The Wellesley Knightsbridge, a Luxury Collection Hotel, London

On my recent visit to The Wellesley Hotel in London, I was looking forward to spending a quiet evening smoking a cigar, an activity I have enjoyed at this place since 2017. I was surprised by an unexpected reception when I tried to book a table. A person dressed in a black suit, with an arrogant attitude, informed me that they do not reserve tables and that if I wanted to sit, I had to do so immediately. This behavior was shocking and unexpected from a hotel with the reputation of The Wellesley. Despite this poor reception, I decided to return in the evening to enjoy my usual time. Unfortunately, the same person greeted me with the same arrogance and told me that all the tables were reserved. I did not expect a well-known hotel like The Wellesley to treat its customers in this manner, especially since I have been a regular patron for years. This person's unprofessional and disrespectful behavior significantly affected my experience at the place. I would not recommend visiting this hotel to anyone seeking courteous and respectful service. **Negative Points:** 1. **Poor Reception:** The treatment was arrogant and disrespectful. 2. **Lack of Professionalism:** The way I was informed about the inability to reserve a table was inappropriate. 3. **Service Inconsistency:** In my evening visit, I was told that all tables were reserved, raising questions about the professionalism of the person in charge. My experience at The Wellesley Hotel was disappointing, and I will not be returning to this place again.

Starting with the positives, The Wellesley is a lovely, small boutique hotel in a good location across from Hyde Park. The service levels of the staff are five star -- every touch point we had with a staff member was excellent from start to finish. The staff goes out of their way to engage with you and help to personalize your stay. The room was very nice but not exceptional in any way. And, if you're a smoker, this place is for you. The not-so-positives. The breakfast area (dining room?) felt like a spillover afterthought. While service was very good, the experience was transactional. The room is small and too brightly lit, the food was nothing special -- we did not want to linger longer than we needed to. The biggest and most perplexing issue we had with this property was its priority around smoking. They are proud of their cigar bar area, but across from this area is their bar and outdoor lounge that becomes completely consumed by cigarette smoking as soon as the sun sets. The smell permeates and contaminates the very small lobby -- entering the hotel feels like walking into a casino. There was no way we could enjoy a drink at their bar or lounge, which is a basic expectation and massive disappointment in a five star hotel. The smoke travels up to the nonsmoking rooms, and certainly filled ours on the third floor. The after dark smoking thing is completely incongruent with the charm and service of this hotel during the daylight. It's really too bad because the hotel is lovely in almost every other way.

My husband and I stayed at The Wellesley Knightsbridge for one weekend in May 2024. We actually live in London, but we were there to celebrate several special occasions: one year since moving from New York to London, my upcoming birthday, and our pre-Seychelles honeymoon. As a self-employed sustainable tourism consultant with a background in tourism and hospitality, I learned about this legendary hotel through my Marriott Bonvoy program. We had an amazing weekend at the hotel. The room was comfortable, and we felt truly valued as guests and as Marriott Bonvoy elite members. We dined at The Oval Restaurant twice for dinner and breakfast, both of which were exceptional. I upgraded my complimentary continental breakfast to a full English breakfast, and the quality of the food was simply the best. We also tried the special Churchill blend tea, specifically designed for the guests here, which was an experience I’ve never had anywhere else. We visited the signature cigar bar and learned a lot about the knowledge and history of cigars, even though neither my husband nor I smoke. Every staff member we encountered throughout our stay, from the front desk to the concierge to the doorman and restaurant staffs, were professional and friendly. We felt a warm, family-like vibe here. I received a surprising birthday dessert and a handwritten birthday card with signatures from everyone, including people I met and some I didn’t get a chance to meet. I've already decided to revisit this hotel and probably bring more friends who will visit me in London. I wish the entire team all the best and can't wait to see them again. Thank you all for making my one-year anniversary of being a Londoner special and memorable.