Luxury Explorer Review

Luxury Villa Review

Henry’s Townhouse

United Kingdom, London

An exclusive luxury B&B in the heart of London

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Henry’s Townhouse

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Henry’s Townhouse
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Henry’s Townhouse

Bedrooms

6 double bedrooms, many with four posters

Sleeps

From 1- 12 guests

Location

Marylebone, London, W1, a short walk from Selfridges

Travel Information

Private 5-star B&B in the heart of London

Top Tips

Your London base, but don't forget to discover Marylebone High Street

X-Factors

Exclusive use for one night, one week, or a month (or just one bedroom for a night)

Henry’s Townhouse

Nestled discreetly within its patrician postcode in Marylebone W1, you might walk straight past 24 Upper Berkeley Street if it weren’t for its immaculate makeover: the glossy black door beneath a fanned transom window, flanked by tall globe lanterns and aged urns. The original façade of Henry’s Townhouse is impeccable.

 

The owners, Steven and Jane Collins (director of Chelsea Harbour and fashion designer and boutique owner) are both sticklers for authentic aesthetic detail, and worked alongside award-winning designer Russell Sage and Felix & Merlin architects, to restore an unloved, rundown property into something that respected its 18th century heritage, retaining many original features, including the staircase, façades, fireplaces and cornicing. What’s even more alluring is that the house once belonged to Jane Austen’s brother, Henry, who was not only the author’s favourite sibling, but also her literary advisor, responsible for the publication of all six novels. Visiting her supportive brother’s London home was, apparently, of great importance to her work. 

An exclusive luxury home rental in London

Henry’s is designed with exclusive use in mind, but now also available as a 5-star B&B, like an ultra-boutique luxury hotel with just 6 beautiful bedrooms.

The bedrooms are generously proportioned and each one is named after Jane’s siblings and her sister in-law Eliza. En-suite bathrooms are ingeniously incorporated under domed or tented ceilings, with scroll top baths, mother-of-pearl tiles and power showers (depending on the room).  There is also an enticing sitting room, almost Parisian boudoir or salon in feel, (many of the antiques are from the owner’s private villa in France), a wood-panelled writer’s snug/bar and an outdoor terrace with charming views. Decoratively it is also a little quirky and eccentric, trending off-piste from the colour chart (think Soho House meets Maison Souquet).

The kitchen is beautiful in style and contemporary elegance, with a pristine cream Aga and a splash-back of painstakingly hand-picked handmade Portuguese blue and white tiles, a nod to country kitchen. The long refectory table sits on aged, horse-bay hued floorboards, while the separate butler’s kitchen delivers the culinary delights. What’s more this room transforms - Bond-style with slide-away wood panels - into a fantastic boardroom.

5-star luxuries

While much of the makeover has adhered to its Georgian origins, you will find all the modern high-end prerequisites - in some cases better than at home (I don’t have a Dyson hairdryer, yet). Each room has Sub Zero-style mini bars stocked with drinks, hard and soft, Nesspresso coffee machines, and divine Le Bruket Swedish bathroom products. Many of the beds are four-posters, dressed in Egyptian cotton with excellent mattresses. The paintings throughout are museum-worthy in glorious antique gilt frames (several from the owner’s private collection) and the period mirrors are drop-dead gorgeous. The bedroom doors are safe-room thick; ensuring discretion, here, is paramount. Each bedroom is individual and enticing for different reasons, so ultimately you would want to sleep in them all. I stayed in Cassandra, a vision in French blue.

If I had to sum up the ambiance it would be very difficult to avoid the thinking silk and velvet, but in one word, Henry’s is sumptuous.  It is a homely luxury hybrid (exclusive villa with 5-star hotel compliments) and makes the ideal exclusive London private rental for, in no particular order; a family vacation, a friends’ reunion, a celebrity hideout, a special occasion, or the perfect setting for corporate brainstorming sessions. What’s more, the owners have a dazzling country house in the Cotswolds, Temple Guiting Manor, which can be twinned in a ‘town and country’ vacation – if you book far enough in advance.

Your Private Concierge

Ann is the manager of the townhouse, and resides in a discreet apartment on the lower ground floor. Not only is she a font of local knowledge, her effervescent welcoming nature instantly relaxes you. If it weren’t for Covid-19, you would most definitely hug her, nineteen times over. That said if you wish to bring your own staff then that is accommodated as well.

Breakfasts are world class. I enjoyed perfect scrambled eggs, avocado, sweet cherry tomatoes and a flat white with oat milk, which I enjoyed chatting with the refreshingly modest owner, Steven. When I left I realised, absolutely, why Henry’s was the ‘must stay’ newcomer on the luxury London scene and will soon be in the repertoire of many a discerning traveller.

The Area

If Marylebone is not on your radar, it should be. Walking the streets around here you will experience a real village vibe with one-off boutiques; from milliners to Saint-Tropez-chic clothes shops. There are wonderful little restaurants in bunting-lined side streets, including fabulous vegan or vegetarian, stylish brasseries with alfresco dining, as well as bakeries, barbers, perfumeries, confectioners, coiffeurs and coffee shops. Only a short walk away and you’ll find Selfridges, Oxford Street and, not far beyond, New Bond Street. However, our favourite place to shop is Marylebone High Street, perhaps the coolest retail therapy in London. If shopping is not your thing, Hyde Park is around the corner, as are many galleries, with some of London’s hottest restaurants nearby.

A ultra-boutique hotel in the heart of London

Henry’s is an exclusive new way to enjoy London, with all the benefits of a private house in the heart of the city. For families or groups of friends, rent the property in its entirety, or just book a single room for a few nights. This is the new way to stay in the heart of London.

Sophie Marchant
Sophie Marchant



Luxury Explorer
Luxury Explorer
Luxury Explorer

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