The most expensive penthouse in London sold for £160 million at One Grosvenor, and the city, buoyed by its strong currency, is now one of the three most expensive property capitals in the world. Space has become a rare commodity, and with limited land available, construction now reaches skyward to boost property returns.While much attention has focused on the W1 postcode areas of Mayfair, Belgravia, Park Lane, and Knightsbridge, other neighbourhoods like Chelsea, South Kensington, and Hampstead are increasingly drawing the world’s wealthiest and most notable individuals.
So, what is it that attracts and keeps this wealth in the UK’s capital for those who can afford pretty much anything?
For the world’s most affluent, who can buy prime locations with ease, the real luxuries are privacy, discretion, and unrestricted access to the best of everything. When material goods are not a concern, time with family and personal comfort take precedence.
Position is key to enjoying and safeguarding that time, ensuring that your preferences are understood and catered for, and having instant access to the world’s best stores, products, and restaurants.
From Hyde Park Corner, ‘celebrity streets’ reach out like tentacles towards Buckingham Palace, Chelsea, Brompton Road, and Notting Hill, offering access to much of London’s finest.
Situated on Piccadilly, across from the verdant showcase of Green Park and just 400 metres from Buckingham Palace—a hop, skip, and jump away—The Athenaeum Hotel and Residences bloom with colour. Its architectural design, enhanced by vibrant flora, faces the lush expanses of Green Park. Here, you enjoy the privilege of staying in the heart of London while feeling like you are in King Charles’ private garden.
Matt and Daniel, the doormen at the entrance, bring a keen sense of understanding to each guest’s arrival—welcoming yet respectful, all within moments of observation. The staff is intentionally understated, avoiding any over-the-top gestures or insincerity. For recommendations, Miguel, the concierge, is invaluable; a second-generation concierge, his position was previously held by his father for 35 years. Miguel’s father was an iconic part of the hotel, having had John Wayne over to his house for dinner when Miguel was just a little boy. It’s another example of the family spirit of the hotel.
There are plenty of stories to discover about The Athenaeum’s past. For a history of the hotel, you can be guided (or regaled) by the former Head Doorman, Jim, who now presides over the hotel’s 10th-floor observatory, The View, offering sweeping views above the treetops of Green Park, extending to The London Eye and the city skyline.
Previous guests include Steven Spielberg, who set up a recording studio in one of the apartments and lived in the other. Nelson Mandela was so fond of Jim that he made sure to leave him with a personal gift before he left. The iconic boyband, Take That, also announced their split from The View, which back then was a suite. There’s even a rumour—true but not fully verified by the Secret Service—that Churchill was evacuated to Down Street underground station and would sneak out to drink whisky in the bar when it was a private members’ club.
The Athenaeum offers a flexible range of room types catering to singles, business travellers, families, and celebrities. Its Residences provide private homes that offer a Mayfair home-from-home experience—accessible via their own front doors or through private underground passages to connect directly to the hotel and its amenities. These private homes can be taken as one-bedroom suites, adjoining rooms, entire houses, or even a row of houses. Each private house has been booked out by wealthy families seeking an exclusive retreat.
If you’re opting for a spot inside the hotel, which our family enjoyed with two rooms side-by-side, the experience remains sublime. Opening the grand walnut doors to a Park View Room, the bay window immediately captures your attention, offering a direct view into the treetops of Green Park. The rooms are compact yet impeccably maintained, and the hotel was the first to introduce Molton Brown’s new sustainability range in its bathrooms.
Family is a golden thread running through The Athenaeum’s story, as it has been owned by The Sutton Family for the last 10 years. The family itself dates its heritage back 1000 years. Speaking with the company’s Head of Marketing, Yogesh Ram, he talks about the brand’s reinvigoration of its own ‘Britishness,’ proudly noting how many of the world’s famous names choose to quietly call The Athenaeum their Mayfair residence.
The hotel does not seek to be the biggest. Its breakfast room is intimate but beautiful. Our table for five was next to the window, and while we could see everything around us, the quietness was striking. This is also true for its bar and outdoor area, where you can enjoy a drink while watching the ‘suited and booted’ make their way to and from work, alongside a steady stream of red buses, private limousines, and London cabs—all set against the verdant backdrop of Green Park.
Want to dive into London? Daniel smoothly guides you into a cab through the charming streets of Shepherd’s Market or points you to a fabulous new restaurant. All wonderfully low-key and with such grace.
By contrast, at the base of the hotel is a spa, featuring treatment rooms, a jacuzzi, gym, sauna, and steam bath. Fascinatingly, that’s nice to have, but not even necessary.
What most of the world imagines when they think of London’s grandeur is found within a two-square-mile radius of this part of the city. Behind these landmarks, the ultra-wealthy and their families occasionally emerge from behind polished black doors into their sleek vehicles, often unnoticed. What happens next is anyone’s guess. Here, discretion is an art mastered by those who know how to handle it.
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