Draycott Hotel

The hotel feels like a grand country house hotel transported to the city. It has a traditional-style decor that brings back the opulent style of the Edwardian and Victorian eras. This works particularly well in the hotel’s public areas although some people find that this can look a little dated in the rooms.

It is a relatively small hotel with a personal touch and guests are welcomed to their rooms with homemade shortbread and a teddy bear.

The hotel has single rooms, which is unusual for a five-star hotel, although most of the rooms are more traditional double rooms and there are also several suites. The 35 air-conditioned hotel rooms all have comfortable beds, a writing desk, a flatscreen television, a minibar and en suite bathrooms with bathrobes.

At only 12m² (129 sq ft), the singles are tiny but they do provide a more affordable option for single travellers who would not otherwise consider staying in a five-star hotel in an expensive city like London.

Double rooms are much more spacious and range from 18m² (194 sq ft) to 35m² (377 sq ft) and the hotel’s suites range from 44m² (474 sq ft) to a very spacious 89m2 (958 sq ft).

For many guests, the drawing room is the highlight of the hotel. This inviting communal space features a fireplace, comfortable sofas and a curated selection of books and it is a lovely place to sit and relax. It also opens out to a large enclosed garden which is unique among big-city hotels.

The drawing room is where you get to enjoy the little extras that the Draycott gives its guests. These little treats go some way toward justifying the cost of staying here and they include complimentary tea and biscuits served in the drawing room at 4pm, free champagne at 6pm and free hot chocolate after 9.30pm.

In addition to the complimentary snacks and drinks served in the drawing room, you can also enjoy a meal at The Draycott Restaurant. The restaurant is a great spot for breakfast and afternoon tea (if you’re looking for something more extensive than the free tea and bikkies on offer in the drawing room).

Room service is available 24 hours a day and in-room spa treatments are also available.

Free Wi-Fi wireless internet access is available throughout the hotel.

While the historic nature of the building adds a lot of character to the hotel, it does also mean that the hotel is not suitable for guests with disabilities.

The hotel is on a quiet residential street in Chelsea, which is one of London’s nicest neighbourhoods. It is close to Chelsea’s main shopping area and the hotel is only a two-minute walk from Kings Road and Sloane Square.

It is within walking distance to the upmarket neighbourhoods of Belgravia and Knightsbridge and it is only a 10-minute walk to the world-famous Harrods department store.

Sloane Square tube station is a five-minute walk from the hotel. Sloane Square is in zone one and lies between South Kensington and Victoria on the Circle and District lines. From here it is only a five-minute ride to Westminster and 16 minutes to Monument with trains running every two minutes.

Alternatively, it is only a 12-minute walk to Knightsbridge tube station, which is on the Piccadilly line with direct trains to Heathrow airport and Kings Cross and St Pancras stations. From here, it is only a five-minute ride to Piccadilly Circus and 14 minutes to Kings Cross & St Pancras International with trains running every two minutes.