Beaverbrook Town House
London, United Kingdom

The curtain rises on Beaverbrook’s second act, but its backdrop is altogether different. This urban offshoot of the original country-house estate in Surrey distils the brand’s love of theatricality and whimsy into two Georgian townhouses overlooking Chelsea’s Cadogan Place Gardens. With its beautifully dressed rooms, exceptional Japanese restaurant, and service that never misses its cue, Beaverbrook Town House is a stage set for the modern dandy.

“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess”. A famous quip by Oscar Wilde came to mind as we were welcomed to our suite, prompted not only by a small portrait of the great aesthete (who lived in Chelsea at the height of his fame) resting on a side table, but by the flamboyant interiors that suggested designer Nicola Harding had taken his words as gospel.

Harding has gone to town with the hotel’s theatre-inspired premise, a tribute to the lifelong passion of Lord Beaverbrook – the charismatic newspaper magnate and politician who purchased the original 470-acre estate in the early 20th century – styling each of its 14 suites around one of London’s iconic playhouses, like Shakespeare’s Globe, the Royal Opera House, and the Old Vic. Our not-so-humble abode of choice, named The Savoy, paid homage to the pioneering West End theatre conceived by impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte in 1881, which became synonymous with the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan and was the world’s first public building to be lit entirely by electricity. 

A generous space by central London standards, the suite was an exercise in British eclecticism. Duck-egg blue panelling and herringbone parquet set the foundation for antique furniture, contrasting patterns, a velvet sofa, a four-poster super-king-size bed, and jewel-like accents of burgundy and brass. Vintage Savoy Theatre and D’Oyly Carte Opera Company posters celebrated the suite’s namesake, while a Roberts radio, a television concealed within the footboard, and a well-stocked drinks trolley lent it the feel of a lived-in London apartment, owned by the sort of fabulous, cultured friend who insists on preparing you a martini before you’ve even taken your coat off. With its cerulean glass-tiled walls, the bathroom was just as eye-catching and came stocked with botanical toiletries by Cotswolds skincare brand Bamford. 

The same design language continues downstairs, where more than 500 artworks curated by the hotel’s creative director, Sir Frank Lowe, decorate the hallways and public spaces, alongside 19th-century Japanese woodblock prints and recurring Spitfire motifs that nod to Lord Beaverbrook’s wartime legacy. 

Overlooking the pretty lawns of Cadogan Place Gardens – one of Chelsea’s largest private garden squares – our Savoy suite’s tall sash windows were a fine spot to indulge in a little people-watching over morning coffee. That said, there was little in the way of commotion, as expected, just the occasional local walking their well-groomed dog and loaded expats heading to Tiffany’s for breakfast. The hotel could hardly be better placed for those with a weakness for designer labels. Running from Knightsbridge to Sloane Square, the kilometre-long boulevard of Sloane Street has been one of London’s principal luxury shopping destinations for well over a century. Today, flagship boutiques from brands like Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Tom Ford sit alongside some of the capital’s finest jewellers, while Harrods and Harvey Nichols are both around a 10-minute stroll away from the hotel.

For all the neighbourhood’s association with expensive clothes and Made in Chelsea affluence, it’s no longer fashion alone that’s drawing visitors to SW3. While nearby Mayfair continues to define London’s grand hotel tradition, Chelsea has in many ways become the capital’s spiritual home of the luxury townhouse hotel, with former residences now housing some of the city’s most intimate boutique stays. Beaverbrook Town House may be among the more recent arrivals, but it feels entirely in keeping with that evolution.

After a day spent stretching both our legs and our wallets around Chelsea, we retreated to our suite for a restorative facial designed to boost lymphatic flow. While the townhouse may not boast a full-scale spa like its Surrey counterpart due to its intimate size, its exclusive in-room treatments – performed in the privacy of your suite – are an indulgent perk.

Dinner came courtesy of The Fuji Grill. The hotel’s Japanese restaurant serves a menu of small plates, sushi, and taco-style temaki designed for sharing, although sharing the Southern Fried Lobster proved easier said than done. Wrapped in crispy nori, it was every bit as scrumptious as it sounded, while the spinach salad with goma miso was the sleeper hit of the evening. Do not overlook it simply because it appears to be the lighter option. We rounded things off in Sir Frank’s Bar, the hotel’s intimate, Art Deco-inspired drinking den, and ordered a Pussy Galore. As one does.

Perhaps the most applause-worthy aspect of our stay at Beaverbrook Town House was its service, which struck us as warm and genuinely personal, without the chin-stroking pretentiousness that can creep into some of the city’s other five-star addresses. Combined with the exuberant – dare we say, camp – interiors and playful storytelling, it makes the hotel a particularly attractive choice for the urbane LGBTQ+ traveller and anyone yearning for a version of London that feels creative, intellectual, and socially connected.

www.beaverbrooktownhouse.co.uk

Photography courtesy of Beaverbrook

While you’re OutThere

There are few stages in the UK as influential as the Royal Court Theatre. Just a short stroll from the hotel, this iconic Sloane Square institution, nicknamed ‘The Writers’ Theatre’, has built its reputation on championing fearless new writing, launching generations of playwrights whose work has gone on to grace the West End. Every performance comes with the thrill of possibly witnessing the next modern classic before anyone else. Given Beaverbrook’s love affair with London’s stages, it feels only right to treat yourself to a show.