The Wellesley is a gorgeous luxury boutique hotel situated in London's exclusive Knightsbridge area. What was formerly an iconic jazz bar in the 1920's is now a beautifully art deco inspired hotel landmark. The hotel features an indoor/outdoor lounge, a restaurant and a very attentive staff. We spoke with the Wellesley's Chief Concierge Jim Cameron:Tell us a little bit about the history of the Wellesley hotel:The Wellesley is a 1920s Knightsbridge boutique luxury hotel with a famous musical heritage. The building, which began its life as the Hyde Park Corner underground station by architect Lesley Green, is also the former home of iconic jazz and cabaret venue, Pizza on the Park. It reopened in December 2012 as an intimate luxury hotel.

The ground floor public spaces comprise of a number of small intimate spaces, centred around the beautiful colonnade lobby. These include the Jazz Lounge, Oval Restaurant, The Crystal Bar, Cigar Lounge, The Humidor and two outdoor Cigar Terraces.

The Wellesley bedrooms and suites are situated over seven floors, and are comprised of 29 suites, seven deluxe bedrooms and the Wellesley Penthouse suite.

Tell us about the area around the hotel:The Wellesley is ideally located in the heart of Knightsbridge, overlooking Hyde Park. Within minutes of the hotel, guests can enjoy the sophisticated shopping district of Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and other world-renowned designers. Iconic buildings and cultural attractions include the Royal Albert Hall, Buckingham Palace and the VandA.What are some unique services that are offered by The Wellesley?The Wellesley is committed to offering an exceptional service. From the moment of booking, the team at The Wellesley can manage any requests to prepare the room to compliment it's guests' needs, for example, by creating a gym or nursery in one of the rooms. The Wellesley makes careful note of guests' food and drink preferences to ensure their mini-bars are well stocked to their liking.

A 24-hour-butler-service is available to handle any request, large or small, for any of The Wellesley’s guests. Guests can also enjoy the use of The Wellesley’s Rolls-Royce drop off service for local engagements.

What sets this hotel apart from others in London?The Wellesley is London's first boutique-grand hotel and each room has been uniquely designed with contemporary touches and artwork while paying homage to the building’s art deco past with stunning interior design.

The Wellesley Penthouse Suite is particularly special and occupies the entire sixth and seventh floors of the hotel, with four bedrooms, lavish bathrooms and lounges, a private staircase and a terrace offering incredible views over Hyde Park and the city skyline. The Penthouse ensures that guests can relish captivating grandeur and uncompromising service in a private space amidst the glamour of Knightsbridge. It is a versatile space, each guest can choose which rooms they have access to, if they don’t wish to make use of the entire space. This makes it ideally suited to adapt to guests’ needs and accommodate families, couples, or individuals.

The Penthouse Lounge area features a table for board meetings or private dinners, fireplace and plasma screen, therefore it is a popular choice for business travellers. It pulls in the luxury elements from across the hotel. For example, The Penthouse Lounge has its own humidor and guests can pre-order cigars ahead of their visit. The Wellesley also keep any cigars left over and re-stock the humidor next time the guest is in town. Guests are able to smoke in the Penthouse Lounge.

Who is the interior decorator/designer behind the hotel?Fox Linton Associates were appointed as interior designers to take the project to completion – from empty shell to a full interior fit out. Working closely with the full design team, the project took just over four years to complete, with hand over to the client in December 2012. The design acknowledges the potent association with the building’s decadent jazz musical legacy and has been beautifully restored with a modern take on the art deco style. It now offers contemporary luxury and traditional glamour in one of London's most prestigious locations, immediately adjacent Hyde Park on Knightsbridge.

The Wellesley Hotel 11 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LY, United Kingdom +44 20 7235 3535

www.thewellesley.co.uk