LONDON THE HARI
Tucked away on a quiet residential street in London’s Belgravia lies The Hari, an ultra-stylish hotel that offers visitors a well-heeled home from home. Home, that is, if yours looks like the decor-child of Mad Men’s Don Draper mixed with some 21st-century sophistication. The hotel’s look was created by renowned interior designer Tara Bernerd, and the lobby is a tactile vision in shades of blue, with Oriental rugs, lacquered desks, bespoke velvet sofas and bold artwork, including pieces by Tracey Emin. I love it all and immediately want to bring some of its cosy aesthetic into my own home.
My room is on a corner of the hotel; it’s a light-flooded space, with huge windows overlooking Belgravia’s pretty streets. Inside is a mix of wooden floors, floor-to-ceiling mirrors and pops of aubergine, from the paint on the walls to the sofas nestled in the window bays. This warmth is lightened by the soft muslin drapes, and brightened by huge prints of fashion photography across the walls, further adding to the feminine vibe.
For me, the most important room in a hotel is the bathroom, and this light and airy dream of a space does not disappoint, with Noble Isle products and a huge walk-in rain shower as well as a bath. The marble fixtures are chic and completely Instagrammable, while the huge triple-aspect window brings in colour from the treetops and the sky outside.
Il Pampero, the hotel’s restaurant, is worth visiting for the tiled floor alone (right), and there are ample little nooks and corners for a quiet gin and tonic, including the mezzanine library area overlooking the lobby and the gorgeous garden terrace. But after my late night out (this hotel is perfectly placed to get almost anywhere in about 15 minutes in a cab), I decide to choose the breakfast-in-bed option, always a treat when I am child-free and can have a lie-in. My avocado and poached eggs on toast arrives promptly, delivered on a tray with a piping-hot cappuccino. Please don’t make me leave!
The Hari is in a brilliantly central London location that doesn’t bother you with the capital’s usual hustle and bustle. It’s cool, comfortable and extremely covetable; you will want to return. ERICA DAVIES
Modern style in one of London’s loveliest neighbourhoods.