My first encounter with The Capital Hotel occurred some years ago when I booked a table for lunch.  I’d been looking for a restaurant near to the location of a morning meeting I had planned and I particularly wanted somewhere which specialised in fish dishes.

“Outlaw’s at The Capital” had appeared in my search list and I was intrigued.  I knew of Nathan Outlaw, the Cornwall-based chef, but I was unaware that he had a restaurant in London. * 

The meal turned out to be the first of many in that dining room but what also caught my attention was the style, the layout and the level of service the hotel offered.  It seemed increasingly likely that I would need to stay overnight for some of my forthcoming trips to London.  The Capital Hotel appeared to fulfil my list of requirements.

Planning Ahead

I asked a member of the hotel’s reception team if I could see a room (if any were vacant) and this was done without hesitation.  A staff member took me to view a selection of the room types which were available on that day.  The hotel seemed a perfect match for me!

Within weeks, I had scheduled a short training programme in London and telephoned the hotel reservations team directly to make my booking.  I was aware that I could have booked online – directly and also via other agencies – but as I had very specific requests for room choice and location it seemed practical to take the most direct approach.   

Staying

The day dawned and having completed formalities on arrival at the hotel’s reception desk, I was escorted to my room by a friendly team member who took the time to ensure I was familiarised with all of the facilities in my own room, within the hotel building and other services which the hotel can offer or arrange.  My luggage arrived a few minutes later with the help of one of the portering staff.

My room on that occasion – a Deluxe King Room – was spacious and airy.  A writing desk and chair, a seating area with a coffee table and plentiful wardrobe space all added to the comfort.  Additional complimentary options I’d chosen via the Pre-Arrival Form were a bowl of fruit and tea and coffee making facilities.   A neatly arranged pile of glossy magazines were poised ready for the guest to browse.

It had been a long day and I would have an early start the next morning so on that basis I opted for a light meal to be delivered to my room. Hotels’ room service meals have a tendency to be expensive and the menus limited in choice but on this occasion I put the need for rest, comfort and convenience ahead of any other considerations. For the same reasons, I opted to have breakfast brought to my room the following day.

After a soak in the bath in the wood-panelled, compact-but-rather-grand bathroom I felt the exertions of my journey melt away and I emerged refreshed and relaxed.  I was delighted to see that Temple Spa toiletries are supplied for guests.  I must declare bias here, as I am a Lifestyle Consultant for the brand, but I really believe that Temple Spa is the perfect partner for The Capital Hotel.  It’s an English brand, these products are used in professional spas around Britain and it is a very pleasant and relaxing experience to use them.  Towelling bathrobes and slippers are provided for each guest’s use.

I settled back in a chair, chose a film to watch and waited for my meal to arrive.   

Another friendly staff member soon arrived bearing a tray and when the gleaming silver dome was lifted it revealed a freshly cooked, simple but appetising fish dish.  A portion of crisp pommes frites and a glass of chilled, refreshing white wine complemented the dish perfectly.  No culinary boundaries were pushed, nothing was de-constructed and no foams appeared.  This was simply good quality produce cooked with care and thoughtfully presented.  I could ask for nothing more.

And So To Bed

After a restful night in a Savoir bed in a quiet room I awoke to the sounds of London coming to life.  My room was at the rear of the hotel so there wasn’t an issue with the sound of passing traffic but the emergence of beeping, rattling shutters and, occasionally, the sound of voices rising from the rear courtyard area began to interrupt my peace as the day dawned.  The glazing and heavy brocade curtains were doing a good job of muffling the sounds but they couldn’t be expected to bring about about silence in the centre of a bustling capital city.  I looked around the room in the dim light and for a moment the scene reminded me of nights I’d stayed – many years ago – in a country mansion.  The decor, furnishings and artworks had the look of an English country house with their understated quality, avoiding a showy or ostentatious look.

Breakfast

The meal tray arrived looking as crisp and inviting as it had the previous evening.  I’d completed an order card the night before, hung it on a hook outside my door and just waited for breakfast to be delivered at my chosen time.  Often, on leisure trips, I might prefer to have breakfast in the dining room.  That allows menu decisions to be left until the last moment and for hot tea, coffee and other items to be replenished as required.  However, on this first day of my training course and with a journey to another London district to negotiate, it seemed wiser to stay in my room and try to avoid lingering too long over breakfast!

Whether for reasons of time management or just because I’ve preferred peace and quiet, I’ve opted for room service at breakfast-time during all of my stays at The Capital. (Maybe the next time I visit I’ll try the dining room’s breakfast service and I’ll be sure to report back!) The various breakfast items I’ve chosen have all been freshly cooked, of good quality and attractively presented.

The Restaurant

On the final evening of my stay, I enjoyed another excellent meal in the hotel’s restaurant.  This time, in the knowledge that I had no journey to face – other than the brief one back upstairs to my comfortable room – I felt enabled to relax even more and to enjoy conversations with the restaurant’s staff members. 

The restrained decor of the restaurant tends to suggest formality – something I rather like as my mind associates it with an aura of professionalism from the kitchen team.  The service, however, is attentive. There is an air of decorum and staff never cross a line into over-familiarity, but I have found all of the restaurant team to be friendly and approachable.   Staff will engage in conversation if you would like them to and any questions I’ve had about the food, the style of cooking and the wines have all been met with enthusiasm and I’ve been given interesting, informative replies.  It is has not been unknown at the end of service for a chef to come from the kitchen and converse about the menu.  And that, for me, plays a very large part in the enjoyment of visiting a restaurant.

Please bear in mind that my encounters with this hotel and its restaurant occurred prior to the outbreak of the global pandemic and there have been changes in kitchen personnel in the intervening time. I can’t provide any pictures or reports of the current menu. However, this hotel has a long and impressive history of teaming up with superb chefs (Oh, for the opportunity to have visited when Brian Turner and Gary Rhodes were in the kitchen!) so I will include a gallery of meal highlights from the last few years:

When The Boat Comes In

The Proof ……..

Dining Facilities

In addition to room service and the full service dining room as already described, light meals and snacks are available in the hotel’s bar and afternoon tea – quite an event at The Capital – is served in the lounge.  ( A full review of Afternoon Tea at The Capital has been posted previously on Capital Letters.)

Private dining rooms may also be hired.

Location and Transport

For designer boutiques and prestigious department stores, you could hardly be better placed in London.  Harrods is barely a two minute walk from the hotel, Harvey Nichols little more than five minutes on foot and Tom Ford, Balenciaga, and Louis Vuitton are just a sample of the boutiques close to The Capital in Sloane Street.

It’s not just about shopping, though.  Being so close to South Kensington, some of London’s most noteworthy museums are “on the doorstep”.  It is only a matter of ten to fifteen minutes walk to – my favourite – the Victoria & Albert Museum and The Natural History Museum is only a block further.  If you yearn to be in a green, open space you can reach Hyde Park in a matter of minutes on foot. 

For many reasons, this hotel is superbly located.

Getting to the hotel is easy too. Transport for London’s website describes the walk from The Capital Hotel to Knightsbridge Underground Station as  “2 minutes”.   It is worth noting that this “tube” station is served by the Piccadilly Line which provides a direct link to Heathrow Airport.

Frequent bus services run along Brompton road and, of course, the world famous London Taxis (“Black Cabs”) are always at your disposal. This is a safe and reliable system of licensed cabs whose drivers have a remarkable knowledge of London. Staff will call a taxi for you – often by simply walking along to Harrods where there is a taxi rank with drivers ready and waiting.

The Capital’s staff will always be on hand to assist guests with any transport queries. I remember an occasion when I was chatting with staff at the reception desk when a call was received from an arriving guest. They’d reached the nearby Underground station but were uncertain of the route to the hotel. Staff left immediately on foot, hurrying to meet the guest in order to escort them back to the hotel. My confidence that I would never be left without assistance when staying at The Capital was further bolstered.

A limited number of the hotel’s own car parking spaces are available at a fee of £75 per day.

Facilities and Accessibility

The hotel is accessed by four steps from Basil Street.  A lift serves all storeys of the hotel but I am not aware of any rooms designed to be accessible for guests with disabilities.  Telephoning the hotel directly will be the best way to get a definitive answer to any questions about accessibility.

Rooms have small fridges to serve as  “mini-bar” facilities and I understand that they will be stocked prior to your arrival on request.  The cost of any items used will be added to your bill and this includes branded bottles of mineral water.  However, my experience – over several stays – has been that staff bring complimentary bottles of water for guests to the room each evening or on request.

On occasions when I’ve wanted to stay in my room to study or to prepare for the next day’s meeting or course, I have found the mini fridge invaluable for small items such as cold drinks and sandwiches.  (Given that Harrods’ Food Hall is a five minute walk from hotel room to shop counter, the mini fridge is very useful indeed!)

Beds are very high quality and a “menu” of bedding is available.  Whether the guest prefers traditional sheets and blankets, a duvet, feather pillows, non-feather pillows and the bed left as one or divided into two singles – all of these options can be stated in advance via a pre-arrival form.   

A safe is available in each room.

Cots for babies can be provided (£35 per night) and extra beds for children up to the age of 12 (£45 per bed per night).

A hairdryer is kept in each room and if you want to be sure to keep your hair dry on a rainy day, every room has a large umbrella available to borrow. ( I believe these are available to purchase, should you wish to have a souvenir of your stay.)

Personal shoppers for Harrods and Harvey Nichols can be arranged.

Laundry and Dry Cleaning Facilities are available.

Wi-fi is complimentary.

The hotel has a concierge service with extremely knowledgeable and helpful staff.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the services the hotel can offer or arrange so I’d strongly recommend telephoning the hotel for any additional queries.

Prices

Prices vary according to the type of room chosen and the time of year but rooms are currently available on the hotel’s website from around £200 for a room for two.

The Capital Hotel is a member of Warwick Hotels and Resorts group. Individual membership of their loyalty scheme provides customers with access to offers. At the time of writing, for example, Warwick Hotels website is offering rooms from £159 per night.

The Capital is also a member of Pride of Britain Hotels, an organisation representing independent hotels in Britain. More information about the hotel may be accessed on their website.

Again, I would recommend that anyone considering making a booking telephone the hotel directly with any enquiries. I’ve always found the reservations team to be very helpful and on every occasion they have been sure to let me know of the best current offers available.

Contact Details

Address: The Capital Hotel, 22 – 24 Basil Street, London, SW3 1AT, United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0) 207 5911200

Email: reservations.capital@warwickhotels.com

Website: http://www.warwickhotels.com/the-capital

Additional Information

Hotel Rating: 5 Stars

The room featured in this review is a Deluxe King. On other occasions I have stayed in Superior King rooms which are comfortable and well appointed.

In Summary

This hotel manages to pack excellent dining facilities and comfortable rooms into a compact area. The style is traditional and elegant, reminiscent of a rather grand English country house but in miniature! The location is superb in terms of local attractions and amenities and it is well served by public transport. In my experience, all meals and drinks served here have been excellent. The feature which sets this hotel apart, in my opinion, is the staff. All staff members I’ve encountered have been approachable, friendly, knowledgeable and keen that their guests enjoy their visit to the hotel and London to the full.

* Please note: Chef Nathan Outlaw left The Capital Hotel in 2019. Chris Prow is currently Executive chef of The Restaurant at The Capital.