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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As part of the hotel’s unrelenting focus on supporting local communities and preserving natural habitats, The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara in Zambia has added further components to its wide-ranging sustainability programme. By concentrating on strategic initiatives and vital partnerships, the property was able to develop a high-impact programme that benefits various vulnerable groups at once while reducing the property’s carbon footprint.

To phase out 148,000 plastic bottles used by the hotel annually, The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara partnered with Vivreau, a company offering sustainable water solutions, to place complimentary sealed glass water bottles in all rooms, as well as doing away with as many of the plastic water bottles as possible in the conferencing facilities. Water is also at the centre of another initiative, the ‘Pink Envelope Project’, which enables vulnerable women within the local community to supplement their income by growing herbs to make herb-infused wellness water for the spa and welcome drinks. 

To further diversify income streams of the local community, the property works with disadvantaged women to turn old spa towels and linen into reusable sanitary towels to be sold or donated, and tie-dye textiles that the hotel buys from the artisans directly for distribution among local hospitals, clinics, old age homes and orphanages. 

Another high-impact project, the beehive initiative in partnership with Zambia Forest College, tackles three goals: promoting food security, making the hotel’s supply chains more sustainable, and supporting rural livelihoods. The beehives – manufactured by the hotel team under the guidance of Zambia Forest College specialists – were donated to the women of Mukuni village who were trained in beekeeping and honey harvesting. Money made by selling surplus honey to the hotel allows the villagers to send children to school and pay medical bills. 

The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara has further optimised its supply chain by engaging Ebenezer Child Care Trust orphanage to operate its on-site vegetable and herb garden. The long-term goal is to develop a sustainable and continuous supply of a wide range of fresh, organic vegetables and herbs, while providing the orphanage that looks after 568 vulnerable and underprivileged children with a steady stream of income. 

With youth unemployment on the rise in the country, the property made youth empowerment one of the pillars of its community outreach programme. To that end, in 2022 The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara partnered with Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA) and SOS Children’s Village Livingstone to run a six-month Youth Employment Programme on property. Fifteen vulnerable youths were selected for the first intake to be trained and given formal employment at the hotel. Gainfully employed, the youths were empowered to support their families financially as well as being able to pursue further studies at local hotel schools. 

Hotel guests are encouraged to take part in the resort’s sustainability efforts too with the ‘Pack for a Purpose’ initiative, which is based on the “Small Space. Little Effort. Big Impact” philosophy and encourages travellers to make a lasting impact in the communities at their travel destination by packing essentials such as sanitary products, school supplies and clothes to donate to local schools or clinics in need. By saving a little bit of space in their suitcase, holidaymakers can impact positively on the lives of local children and families.

For more information on Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, please visit https://www.anantara.com.

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Meet Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort’s Dive Instructor 

Inspiring travellers with a sense of adventure, Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort in Mozambique showcases its extraordinary destination with incomparable diving experiences which are brought to life by warm turquoise waters, a variety of sea life and unspoilt coral reef.

Life on the island can be tough for young girls and boys who live on the island, walking many kilometres in the morning and afternoon to school. One of these young boys was Zambezi, now a Dive Master at Anantara Bazaruto.  His dream as a young boy was to work at the resort, a dream which came true 12 years ago when he was appointed as a dive assistant. This was a natural fit for him. Growing up him and his friends spent their days free diving at the bottom of the sea, catching beautiful starfish, crabs, and octopus.

Influenced by his cousin Antonio who was a skipper at the activities department, he studied and acquired a formal Divemaster qualification. That equipped him with the necessary skills and knowledge about diving and communicating underwater. With the support of the resort, Zambezi went on to obtain his Dive Instructor certificate and went on to lead the resort’s diving department. 

The crystal-clear waters in this part of the Indian Ocean are alive with dazzling soft coral ridges and thousands of tropical fish species and provide ideal conditions for investigating this enthralling underwater world.  Water temperatures range from 26 to 27 degrees, with 20 meters of visibility, and conditions cater for first time and seasoned divers. Always challenging himself to discover new dive spots in this beautiful part of the world, Zambezi and his team are leading guests in exploring one of Mozambique’s best-kept secrets, the Bazaruto Marine National Park, one of the world’s premier snorkeling and diving destinations.

As a dive instructor Zambezi doesn’t merely take his guests on diving excursions, his role also ensures that his divers are in good physical condition to go on the dive and takes them through the theory and practical aspects to ensure that guests experience a memorable dive. He is passionate about helping divers create a balance between humanity and the ocean and believes that diving can change the way people see and interact with the world, both above and below the surface.

Zambezi believes that Bazaruto sets itself apart from other diving destinations because of its geographical location, spotless beaches, coral reefs, and elusive marine life such as the largest dugong population on the African east coast. The Bazaruto Archipelago is also the first marine reserve to fall under African Parks’ management and has a strong conservation policy to ensure sustainability. 

Zambezi’s top dive spots are:

• Manta Reef, the reef is vast and flat, boasting kaleidoscope gardens of sea anemones and coral that attract large numbers of bright clownfish, as well as green turtles and populations of graceful manta rays, and requires two dives to complete. 

• Zenguelemo Reef is home to Reef fish, Crocodile Fish, Scorpion Fish and more. The depth reaches about 21 metres and the site is suitable for advanced divers and up.

• Two-Mile Reef is a flat-topped barrier reef renowned for its fantastic snorkelling at sites such as the Aquarium as well as exciting dive sites on the outer edge. The dives vary from 6 to 21 metres in depth. Highlights include a variety of hard and soft corals and many schools of reef and pelagic fish passing through. The reef caters for various skill levels. 

For more information visit https://www.anantara.com/en/bazaruto-island

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A tapestry of flavour at the re-launched LUX* Belle Mare

As LUX* Belle Mare opened its welcoming arms once more, revealing an exquisite revival post its temporary closure, it is almost a serendipitous event that the charming property reopened its doors on 1st October 2023, echoing its initial debut on the very same day in 1999. 

While many innovations popped out upon my return to the property, perhaps the most prominent was the depth of flavour across a re-energised food and beverage proposition. 

Gerhard Hecker, the resort’s General Manager, has been extensively exposed to rich, authentic culinary and hospitality experiences, especially from the East. “Our CEO, Paul Jones, had a clear vision from the start – not to change for the sake of change. It was about building on the existing success formula and enhancing it, with a sharp focus on creating new, extraordinary experiences, especially within food management.”

This philosophy threads through the veins of LUX* Belle Mare. Though the aftermath of the unforeseen closure was met initially with a stilled pause, self-financing enabled a meticulous reconstruction, masterfully spearheaded by architects and designers, including Jean-Francois Adam and Jean-Marc Tang, who brought an international flair grounded in local availability.

Gerhard, sharing memories of the launch, commented, “It was poignant, opening again in October, just like when it first graced the world in 1999. Working with Jean-Francois, who was not only available but brought 30 years of international expertise from his time in the States, ensured a superlative product.”

One unique aspect that reveals Gerhard’s intimate connection with Asian philosophy is his emphasis on Fung Sui principles, especially noticeable in the thoughtful curvature of the entrance, avoiding a direct in-and-out and embracing the ideology of allowing prosperity to flow through spaces effortlessly.

“With 30 years in Asia, I witnessed how integral Fung Shui is in various aspects of life and construction. Be it in Hong Kong or Singapore, these ancient principles guide building designs to honour and facilitate the flow of positive energy, which subtly influenced even our refurbishments here.”

LUX* Belle Mare under Gerhard’s oversight hasn’t merely reopened; it’s been reborn with an intriguing culinary tapestry, woven with threads of authenticity from across the globe. Maintaining a high regard for genuine culinary experiences, Gerhard ensured that the resort’s various restaurants, including ‘Duck Laundry’, ‘Beach Rouge’, and ‘Amari by Chef Vineet Bhatia’, were helmed by chefs deeply rooted in the respective cuisines of their native lands.

“For me, the key has always been authenticity. Your memories from a country invariably tie back to the food you’ve experienced there. Thus, ensuring that our chefs hail from the respective regions of our restaurant’s cuisines was imperative,” he affirmed, reflecting his steadfast commitment to offering an unadulterated culinary experience to guests.

The dining experiences are resplendent in their variety yet unified in their authenticity. From dim sums that rival those in Hong Kong to pizzas that transport you to Napoli, every dish is a journey in itself.

Gerhard reminisced about his times in Asia, saying, “Being guided by my friends through the culinary landscape of regions like Thailand, Indonesia, China, and others, it was paramount to share the authentic flavours and stories embedded in each bite with our guests here at LUX* Belle Mare.”

Guests are bound to be entranced by the dedication to ensuring each dish, each wine, and every cocktail is not merely served but presented as a singular, authentic experience, reflecting its roots yet beautifully adapted to its Mauritian context, using produce farmed on land neighbouring the resort.

“What we wish to cultivate here is less about what I want, but about cherishing what is, especially our team members. Around 80% of our previous team, renowned for their excellence, have been retained. This element, the soul, the human interaction – it is something money cannot procure, and it is vital.”

LUX* Belle Mare, under Gerhard Hecker’s watchful management, has emerged not just as a holiday destination but as a connoisseur’s delight where the essence of various global cuisines converge amidst the luxurious, soulful embrace of Mauritian hospitality, ever-so-mindful of the authentic and rich experiences that linger in the memories of their esteemed guests.

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