The Chelsea Townhouse is a luxurious London hotel for sure, but is it too lux for kids? Natasha Harding visited with her son Zak to put it to the test.
The Chelsea Townhouse, London
Sometimes you need a bit of luxury in your life and if you’re looking for a treat, The Chelsea Townhouse, moments away from London’s Sloane Square is the place to visit. A 25-room, 5-star boutique hotel made up of three red-bricked Victorian townhouses, it’s as impressive as it sounds. And although it’s very close to King’s Road, you wouldn’t realise it once you step inside because of the calm, peaceful ambiance.
Suite, The Chelsea Townouse, London
The Chelsea Townhouse rooms check out beautifully
After a seamless check in, we were shown to our suite on the ground floor, a huge space with access to The Chelsea Townhouse private garden square. We felt as though we were in a Richard Curtis film and if Hugh Grant had wandered past, we wouldn’t have been surprised.
The room itself was furnished with antique furniture; there was a proper writing desk, a drinks cabinet (home to the mini bar) and a vanity table. Books lined the shelves, and the walls were adorned with paintings, with the classical music gently playing in the background, it was all very agreeable.
Everything in our suite was of the highest quality; we found super-soft robes, slippers and huge fluffy towels in the bathroom as well as high quality toiletries. Although, once we’d enjoyed a rest wearing our robes, we thought we should explore.
Heart of London for shopping and playing
The area around The Chelsea Townhouse is one of the chicest in London and the array of shops and boutiques make for a shopaholics paradise. Peter Jones, the iconic department store has to be visited, and it was lovely to mooch around, especially as it brought back memories of visiting with my parents when I was younger.
Zak couldn’t believe his eyes at seeing so many designer shops in such close proximity, and I’m just glad he’s not old enough for a credit card.
Cadogan Hall, home to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is also nearby and the very impressive site, hosts regular family events. Zog and the Flying Doctors, based on Julia Donaldson’s wonderful book, is there in August.
Hans restaurant, Pavilion Road
Pavilion Road is the place to eat
That night we ate out at Hans’ Bar & Restaurant situated on the charming Pavilion Road which is fully pedestrianised and full of independent restaurants. It’s open all day and the ethos is mixing ‘Italian heart with British soul’, so the vibe was relaxed and laid back but that didn’t detract from the incredible food. Choices include Fish and Chips, The Iconic Burger, Rib Eye Steak and Grilled Octopus. Pudding choices were New York Cheesecake and Tiramisu – which I had and it was a huge portion of total deliciousness.
We had a lovely time and I even enjoyed a cocktail, because, why not?
It was just a two minute stroll back to The Chelsea Townhouse and it was lovely to see that the room had been turned down for us, so all we had to do was to fall into our respective beds.
We were a little sad to check out the following morning, but breakfast in the lovely dining room overlooking the square cheered us up slightly.
There are so many hotels in London and choosing where to stay, especially when travelling with children can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, but The Chelsea Townhouse is definitely one to remember for future trips to the city.