Grand Hotel Bellevue London
Polished pied-à-terre
Peaceful Paddington square
Flâneurs flock to Grand Hotel Bellevue, a Victorian townhouse turned Paddington pied-à-terre. Though there’s plenty of French flirtation at this chic basecamp, an around-the-world ambience prevails: sip tête-à-tête tipples in the Indian-inspired bar, admire bespoke embroidery from New York’s Bode, tuck into a Gallic breakfast buffet, stretch out in the bohemian fitness studio or retreat to a cabin-like crashpad. And it’s not just the world that’s your oyster chez Bellevue – London is too, thanks to its sought-after address.
Facilities
Rooms
60, including one suite.
Checkout
Noon. Check-in, 3pm, but both are flexible, subject to availability.
More Details
Rates at Grand Hotel Bellevue are room-only; buffet breakfast in the Green Room starts at £24.
Also
Unfortunately, this Victorian townhouse is not suitable for guests with reduced mobility. Although there are two lifts, the entrance and several rooms are accessed by stairs only; staff are always happy to help with bags.
Fitness Center
Free Internet Access
Laundry
At the Hotel
Gym and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV with Chromecast, air-conditioning, tea- and coffee-making kit, minibar, free bottled water, bathrobes (on request) and slippers, and Floris bath products.
Our Favourite Rooms
Room 101 at Grand Hotel Bellevue is nothing like Orwell’s – you’re warmly welcomed into this Executive Room by a burnt orange seating area, floor-to-ceiling windows with a belle view of Norfolk Square and a soporific king-size bed. If there are any champagne-popping celebrations to be had (perhaps a night without your little Smiths), the Grand Norfolk Suite is the hotel’s pièce de résistance. You’ll be charmed by its high ceilings, ornate original cornicing and antique furniture; the double walk-in shower and egg-shaped bath tub are equally seductive.
Packing Tips
The area’s eponymous bear would advise a few marmalade sandwiches and a tomato-red hat…
Also
The hotel’s gym, Studio Nohrd, inspires even the most exercise-adverse to limber up – its easy-on-the-eyes décor comprises chequerboard tiles, Persian-style rugs and mahogany-panelled machines. You’ll need to book ahead for your workout (or photoshoot).
Children
Little Smiths are welcome, though there’s no specific kit. The Executive Rooms and Grand Norfolk Suite have sofa-beds, and baby cots can be added on request.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
By the large internal window in the breakfast room, so you can keep tabs on when the pastries get replenished.
Dress Code
As long as they’re a feather-trimmed Sleeper set or from chic Desmond & Dempsey, you might be able to get away with your pyjamas at breakfast.
Hotel Restaurant
There’s no formal restaurant, but the Green Room puts on a day-starting French spread. And don’t worry if you haven’t fully woken up yet by the time breakfast rolls around – the moody space is a sight for sleepy eyes with its Nocellara-olive-hued walls, gently glowing shell lamps, khaki banquettes and mahogany tables. Once you’ve come around, there’s pastries, fruit, cold cuts and made-to-order eggs galore.
Hotel Bar
Named after the Indian city, Pondicherry Bar entices with its spice-like shades – paprika-painted walls, turmeric high stools, cumin banquettes and cinnamon furniture. The bespoke embroidered-by-Bode tapestries are another nod to globetrotting traditions, and behind the bulb-studded bar, mixologists shake up cocktails and pour all-French wines.
Last Orders
The Green Room only serves breakfast, which is from 7am until 10.30am. Pondicherry Bar pours from 9am until midnight, Monday to Wednesday; until 1am, Thursday to Saturday, and until 10.30pm on Sundays.
Planes
London’s Heathrow Airport is a 50-minute drive from the hotel, and Gatwick Airport is under two hours away; staff can arrange transfers from the former from £80 each way, and from Gatwick prices start from £200.
Trains
Paddington station is a five-minute walk from the hotel; the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express will whizz you from the airport to here in less than half an hour. If you arrive into St Pancras International, staff can organise a one-way transfer to the hotel from £15.
Automobiles
Hiring your own set of wheels would be a faux pas – Paddington train and Tube station are on your doorstep, and taxis are easily available. For determined drivers, paid street parking is available.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Grand Hotel Bellevue’s central co-ords will set you up well for days at large in London. Wander along the canal to Rembrandt Gardens in Little Venice, a leafy spot where you can watch boats chug by, or stroll to Hyde Park’s Italian Gardens to survey the Serpentine. In Notting Hill, eye up the sorbet-shaded houses before heading to Portobello Road for its in-vogue vintage market, the bookshop and plenty of people-watching. If you haven’t yet dropped, there’s more shopping to be done on Marylebone High Street, which is dotted with designer and indie boutiques. You’ll get your culture fix at the Wallace Collection, an antique-filled townhouse, or the Royal Academy of Arts, which has impressive year-round exhibitions as well as its storied summer show.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
