Detailed Review
Durley House is an "all suite hotel" with 11 suites all individually designed and elegantly furnished with antiques. Durley House provides a relaxing atmosphere, excellent service, and above all, privacy...right in the heart of vibrant London.
As you walk up the steps towards the entrance of Durley House, you could actually believe that you were walking into the hallway of a private country residence. The wood panel effect entrance invites you through to the homely reception area, where you are met by the warmth of the glowing fireplace, surrounded by cushioned fenders, wishing you to sit and rest those weary feet. A portrait of Lord Durley looks on - holding many secrets surrounding the history of Durley House. Just off to the right, you are enticed into the cosy sitting room - ideal for taking afternoon tea after an exhaustive day shopping, or perhaps just simply to help yourself to an aperitif from the private bar, before setting out for an evenings entertainment at the theatre or to dine at one of London's many restaurants. The grand staircase leading from reception whisks you away to another world - that of the splendour and comfort of the 11 elegantly furnished suites.
Its address is probably the best in London - Sloane Street! Smack bang in the middle of Knightsbridge, just a stone's throw from Sloane Square and steps away from Harvey Nicholls and Harrods. It is hard to imagine a more perfect base for shopping and taking in all that London has to offer.
Independent Reviews
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“Tastefully discreet, the Sloane Square boutique hotel has just 11 spacious suites filled with antiques and Regency furnishings.”
Elegant boutique hotel of unpretentious designs and lovely imaginative touches, from Regency sofas and silver teapots to a great service organising dinner parties should you want to entertain.
Durley House
By Angela Moore
Two 18th-century townhouses have been gracefully converted to make up this discreet and luxurious 11-suite hotel. Enter from Sloane Street to find a little reception room; presided over by a po-faced portrait of Lord Durley and by smiling, attentive staff. This in turn leads through to a small sitting room. It’s extremely elegant in a low-key and welcoming way, with rugs on a flagstone floor and plump silk-striped sofas ranged around a fireplace. A large armoire hides an honesty bar.
Durley House is fortunate enough to be situated right over the road from Cadogan Gardens, a large private garden square. Guests are given a key to the gardens and they are marvellous – lawns under spreading trees, benches behind high yew hedges, even a tennis court and a playground where you can safely let the kids off the leash. It doesn’t get better than this for outside space in London.
The rooms
The hotel doesn’t have public rooms to speak of; the point of Durley House is that the suites are spacious and detailed enough to act as mini-apartments. All rooms are furnished with grace and taste – everything is original and everything has been chosen because it suits the room, not because it came as part of an auction-house job-lot of antiques. It’s also unaffected, with a touch of fresh country chic in the cheerful Regency sofas piled with cushions, happy pale primrose walls and fresh flowers on the marble fireplaces. Big bedrooms have everything you would expect, down to proper (non-ziplink!) beds piled with Irish linen and enough wardrobe space for an extended stay.
There’s another pleasant surprise in the kitchens, which are far larger and much-better stocked than you would expect. You could actually cook here, if you wanted to; otherwise, order from 24-hour room service and your meal will arrive from the kitchens in a dumbwaiter and be served to you by your butler.
Durley House is perfect for extended business/family stays – you can cook for the kids, let them run wild in the gardens and there are two one-bedroomed suites which can interconnect, so they can watch TV without disturbing you. Rates are on the hefty side but for style, convenience and good discreet service, this is spot on.
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