièce de résistance in the unique sculpture-cum-room by Antony Gormley that looms over the entrance.

A hotel, then, that makes you wonder how London ever did without it…

Como Metropolitan London

When the Metropolitan opened on Park Lane in 1997, sandwiched between the InterContinental and the Hilton, it was London’s first proper design hotel.

Staff were clothed in DKNY; rooms were streamlined and clutter-free; there was Nobu for thrillingly mod Japanese cuts and a swish.

Fast-forward two decades and London’s hotelscape and social geography has changed immeasurably—and though the Met Bar may be no longer, replaced by Gridiron grill, the hotel still stands apart on Park Lane.

All the rooms were refreshed in late 2015. They don’t have a ton of personality, but they’re relaxing and clutter-free—not to mention, among the most spacious in London.

Nobu, an old standby, is a top-notch meal and views over Hyde Park, or go for something a little more homegrown at Gridiron.

Mod-minimalist Como Metropolitan London hotel has enviable Hyde Park views, floor-to-ceiling windows in all of its bright white rooms and Asian- and nature-inspired interiors by Linzi Coppick.

Best Hotels & Restaurants in Mayfair – Claridge’s

Set in Mayfair, Claridge’s is known and loved for its splendor, charm and impeccable service.

The hotel’s original art deco interiors have been sensitively interwoven with modern flourishes.

Precariously close to old-fashioned hotel perfection. It must be a slightly nerve-racking condition, approximating the ideal, the mythic, the stuff of legend—so much scope for disappointment.

Disappointment is a sentiment you’re highly unlikely to experience during a stay at Claridge’s.

There’s something special about it, and it’s impossible to put your finger on exactly what it is.

It’s from another time—the hotel dates back to 1812—but it wears the weight of its history lightly.

Walking in doesn’t feel like entering a serious, stately institution; the silver and cream palate and the Art Deco flourishes are light and bright and a little bit whimsical.

The guest list is a roll call of who is who.

Best Hotels & Restaurants in Mayfair – The Connuaght Hotel

With smart dining from star-spangled chefs (including Jean-George Vongerichten), an ethereal Aman Spa, and quite possibly the best hotel bar in town, The Connaught is a distillation of everything that makes Mayfair tick.

This hotel is just so uncompromising.

The location, in the middle of Mayfair, is pretty much perfect, and as you step out of your cab, you’ll be greeted by a dapper doorman.

Choose between contemporary and classic rooms—the former have clean lines and walnut floors, while the classic have carpeting, creamy tones, and heavy drapes.

The smallest rooms are compact, given the price tag, but all have a separate dressing room/bar area, which is a luxurious touch.

It all feels put together by someone exceedingly dependable for dependably exacting guests.

Dating from 1897, this renowned luxury hotel in Mayfair is an 8-minute walk from posh shops on Bond Street and 7 minutes’ walk from Bond Street tube station.

Serene rooms with marble bathrooms and luxe linens offer flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi and butler service. Airy suites add sitting areas, original art and Bose systems.

Plush upgraded suites include 4-poster beds, terraces and/or custom sculptures. An apartment has a kitchen and a wraparound balcony.

Brown’s Hotel

Dating from 1837, this venerable luxury hotel in the posh Mayfair district has hosted famous guests, including Queen Victoria.

It’s a 9-minute walk from the boutiques on Bond Street, 6 minutes’ walk from Green Park tube station and 5 minutes on foot from the Royal Academy of Arts.

Plush rooms offer free Wi-Fi and smart TVs, plus minibars and designer toiletries.

Suites add living rooms and marble bathrooms.

Upgraded suites come with champagne, Nespresso machines and soaking tubs, plus free airport transfers and spa treatments.

Amenities include a formal Italian restaurant and an iconic tearoom, as well as a chic bar.

There’s also a refined spa.