Living in London's Battersea comes with its challenges. Other peoples’, to be exact. 

If it’s not the area’s lack of an underground station (never mind the myriad of buses, if it doesn’t have defunct tube line with regular weekend closures, the public don’t want to know), it’s the frequent associations with Battersea Dogs Home, or a sneering Kensington socialite referring to it as ‘Batta-sia’, perhaps in the hopes of making it sound like some kind of darling, urban utopia for the poor folk on the wrong side of the river. 

<img src="body1">In fact, Battersea is experiencing something of a resurgence of late. Gordon Ramsey’s most recent F Word series saw neighbourhood eateries battling it out for the title of ‘Best Local Restaurant’, putting a formerly unknown Argentinean steak joint on Queenstown Road in the finals. Add that to the somewhat surprising opening of Kingsland Road Vietnamese favourite, Mien Tay’s second branch in Lavender Hill, and you’ve got a bit of culinary interest sparking up amongst the dime-a-dozen takeaways. <img src="body2">Then there’s the news that the American Embassy are quitting Grosvenor Square and planning on setting up shop at Nine Elms, presumably under the assumption that no shoe bomber worth his sole (or soul, as the case may be) would bother looking for them in between a defunct stationers and a rather shambling wholesale fruit and vegetable market.

But perhaps most exciting of all is the launch of Battersea’s first ‘eco-hotel’, The Rafayel, rather bravely erecting itself next to the area’s heliport and right on the section of the Thames which John Betjeman described as "incurably disgusting… a sliding train of filthy, intimate objects”. Not to be so easily frightened, the 5 star property has taken inspiration from its waterfront roots, naming its various room sizes after famous waterways ranging from the ‘Big’ Mississippis and the ‘Even Bigger’ Yangtzes all the way up to the ‘Biggest’ Nile suites. It’s even gone so far as deeming this side of the river the new ‘Left Bank’, presumably in an effort to infuse the kind of Gallic charm and cultural integrity to be found with our neighbours’ Rive Gauche across the Channel. 

Aside from its riparian fascination (and slightly quixotic aspirations) what makes Hotel Rafayel an interesting prospect for Battersea, and the hotel industry as a whole, is its top-to-bottom approach to sustainability and eco awareness. Having soft-launched in December, ironically at a time when delegates were splitting croissants at the Climate Change summit in Copenhagen, its mantra reads like anathema to most big developers – to combine “affordable luxury with living at peace with nature”. And it means business. 

Based in the Falcon Wharf building, which consists of four boomerang shaped wings around a central atrium, all 65 rooms come with sweeping views of the Thames and are outfitted with the latest mod-cons, dark wood interiors, sumptuous linens and Murano glass tiled bathrooms. The entire building uses LED lights, which are about 80% more efficient than classic halogen bulbs, whilst bamboo groves in the gardens provide up to 35% more oxygen than the average plant life. A totally unique ventilation system moves heat from areas of the building where it isn’t wanted into spaces that need it, whilst roof terraces harvest rainwater used for plant irrigation. The hotel operates a strict ‘No Plastic’ policy and only serves organically sourced food and beverages in its on-site restaurant, champagne bar and bakery. 

Not that any of these eco-conscious efforts come at the expense of style. The café, for example, is commandeered by New Yorker Mychelle Husserl and stocks her extravagantly decorated cupcakes in flavours from lemon meringue and fig to carrot and peanut butter & jelly, with shots of straight icing available for those in need of a quick sugar high.

Guests staying here can even enjoy a royal welcome in the shape of ‘Hypnos’ beds – favoured by HRH herself and made with a zero landfill and zero carbon footprint process. Rooms also boast state-of-the-art touch screen glass panels which provide electronic newspapers (Rafayel is practically paperless), internet room service and the rather intriguing VDA system, which allows eco-conscious visitors to calculate their energy consumption – it’s estimated the average stay will rack up a meagre carbon footprint of 17kg (the London average is a weightier 70kg) – with talk of particularly ‘green’ guests getting rewards in the form of special treats or spa treatments. 

Speaking of which – the spa is being run by none other than London’s own apothecary-esque Wunderkind, Content Beauty/Wellbeing. Known for its 100% commitment to the usage of natural products as an alternative to the usual shelf-bought cosmetics, Marylebone’s eco-luxury spa and boutique sources organic skincare brands from around the world. In keeping with its philosophy of wellness inside and out, the Rafayel’s ‘River Wellbeing Spa’ boasts colour therapy lighting, an infinity bath and hydrotherapy pool as well as having nutritional consultants, acupuncturists and yoga instructors on board (summer classes are held on the 17th floor roof garden), alongside the usual roster of treatments. 

So is this a flash in the pan, or a real attempt to change the travel industry? The hotel’s mission statement states they see themselves ‘as establishing a culture, a movement of change’. Online travel experts and hotel booking engine, Mr & Mrs Smith, have named their top ten travel trends for 2010, with ‘Eco Luxe’ ranking at number four. Aside from The Rafayel, we have of course, the re-opening of The Savoy to look forward to, with its rather innovative ‘food waste recycling service’ which will aim to tackle climate change by turning unwanted hamburger pickles into renewable energy. 

But perhaps Rafayel’s greatest ally will come in the rather unexpected, yet utterly appropriate form, of the dormant Battersea Power Station. If there is to be a Left Bank style ‘intellectual renaissance’, surely any riverside reincarnation must include the iconic art-deco building. Since shutting down in 1983, the site has been subjected to a myriad of non-starter planning proposals, from Hong Kong development firm Park View’s plans to turn it into a giant leisure complex, to Alton Towers’ bid to create a theme park based around Britain’s industrial history. Following a massive buyout by REO in 2008, whose aim is “to reverse the enormous historic carbon footprint of the Power Station” residents have been promised an ‘eco-upgrade’ featuring a power plant fuelled by biomass and waste, as well as shopping spaces, London’s biggest ballroom, a six acre park and riverside walk connecting to Battersea Park, and carbon-neutral offices and residential spaces. 

But without a tube station, how will Londoners reach this new eco-utopia? Turns out all of this has gotten Mayor Boris Johnson so excited that he’s given the go-ahead to plans to extend the Northern line into Battersea and provide residents, rather shockingly, with their first underground station – by 2015. So the French can, for the time being, rest easy.

Hotel Rafayel, 34 Lombard Road, SW11 3RF

020 7801 3600