Home comforts: 20 Grosvenor Square

The appeal of taking permanent residence within some of the world's finest hotels is clear. What these private apartments may lack in cosy, homely charm, they more than make up for in easy access to top-class amenities. For the cash-rich and time-poor, it's a justifiable premium to pay for the peace of mind of knowing that all aspects of home maintenance are attended to, not to mention having a concierge at your beck and call.

This is something Four Seasons understands well. With such properties located in its hotels around the globe, from the modern Four Seasons Hotel Miami to the grand, Grade II-listed Ten Trinity Square in London, residents can benefit from each hotel's high-end facilities as well as the group's decades of experience in luxury hospitality.

Four Seasons' latest venture has seen it partner with property specialist Finchatton to take the concept a step further. The group's first standalone residences, at 20 Grosvenor Square in Mayfair, are not integrated with one of its hotels, yet will offer all the services one might expect, within the comfort of a private home. Here, all aspects of day-to-day living are looked after according to each owner's personal needs, ranging from grocery shopping and in-residence dining and catering, to event planning and childcare. On site will be a spa with a 25m swimming pool and a treatment suite with a steam room and sauna, as well as a high-tech fitness centre, a private cinema and landscaped gardens.

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The apartments themselves will be available with three, four or five bedrooms, and each has been designed by Finchatton to make the most of the building's period features. The jewel in the crown of the Grosvenor Estate, Grosvenor Square has been one of the capital's most fashionable postcodes since it was first developed in the 1720s. One of the largest garden squares in London, like much of surrounding Mayfair it suffered considerable damage during World War 2, with many of the area's buildings given over from residential to more utilitarian uses. It's long had strong associations with the US; the American Embassy was established at 1 Grosvenor Square in 1938, while No. 20 was formally home to the US Naval Headquarters. When renovations are complete, it is set to become one of London's most sought-after addresses.

20 Grosvenor Square will open in 2018; 20gs.com