Right on the Thames River with fantastic views
Modern, tech-friendly rooms
Beautiful gym and spa facilities
Fine dining and bar facilities
Lovely Japanese garden
Free Wi-Fi
Pet-friendly
Isolated location
Rooms show some signs of wear
Fee for parking (as is typical in London)
Rafayel on the Left Bank advertises itself as five-star hotel on the shores of the Thames River in Southwest London. With modern rooms and public spaces it's a stylistic success, and offers plenty of nice views to enjoy -- especially in the outdoor Japanese garden. It's a relatively difficult hotel to get to by foot or public transport, however, and its location in the industrial neighborhood of of Clapham Common and Battersea is devoid of much life, especially in the evenings. With that said the hotel is quite self-sufficient, with fine dining, a gym, a spa, and a cigar lounge, but guests hoping to sightsee or enjoy nightlife may be disappointed by its supreme isolation in an rather undeveloped part of town.
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Scene
Thoughtful modern design
Rafayel on the Left Bank is a relatively new development (it opened in December 2009) and the architecture is modern and impressive, with granite, plaster, wood, and glass incorporated into both the rooms and large, open public spaces. Furniture, such as the streamlined cream sofas in the lobby, is understated and minimalist. The spa and attached Japanese garden have an appealing Asian-inspired design.
Location
An isolated, industrial area far from the sights
One of the only downsides of the hotel is its location. The closest tube is the Clapham Junction DLR station which is a 10- to 15-minute walk from the hotel through a mix of council apartments and industrial properties. The hotel does offer free shuttle service to and from Clapham Junction and Clapham Common every 30 minutes, morning 'til night, but it won't be of use to guests staying out late. The surrounding area is mostly industrial, and the heliport next door can make quite a bit of noise throughout the day and night. Count on an expensive cab ride if you are arriving from one of the central train stations or from the West End in the evenings.
Rooms
Tech-friendly and modern, but with a few signs of wear throughout
Rooms at Rafayel on the Left Bank have been expertly designed to maximize space as well comfort, with bespoke furniture and subtly Asian-influenced modern design. Rooms come standard with free tea and coffee, robes, and slippers. The 32-inch TVs have media hubs so guests can connect laptops and music players, and movies, room service, and express check-out can also be accessed. Bathrooms are luxurious, with porcelain fixtures, mosaic tiling, organic toiletries, and body spray showers; some have jetted tubs and TVs. Some of the rooms have begun to exhibit minor signs of wear, such as worn leather, wood, and broken light fixtures, and there are also occasional fingerprints on the walls and stains carpet which could be attended to. For views of the river, book the aptly named Thames Room.
Features
Lots of features, including a spa and fine dining restaurant
The hotel's selling point is definitely its extensive array of features. Considering its isolation the hotel does well at offering guests plenty to do on-site. The spa facilities include a hot tub, sauna, steam room, and small bathing area, not to mention personal treatment rooms for massages. Banyan on the Thames, the hotel's fine dining restaurant, has a grill-based menu, riverside views, and a roof terrace. The bar area of the restaurant has a large selection of drinks and also sells fine cigars, which can be enjoyed in the hotel's cigar lounge.
