"The vibe: Raffish yet mysterious Location: Chelsea Top amenities: Hans' Bar & Grill, with streetside dining Best for: Shopping in nearby Knightsbridge There are 56 rooms at 11 Cadogan Gardens—not that you’d know. An amalgamation of four Victorian townhouses, connected by wiggling corridors and staircases that seem to go nowhere, its meandering premises gives it a homely feel—you’ll likely only become aware of the other guests at breakfast. Hidden off a residential square in Chelsea, just edging north of Sloane Square and near the shops of Knightsbridge, this isn’t a hotel zone, and 11 Cadogan Gardens masquerades perfectly as just another house. Once home to a private members’ club—it still has that slightly mysterious, raffish air—it’s now the only Relais & Chateaux property in the capital, with all-day restaurant Hans’ Bar & Grill backing onto Pavilion Road, the pretty pedestrianized street at the back of the hotel. In the past, rooms looked a little zany, and there’s still a bit of that left—like the odd dramatic black-and-gold four-poster bed, and the sexy dark-walled, dark-carpeted staircase—but today’s decor is largely boutique-chic with a hint of English countryside: think neutrals with bright pops of color found on bed cushions, armchairs, and headboards. In 2021, it opened The Apartments by 11 Cadogan Gardens—six apartments, each spread across an entire floor of a Victorian townhouse across the square from the hotel. Even the one-bed apartments have full kitchens. Back in the main building, there’s the moody Chelsea Bar, the plush library, and the Mirror Room—which, as the name suggests, is wall-to-wall mirrors." - Julia Buckley
