KENTSTAYCATION
What worked particularly well was how intimate it all felt. The venue size allows guests to feel genuinely immersed rather than simply watching from afar. Combined with attentive service and the constant hum of conversation between acts, the evening felt more like being part of a stylish, exclusive house party than attending a formal show.
Rather than rushing home afterwards, which was just as well as the in-house DJ spins old-school house and garage tunes on the decks until 1am, we checked into one of the newly opened hotel rooms upstairs, which proved a perfect end to the evening.
The hotel aesthetic mirrors the downstairs spaces beautifully: boutique in feel, confident in design and unmistakably contemporary while still acknowledging the building’ s heritage bones. Bedrooms combine warm lighting, plush fabrics and sleek finishes, with comfortable beds that feel genuinely indulgent after a late evening downstairs. Bathrooms are modern and polished, while thoughtful touches throughout, such as premium protein snacks and mini bar gin, give the rooms a residential rather than corporate feel. Staying also grants guests access to spaces typically reserved for members; the basement gym, sports bar and library( that aforementioned space behind the hidden doors) are all worth exploring, while in summer months the new terrace offers a multi-level space perfect for brunch, lunch, dinner and evening drinks.
There is a clear lifestyle approach here. Guests can move from cocktails to cabaret to bed without ever leaving the building, and by morning the atmosphere softens entirely. Sunlight filters through the historic windows, the pace slows and the building reveals another side of itself entirely, aided by a neat oat flat white from the groundfloor Zilli Cafe.
The Royal Bell’ s reinvention feels smart because it understands what people increasingly want from hospitality-
flexibility, atmosphere and experience. Whether visiting for drinks on the terrace, dinner, a members’ event, an overnight stay, a Belle Brunch or an evening like The Belle Affair, it offers something that feels transportive without requiring a more arduous jaunt into the capital.
The Belle Affair itself is slick without losing charm, glamorous without pretension and just really good fun. Combined with the beautifully restored surroundings and the ease of staying overnight afterwards, it makes for a wonderfully escapist and helpfully accessible evening.
Find The Belle Affair at The Royal Bell every Saturday. Shows start at 7.30pm and include 90 minutes of bottomless prosecco and free-flowing pizza for £ 65pp.
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