The philosophy of the Althoff Collection, one of Europe’s only owner-managed luxury hotel groups, is focused on “excellence of cuisine, architecture, design and service.” Highly curated, the collection consists of just five five-star hotels throughout Europe, including most notably the Althoff St. James’s Hotel & Club in London’s Mayfair and the Althoff Villa Belrose in Saint-Tropez.
Both are impeccably designed, staffed, and serviced, and thanks to recent high-end improvements and upgrades they’re even more of a draw for savvy five-star travelers—think luxury suites, bars, restaurants and public spaces put together with impeccable taste.
At Althoff St. James’s Hotel & Club you can literally follow in the footsteps of film stars and celebrities—the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Keith Richards, Robert Redford, Dita Von Teese and Damian Lewis have all called it their temporary home at one time or another. The prime location and 60 lavish but elegant guest rooms and suites have long made it one of London’s poshest stays.
The magical setting, in a quiet cul-de-sac in the heart of Mayfair just steps away from Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Palace, plus the exclusive shops of Jermyn Street, the Burlington Arcade, Bond Street, not to mention The Royal Academy of Arts and the theaters and nightlife of London’s West End, mean you don’t have to go far afield to experience the city’s best. This is ideal for short days, of course, but also excellent when you want to call the neighborhood your home.
Comfort, luxury and flawless British style are the keynote in the suites, some with private balconies and fireplaces. On top of it all is the enviable Penthouse with its private rooftop terrace. You’ll feel like an English aristocrat from the moment you walk-through the front door and are warmly greeted by the staff. Have a glass of champagne while you check in, the whole process is extremely civilized.
The hotel has something new to boast about as well: Francatelli, it’s gorgeous, recently-opened restaurant, one of Mayfair’s very best, is named in honor of Charles Elmé Francatelli, who was Queen Victoria’s personal chef. The restaurant is helmed by the St. James’s Hotel & Club’s chef William Drabble, who earned his first Michelin star 24 years ago and hasn’t looked back since.
“Drabble’s vision for Francatelli is to intertwine the finest British produce with classic recipes updated for the 21st-century,” the property notes. The menu features “Victorian-era dishes fast-forwarded to the palates of 2024.” That includes mutton, Shepherd’s Pie, and fillets of flounder, all sourced from small farms and produced the old fashioned way. And did we mention the superb wine and service to boot? Another Michelin star can’t be far behind.
The impeccable Althoff Villa Belrose meanwhile is located in the hills overlooking Saint-Tropez, considered by many to be the jewel of the Côte d’Azur. The chic five-star hotel, which is open between April and October, is constructed in classic Provençal style and offers spectacular water views. With just 40 rooms and suites, the luxe retreat is filled with antiques and custom furnishings. Its accommodations offer spacious marble bathrooms and private sea-view terraces as large as 300 square feet.
In addition to the Villa Belrose’s long-favored indoor-outdoor Restaurant “Le Méditerranée,” the hotel’s most recent addition is the Club L’Indochine by The Duc Ngo. The club offers creative Asian fusion cuisine by resident chef Jimmy Coutel, in collaboration with noted chef The Duc Ngo, a legend of the Berlin restaurant scene, who brings a breath of fresh air to Saint-Tropez. At this terraced gem Europe’s culinary art “meets the intense herbs and spices of Indochina’s cuisine,” paired with the finest wines and champagne.
Amenities at the property include a panoramic pool, a relaxation pool, a spacious sun terrace, and a spa specializing in wellness treatments using products from the Swiss luxury skincare brand Niance. During the resort’s most recent winter closure, half of the rooms were “transformed from 20th-century, monochromatic, carpeted comfort into 21st-century stylish luxury that dictates pale-wood floors and furnishings, Italian marble bathrooms and tasteful splashes of color,” the property notes, with the remaining rooms slated to be revamped this coming winter.
Althoff Villa Belrose also has a collection of 16 private villas of different sizes available for those seeking a more intimate getaway, “each of which offers the identical amenities and service of the hotel, but in the privacy of a luxurious, spacious villa overlooking the bay of Saint Tropez.” Villa guests can choose from a menu of bespoke experiences including concierge service, maid service, room service, a private chef, and other dedicated staffers to guarantee that their stay is tailored just the way they like it.
Althoff Villa Belrose recently became part of the exclusive portfolio of The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), a global association of luxury properties which has stood for the very finest level of hospitality for nearly 100 years. “LHW only accepts establishments into its elite circle that meet the highest standards of quality, service and uniqueness,” Villa Belrose notes proudly.
The exemplary Althoff Collection, part of the Cologne-based Althoff Hotels umbrella brand, is renowned for its emphasis on” gourmet cuisine as well as beauty and spa treatments at the highest level.” The portfolio also includes the Grand Hotel Schloss Bensberg in Bergisch Gladbach near Cologne (also a member of LHW); the Hotel Fürstenhof in Celle; the Seehotel Überfahrt on Lake Tegernsee in Bavaria (also a member of LHW); and the Althoff Hotel am Schlossgarten in Stuttgart, which is undergoing extensive renovation and will reopen in summer 2025.
Whenever your travels take you to some of the top spots in Europe, it’s worth looking into whether there’s an Althoff Collection hotel in town to make your stay as memorable as possible.