February 2019 sees the highly anticipated opening of Belmond Cadogan Hotel, a 54-bedroom property in the heart of Chelsea. Belmond’s first London property is the latest addition to the group’s portfolio of luxury hotels, trains and cruises.
The multi-million-pound restoration project builds on a rich cultural heritage that includes Sir Hans Sloane, Kings of England, artists, writers and perhaps most famously the scandalous stories of Oscar Wilde and Lillie Langtry. Dating back to 1887 the hotel’s lobby and guestrooms draw inspiration from its original features, rich history and heritage.
With just 54 rooms, the property is perfectly sized to offer an intimate and warm welcome in the heart of the city. Guests will have access to the private Cadogan Place gardens, (one of Chelsea’s largest garden squares and once the site of the 18th century London Botanic Gardens) offering a tranquil escape in Spring and Summer. During Winter the welcoming draw of fireplaces throughout the hotel, including in some of the rooms, will provide a warm embrace.
The hotel has been re-imagined as a grand townhouse, giving it a home away from home feel. Hotel residents will find a private entrance to the hotel at 21 Pont Street, once Lilley Langtree’s front door. Historical design nods include the use of delicate gold leaf wall sconces in some of the guestrooms, featuring Langtree’s calling card – a flush of royal features. Original wooden panelling, ceiling and wall mountings have been restored and used alongside a colour palette that draws on English heritage colours. This is balanced with over 400 pieces of original artwork by many British artists, inspired by botanicals and the private gardens on Cadogan Place.
Uniforms will be inspired by 1960s London and the fashionable Kings Road, which has been an important part of the London fashion scene for decades. Designs see peter-pan collars and strong check prints, a nod to Mary Quant and other designers who made their mark in the area. Botanical prints, inspired by the gardens, will be used as part of the housekeeping uniform design.
Adam Handling joins Belmond Cadogan Hotel as Chef Patron, overseeing all culinary offerings; Adam’s vision reflects his sustainable approach and showcases the ‘Best of British’, taking inspiration from the building’s illustrious cultural history, combined with his Modern British approach and zero-waste ethos. The restaurant, named Adam Handling, Chelsea, will be a standalone dining room with its own entrance on 21 Pont Street. Adam will create an Afternoon Tea to be served in the Cadogan Tea Lounge, inspired by nostalgic moments from his childhood. Each item will be prepared at the in-house bakery, including an abundance of cakes, biscuits and chocolates.
In the main bar, Adam plans to serve classic cocktails using British ingredients with minimal fuss, alongside a British Cheese and charcuterie selection. In the mini bars in each bedroom, guests will find bottled classic cocktails, made exclusively for the hotel. Each bottle is themed on British history with bespoke artwork and created at Adam’s bar lab in Hoxton.
Celebrating Chelsea past and present – Belmond Cadogan Hotel will embed itself in the heart of its famous neighbourhood with a calendar of public events and cultural programmes to celebrate the arts and its famous literary heritage.
Craftsmanship and design are central to the identity of Belmond’s family of 47 properties, trains and cruises across the globe. Belmond has commissioned two talented young designers to bring their creative vision to life at its historic Cadogan Hotel as part of the inaugural Belmond New Designers Award.
Mac Collins, a product and furniture designer and soon-to-be graduate of acclaimed design institution Northumbria University, and Antonia (Toni) Packham, a champion of sustainable design fresh out of Brighton University, were both chosen from more than 3000 designers who displayed their work at the New Designers exhibition in Islington in July 2018. Collins and Packham will have the opportunity to learn from Belmond’s in-house bench of design experts, as well as its wider network of leading creative professionals, craftspeople.
Belmond Cadogan London Photo Gallery
Prices start from £470 per room per night at Belmond Cadogan Hotel based on two sharing a double room on bed and breakfast basis. Reservations 0845 077 2222 belmond.com
