Hotel in Detail:
With views over Hyde Park The Berkeley hotel enjoys a wonderful location and has an elegant and discreet style blending with the contemporary. Two ceiling glass pavilions skirt the entrance doors and a grand glass canopy welcomes guests along with the top hatted doormen. Ever popular with the rich and famous very much one of the foremost luxury hotels in London having worked with top designers over many years to maintain its place as a class leader.Bedrooms and suites are all individually decorated and furnished with a contemporary feel. In your air-conditioned bedroom you will find an alarm clock, fridge with minibar, windows that open, central heating, direct dial telephone with voicemail, free WiFi, CD/DVD player and library. Televisions are interactive offering cable channels, pay to view movies and an internet browser with infra-red keyboard.
The bathrooms are fashioned in marble and come with free top brand toiletries, a separate bath and shower, hairdryer, bathrobes, slippers, top brand toiletries, slippers and chrome fittings.
All rooms and suites at The Berkeley hotel are provided with a 24 hour room service, free newspaper, wakeup calls and evening turndown.
They are also all air-conditioned. Some bedrooms have a balcony or terrace. Some suites have a fireplace and the Park Suite has a kitchenette. Laptops and printers available. Some suites come with an Ipad supplied by the hotel.
Floors have lift access.
Room Types:
Superior Queen: Suited to single occupancy. 16 sq mtrs / 172 sq ft
Superior King/Twin: Some overlook Hyde Park. Seating area. 26 sq mtrs / 280 sq ft
Deluxe King/Twin: Marble bathroom. 30 sq mtrs / 323 sq ft
Balcony Twin/Twin: Have their own balcony. 26 sq mtrs / 280 sq ft
Superior Junior Suite: King bed or twin beds. Marble bathroom. Open plan. 40 sq mtrs / 431 sq ft
Deluxe Junior Suite: King bed or twin beds. Open plan with separate living area. Marble bathroom. 45 sq mtrs / 484 sq ft
One Bed Knightsbridge Suite: Separate sitting room. Some overlook Hyde Park. 62 sq mtrs / 667 sq ft
Corner Suite: Double aspect windows. 75 sq mtrs / 807 sq ft
Park Suite: One bedroom. Large sitting room area and separate study. Marble bathroom with walk-in shower. Kitchenette and guest room. 80 sq mtrs / 861 sq ft
Two Bedroom Knightsbridge Suite: Each bedroom en-suite (Marble, walk-in shower). 90 sq mtrs / 969 sq ft
Grosvenor Conservatory Suite: One bedroom. Sitting room, conservatory and marble bathroom. 120 sq mtrs / 1,292 sq ft
Wellington Conservatory Suite: Marble bathroom with personal sauna. Conservatory and private roof terrace. 140 sq mtrs / 1,507 sq ft
Pavilion Conservatory Suite: One bedroom King suite. Marble bathroom, sitting room, conservatory and private terrace. 155 sq mtrs / 1,668 sq ft
Berkeley Suites: Designed by Helen Green. Luxurious with plasma TV. Sitting room and marble bathroom has its own TV and walk-in shower. 75 sq mtrs / 807 sq ft
Chelsea Suite: Designed by Dan Hopwood. One bedroom King bed. Rich and opulent colours. Separate sitting-room with iwood panelling, designer armchairs, purple sofa, coffee table and desk. A private bar. Granite bathroom with plasma TV. 62 sq mtrs / 667 sq ft.
Four Poster Suite: Corner suite with elegant entrance hall and seperate cloakroom. Traditional sitting room with fireplace and full length windows. Marble bathroom.
Dining Options:
Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley: (formerly Pétrus). 70 seat capacity. Opened Autumn 2008. Michelin 2 star. This highly acclaimed sophisticated fine dining restaurant from Michelin star and British chef Marcus Wareing is designed by David Collins and features rich claret tones, French blinds and vivid colours. Decor such as the 2 abacuses giving a quirky feel amidst the grandeur. There is also an intimate private room for up to 16 guests and a chef's table for 8 guests to watch the action of the kitchen. Serves contemporary European cuisine with rich flavours subtly enhanced but never overpowered.
Open: noon till 14.30, 18.00 till 23.00 (Closed all day Sunday, Saturday closed for lunch).
Koffmann's: Opened in summer 2010 by French chef Pierre Koffmann. Serves seasonal French cuisine. The menu offers hearty, robust, seasonal food, influenced by Pierre's Gascon heritage, with a good value Menu du Jour which changes daily. Some dishes are designed to highlight the theatre of carving and confident performance “à la table”. Many of Koffmanns signature favourites also feature, such as scallops with squid ink, braised pigs trotter with morels, and pistachio souffle with pistachio ice cream. Assured, attentive service and an atmosphere of convivial bonhomie. The surroundings are simple, elegant and understated with the use of earthy colours, on leather chairs and banquettes and off-white geometrically textured wall coverings. A series of food-themed photographs by Jean Casals line the walls, and the kitchen is open to view for great visual theatre.
Open: Noon till 15.30 (till 14.30 weekends), 18.00 till 22.30.
The Blue Bar: 50 seat capacity. Originally designed by the late David Collins. Features include a new glass pavilion, narrower entrance doors to add intimacy, restored and painted wood panelling (red and blacks) and the onyx topped blue bar stands on a white marble floor. Handmade by furniture craftsman Ben Whistler. Favourite cocktails in The Blue Bar are the signature Berkeley Champagne Cocktail and the sublime Ginger Cosmopolitan. You have a choice from over 50 whiskies and a large selection of Champagnes while win is sold by the glass. Special menu where Cigars are sold in conjucntion with carefully matched wines. Savoury and sweet tapas-style dishes served and the bar remains open throughout the evening. The decor features the hotels own 'Lutyens Blue' while the bar is onyx and the ambience one of a sumptuous and individual feel.
Open: 16.00 till 01.00 (Sunday 15.00 till midnight)
The Collins Room: 74 seat capacity. A light-filled, contemporary and charming dining room that welcomes guests light breakfast, lunch, Prét-Á-Portea, dinner and your choice of drinks in between. The menus are designed by executive chef Shaun Whatling, with an emphasis on fresh, daily specials and beautifully-crafted, classically British dishes using the finest ingredients sourced from forest, field, seashore and stream. Named as a tribute to the legendary designer David Collins.
Open 07.00 till 11.00, 11.30 till 14.30 (till 13.30 weekends), 18.30 till 22.20. Prét-Á-Portea 13.00 till 17.00.
Blue Bar: One of Londons most popular hotel bars. The Blue bar includes a state-of-the-art glass pavilion adding spaciousness and a contemporary twist. The bar still retains the iconic Lutyens Blue panelling originally conceived by David Collins Studio. It also still has its original Edwin Lutyens lighting, alongside new furnishings. With a lively ambience and knowledgeable mixologists to prepare signature cocktails. The cocktails are made with the finest ingredients and an imaginative twist. The cocktails are categorised by colours green, yellow, red and blue, each one denoting a different potency of mix. You can also choose from over 50 different whiskies, a fine collection of champagnes and an extensive list of spirits, many of them rare labels. The Blue bar also serves light, savoury and sweet dishes and canapés.
Guests can indulge in the designer items available to be borrowed from the hotel for the evening. Fashion items include a Christian Dior necklace, a Chanel handbag and a fashion trunk curated by Vestiaire Collective. Guests can enjoy all of the accessories during their stay, including some vintage jewels and handbags from the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
Classic Burberry trench coats are hung in wardrobes prior to arrival for guests to enjoy throughout their stay.
There are six private, air-conditioned and individually decorated rooms for all kinds of occasions including cocktail parties, private dining, receptions and meetings, for as few as 6 to as many as 400 guests.
The Rooftop Spa Has A well equipped gymnasium and a heated swimming pool with a retractable roof that opens to the sky in fine weather. The Berkeley hotels heath club also features Warm up and work out rooms, Four treatment rooms, Ladies and gentlemen's lounges with steam rooms and saunas. Daily membership is available. The rooftop spa is a standout amongst London hotels and is more on the lines of an English rooftop garden.
Security staff are on hand 24/7.
Picnics can be arranged for days out. Among others services are luggage unpacking, ports, 24 hr concierge, currency exchange and complimentary shoe shine.
Hotel Vicinity:
Nearest: Tube Station: Hyde Park Corner 281 yards (256 metres), Railway Station: London Victoria 0.7 miles (1.1 km), DLR Station: Tower Gateway 3.6 miles (5.8 km), Motorway: M4 Junction 1 5.3 miles (8.5 km).The Berkeley is nicely located, in the plush and upmarket central London area of Knightsbridge but in a semi secluded site street slightly away from the busy roads that surround it. Just 150 yards from the hotel and across Knightsbridge are the large parks of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. In the summer boats can be hired to row on the central Serpentine Lake while the parks are full of places to eat and snake, famous statues and landscaped gardens. The Berkeley hotel is close to Knightsbridge Barracks and early mornings the troops can be seen exercising their horses around the riding path within Hyde Park. The hotel is within central London and handy for just about all the best known attractions. There are two tube stations within 300 yards while Knightsbridge has 9 bus routes running along it as well as a London taxi always to be found here. Just 1/3rd of a mile to the east is Green Park which forms part of the grounds to Buckingham Palace (official residence of the British monarch). 300 yards to the west finds the start of Sloane street which has a well deserved reputation for some of the best in fashion boutiques and designer clothing. The surrounding area in general has a good selection of bars and restaurants. Some of the nearest places of interest include Apsley House (home of the first Duke of Wellington) (0.2 miles), Wellington Arch (0.2 miles), Harrods Department Store (0.3 miles), Brompton Oratory (second largest Roman Catholic church in London) (0.6 miles) and Buckingham Palace (0.6 miles).
Bedroom Numbers: 214 / 7 floors
Check-in: 14.00 (2 pm)
Check-out: 12.00 noon
This hotel has averaged a score of 4.5 out of 5 by 1552 past guests
>>>Booking.com (average customer rating 4.6 out of 5 from 161 reviews)
>>>Tripadvisor (ranked 81 of 1140 for Hotels in London and rated 4.5 out of 5 from 1391 reviews)
Parking:
Private parking is possible at a location nearby (reservation is not needed) and costs £42.Internet:
WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.Pets:
Pets are allowed on request. Charges may be applicable.Compared to other London hotels: This hotel has been rated 90% by past guests. The London average is 79% and the average for 5 star hotels is 89%. Therefore this hotel is above average for its sector (star rating) and for London as a whole.
Milesfaster ranking: 120th from 865 London hotels, and 54th of 133 five star rated hotels.
Another to Consider:
A similar type of hotel (size, rating) nearby (0.1 miles, 0.2 km) would be the 5 star Park Tower Knightsbridge,
with rates that start from about £419 and which has an 80% guest satisfaction rating.
For a hotel that offers lower base rates take a look at the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel. 0.2 miles
from the Berkeley Hotel (0.3 km), has been rated at 89%
by past guests and the hotels starting rates begin at about £244 (theres free WiFi too). Would you prefer to go with something that has scored higher in guest satisfaction ratings? If that is what your after then the 5 Star Lanesborough Hotel London seems like a possible option. The Lanesborough Hotel London is only 0.1 miles (0.2 km) away. The Lanesborough Hotel London has a perfect unblemished customer rating 99%, a truly stunning achievement.
Local hotels analysed:
The closest fifty hotels around this area (Wilton Place, SW1 postcode) that are listed on this website cover a 0.7 miles (1.1 km) radius. The numbers for each star rating are 33 five star hotels (average rating 90%), 13 four star hotels (average rating 83%) and 4 three star hotels (average rating 64%). The highest rating goes to 41 Hotel (5 star) at 100%.Base Rates: We look at what the average base rates are for the area and by star rating. These rates do not take account of offers and short term deals so are just a guide.
Of the 50 local hotels we have base rate data for 49 of them. If we look at the average for all hotels in the area (nearest 50) we get an average base rate of £311 per night. The lowest rates are at £67 at Tophams Hotel Belgravia (3 Star, 61%) and highest base rates of £1000 at 45 Park Lane Hotel (5 Star, 99%). Averages for each sector of star rating: Five Star average: £382, Four Star average: £175 and Three Star average: £89.
Summary:
Using our in-house algorithm we rank hotels based on guest ratings and weighted for related factors we rank Berkeley Hotel 14th (joint) of 50 area hotels and 12th (joint) for the 33 five star hotels in the area. We rank the hotel 41st of 49 (24th of 32 five star hotels.) for base rates. We rank this hotel based on rates and also review scores to place it 28th of 40 of all the closest hotels in terms of value for money (Egerton House Hotel was top).
History:
Owned outright by Qatari group, Constellation Hotels (backers of Paddy Mckillen) after the Barclay brothers sold their 66 percent share of Coroin Ltd in April 2015.Sold to the Barclays brothers for £695 million pound along with the Connaught Hotel and The Clarides Hotel from the National Asset Management Agency who had taken on the hotels from Irish banks who had made a toxic loan to the Maybourne Hotel group in 2005 for the same hotels.
Although The Berkeley hotel itself has stood on this spot since opening in 1972 its heritage can date back to the 1800's. In the 19th century the building was the Gloucester Coffee House, a departure point for coachmen from the Western Mail. At this time a hotel of the same name, The Berkeley, was located on the corner of Piccadilly and Berkeley Street (from where the name Berkeley originates). On January 1st 1901 that hotel was bought by Richard D'Oyly Carte who also founded the Savoy Hotel and came under the ownership of the Savoy Group. In later years modernising and updating the hotel became a problem because the original building was not purpose built as a hotel. Eventually it was decided that a new site would have to be sought and purpose built hotel constructed. Properties were bought close to Hyde Park Corner and planning permission was granted to demolish them and a construct a brand new purpose built hotel. Works commenced in 1968 and the brand new Berkeley opened in 1972. The architect was Martin O'Rorke.
Some of the wood panelling and decorative carvings from the original hotel were installed in a sitting-room off the front hall. Known as the Lutyens Room, it became the Blue Bar in 1999.