Travel Review: The Hari, London - A stylish retreat in the heart of Belgravia - Scotland on Sunday Travel

The five-star property – which has a sister property in Hong Kong with the brand eyeing further global expansion – is helmed by entrepreneur Dr Aron Harilela, and is named after his late father.

It is a short walk from Sloane Square Tube station, and proves easy to find with a distinctive deep blue exterior. In a “tell me you’re taken with the hotel without telling me you’re taken with the hotel” style, the next morning I stay there until the very minute I need to check out, and later sit in its library reading after I return to collect my suitcase.

Room service

The property has 85 designer bedrooms, including 14 luxury suites. I am staying in a studio king suite, which pleasingly feels like a comfortable residential space rather than clinical, over-stylised hotel room. The colour scheme includes white, cream, brown, and distinctive The Hari blue touches throughout - and excellent views of the quiet streets and gardens below.

As well as the comfy king-sized bed there is a marble table, coffee-coloured sofa bed, and desk that is cleverly hidden behind a curtain meaning that if you have to do some work on the laptop, you can shut this out of sight and mind and put your feet up afterwards. The bathroom is a work of art, decked out in Arabescato marble with a bath overlooking the gardens (although I shut the blinds for my soak for modesty reasons), and deliciously scented SOIGNÉ toiletries.

Worth getting out of bed for

Bordering well-heeled London neighbourhoods Chelsea, Kensington, and Knightsbridge, several 24-carat jewels in the Big Smoke’s sparkling crown are within easy reach of the hotel, either on foot or by borrowing one of its bikes.

In the immediate vicinity of the property are several Anya Hindmarch outlets, including a boutique with several tempting multicoloured examples of her famous handbags in the window, and a separate cafe.

Other places to enjoy a luxury-branded latte include the large pastel green-decorated Prada Caffè at Harrods, while I potter along to Sloane Square, and nearby Saatchi Gallery off the King’s Road where I am wowed by the amazing photographs of the Burtynsky: Extraction/Abstraction exhibition. Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, and The Royal Albert Hall are also not far.

Wining and dining

I have heard good things about in-house Italian restaurant Il Pampero - and it certainly lives up to expectations when I head there for dinner - worth visiting even if you aren’t staying at the hotel. Named after the favourite horse of The Hari’s owner, its decor includes racing green, and dishes include a delicious pepper-seared beef carpaccio, with rocket, mustard dressing and aged Parmesan, and squid ink spaghetti with mussels and clams that scores brownie points for being just the right portion size and smelling like being by the sea.

I also take up the recommendation to try the “tableside tiramisu”, which a special trolley wheeled over and the dish custom made in front of my eyes, with the sponge finger biscuits retaining a welcome crunch. There is also The Hari bar upstairs, which includes a cocktail served in a bird cage, and Garden Terrace with retractable roof.

Budget or boutique

A boutique feel throughout, but a pretty reasonable price for a hotel of this calibre and location.

Little extras

The hotel is a major sponsor of up-and-coming artists, and runs The Hari Art prize, for example, which is now in its third year, and has related artworks dotted around the hotel. There is also a 24-hour gym complete with Peloton, where I power through a morning workout to try and compensate for some of the carb intake at Il Pampero.

Guestbook commentsI am extremely keen to “Hari” back to this luxurious, calming sanctuary of a hotel.Rooms start from £312 per night, excluding taxes and fees. The Hari, 20 Chesham Place, London, SW1X 8HQ, 020 7858 0100.

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