A stone's throw from Sloane Square and a minute's walk from its tube station, the aptly named, newish luxury boutique hotel, At Sloane, is a welcome addition to an area of London mysteriously lacking in luxury boutique hotels.
Have to admit, being more of a south London girl, I'd not heard of this hotel until just recently. Staying cool, slightly elusive and just under the radar may be their strategy, I guess if you know, you know, (and now I know).
Enter this grand 1889 Edwin Thomas Hall townhouse and it’s the mix of chic Paris boudoir meets British eccentricity that instantly draws you in. A sensory overload, the air is scented in refined opulence, the lighting just low enough to cast mysterious shadows and the sound a distant murmur of hushed voices mixed with subtle tunes reminiscent of cool Côte d’Azur. All this and a living room for a lobby makes At Sloane feel immediately different, unique. More than a hotel, this is a beautifully designed, if not sumptuously avant-garde home.
Created by the triumphant trifecta of interior designer, Francois-Joseph Graf, hotelier Jean-Louis Costes and Cadogan Estate, At Sloane was six years in the making. There are 30 bedrooms which I’m sure are stunning but I was here for some wining a dining with friends. Starting in the downstairs bar, a dark, brooding Parisian-styled speakeasy, a cocktail before or after dinner here is a must. It was busy for a Friday evening, with beautiful young (and young at heart) things seeking some old-world glamour. The discreet private rooms just off the main bar area beckon for secret trysts. It’s all very sexy and chic. Where you’d bring your (very wealthy) lover, if you had one.
Following a labyrinth of corridors and stairs, the sixth-floor restaurant is stunning, where else can you fine dine overlooking the rooftops of Chelsea? Made up of several rooms, coloured white, black and burgundy, it is intimate and welcoming at the same time, candles flicker on vases and decadent knick-knacks displayed on the walls, and tables are filled with gorgeous couples and groups of friends chatting amicably. The menu is mouthwateringly enticing, a mix of Parisian and Asian dishes. Not sure I would equate the array of dishes (or their prices) to 'simple cuisine' though. Every dish from the starters to the main courses brought out 'wows' and 'yum' from my friends (the stick fries and miso cod were stand outs), overseen by the wonderful restaurant manager, Sarah, effervescent and instantly likeable in all her wonderfully effortless French style and wit.
This is where my story takes a deviation.
With my anticipation at its peak having spent time in the hotel and seen the restaurant's fabulous menu, I was excited to explore the wine list, one that I am sure would match the quality of the dishes, the surroundings and provenance of the hotel. This is where the website's statement of 'simple' is possibly true - the wine list is made up of two pages of well, fairly obvious, predictable bottles - it ticked all the boxes of most recognised wine regions. The only expectation it did meet? The wines were mainly French.
Doesn't this restaurant, with all its pomp and gorgeousness and its guests with all their pomp and gorgeousness deserve a wine list that delivers more than a handful of France's most common varietals and regions? This is not a simple hotel, yet the wine list was completely devoid of any va va voom. And if you want to experiment with wines by the glass, there are a few, yet at prices that may have you confused with a bottle. Considering the lack of diversity, style or regions (we all know France is a mecca for its incredible array of wine styles and varietals, and off the beaten track wine regions), it was the prices of the bottles that was most astonishing. Today, even the most finest of fine dining restaurants offer a range of bottles at different (and affordable) price points . But here, there wasn't much under £100. It all just feels a bit out of touch and a tad disappointing for a hotel and restaurant that feels so experimental and unique. Then there was the bill. Considering my love for great chefs and Michelin star restaurants, which this restaurant has neither, it was up there and more than anything I've experienced for a hotel restaurant offering 'simple cuisine'.
At Sloane is definitely a special place but a second visit may need to wait until my bank account bounces back. Pity as it’s so gorgeously naughty and just the perfect venue to seduce me back to Sloane Square. I’d love to have this as my regular go-to but sadly, it may remain a fading dream, unless that wealthy lover turns up.
