If there is one thing London knows how to do well, it is hotels – and in recent years, visitors and locals alike have been treated to a bumper crop of all-new openings, as well as comprehensive refurbs of old favorites. Amid all this newness, one hotel offered something special: The Emory opened in July 2024 as London’s first all-suite hotel.
Part of the Maybourne Group, and therefore born with Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley as siblings, a certain level of prestige preceded The Emory. The real challenge, though, was creating a hotel that went above and beyond. Regular Maybourne guests know luxury (Claridge’s has been delivering it for the best part of 100 years), so how would The Emory offer something different, something new and unseen?
By doing away with the historic grandeur of its kin, apparently. The Emory might be luxurious, but it is crucially discreet: no red-brick façade, no Union Jack flags blowing in the wind and no top-hatted doormen standing guard. Instead, its exterior is modern and glass-heavy, and the ‘main’ entrance is tucked away on a side street on a private mews.
And, guests needn’t worry about struggling to find this entrance, for everyone arriving via complimentary chauffeur service (with first-come, first-served helicopter transfers for anyone flying in on the jet). We’re in the upper echelons of five-star service here.
Stay
A definite ‘design hotel,’ The Emory called on not one interior mastermind but a whole horde of them. Hot-ticket designers André Fu, Patricia Urquiola, Champalimaud Design and Pierre-Yves Rochon were all given free rein on their own floor of the hotel, while Rigby & Rigby was tasked with bringing the showstopper 2,000-sq-ft penthouse to life.
While the hotel’s sister properties loudly and proudly lean into their grand identities, The Emory takes its newness in its stride. Although each of the 61 suites bears the hallmarks of its designer, they share a sense of modern, understated style. Color palettes are muted, harsh lines are gently curved and the lighting is so gentle it’s almost golden. In an era of maximalism, The Emory lives to serve those with a taste for quiet luxury.
The devil is in the detail here, and details are aplenty. There is not just a Dyson hairdryer but also the entire AirWrap setup; the bouclé slippers are good enough to replace those you have at home; squishy Surrenne-branded yoga mats hide in the closet; the minibar is complimentary and includes premium spirits and champagne; and the enormous televisions accommodate virtually every channel you could imagine. You’re unlikely to want for anything, but if you do, you have a direct line to your dedicated ‘Emory Assistant,’ on hand to cater to every whim.
Dine
With the opening of The Emory came the launch of the first UK outpost of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s New York favorite, abc kitchens. Although predominantly veg-forward and focused on lighter dishes, there’s plenty of opportunity to indulge: get the pork tacos and, if you can manage it, the truffle pizza. You can have breakfast here, but I doubt many guests take that option when in-suite breakfast (with viennoiseries by Instagram darling pastry artist Cedric Grolet) is included in every stay.
While hotel restaurants can often be desolate places, devoid of character, abc kitchens has avoided this fate. On a Sunday evening in March, long before London had come alive with its spring tourist throngs, the restaurant was humming, with intimate date nights, rowdy business meetings and dolled-up Belgravia socialites all in attendance.
The same hum was felt at The Emory Rooftop Bar, which grabbed headlines when it first opened for its rainwater martini (yes, really). Surrounded by glass on three sides, the bar has sparkling city views – head up at sunset for beautiful orange skies. Just across the hall is the hotel’s unique cigar lounge, where smart micro holes in the slick wooden floor prevent even a hint of lingering smoke smells.
The Penthouse
The Penthouse’s interiors are by London studio Rigby & Rigby.
The Penthouse suite occupies the entire top floor of the hotel.
The loveliest feature of all might be the uninterrupted views of Hyde Park’s leafy canopy.
Relax
Wellness took real priority in building The Emory experience, led by the all-new Surrenne club. Open to locals at a princely sum and to all hotel guests as standard, the club includes a seriously well-equipped gym (still a rarity even in the most premium hotels); a salt steam room, a snow shower, a sauna, a 72-ft swimming pool and a Tracey Anderson studio, as well a number of treatment rooms offering massages and facials, and a number of cosmetic procedures.
The pool area has a chic beach club vibe with cabana-style lounge beds, but do heed the team’s warning about child-free swim times if you’re zen-chasing, though: the designated family hours can get hectic.
Explore
Right on the main Knightsbridge thoroughfare and overlooking Hyde Park, The Emory’s location is tried and tested; this portion of London is luxury embodied. If weather allows, stroll the park and take in an exhibit at the Serpentine Galleries, or head deeper into nearby Mayfair or Chelsea for the city’s best designer boutiques.
Want assistance getting around? The Emory is one of the few hotels in London to offer a dedicated, in-house chauffeur service, with complimentary local drop-offs and pick-ups. The concierge team is on hand to help with restaurant reservations, theater tickets, local recommendations and everything in between.