London’s Boutique Hotels Pushing The Boundaries of Guest Experience
What makes London’s most interesting small hotels so special?
After a series of high-profile openings including The Ned, Four Seasons, Dorsett City, The Curtain and Nobu Shoreditch, attentions are turning to the capital’s best small, independent hotels, pushing boundaries in the post-Airbnb economy and engaging in unlikely cross-disciplinary collaborations.
Pimlico’s Artist Residence combines two popular millennial pursuits: art and travel, positioning itself as a cultural facilitator. The hotel boasts a huge collection of contemporary artworks including Dan Hillier and Pure Evil and hosts a monthly exhibition with Lawrence Alkin Gallery.
On the other side of town, The Napoleon mixes cocktails with high-class hospitality. London’s smallest hotel only has one room but three bars. Guests can order from louche whisky taproom Black Rock, sherry stop Sack and classic cocktail bar Devil’s Darling from the room’s private dumbwaiter.
The Mandrake in Fitzrovia pushes the boundaries of hospitality even further, enlisting the help of perfumers, sound designers and artists to entice and engage guests.
The rooms in this urban rainforest surround a striking central courtyard with hanging gardens of jasmine and passion flower, while eerie soundscapes from French music producer Pierre Arnaud and specially designed scents from renowned perfumer Azzi Glasser replace the miasma of the city.
The emphasis on multi-sensory storytelling makes The Mandrake London’s most exciting independent hotel for a decade.
From the avant-garde to the authentically inauthentic. Stepping into Zetter Townhouse Clerkenwell is like entering the imagination of a Victorian eccentric.
The 13-bedroom Georgian townhouse features portraits of fictional patron Aunt Wilhelmina, stuffed costumed cats and reclaimed fairground signs turned bedheads, all salvaged by designer Russell Sage.
Others are leveraging social media through Instagram-friendly design. The Henrietta Hotel might be small but makes a big impression thanks to its bespoke bedheads, inspired by traditional Milanese door frames, retro ’70s-style armchairs, and millennial pink bathrooms — perfect for social media mavens looking for a romantic getaway.
Across town The Pilgrm is a haven of utilitarian luxury that pays homage to British craftsmanship.
Long-time collaborators Jason Catifeoglou, Andreas Thrasyvoulou and Steph Thrasyvoulou painstakingly restored neighbouring Victorian townhouses to their former glory, using materials reclaimed from schools, hospitals and military facilities.
The hotel’s self-serve pantries and community café stocks CRU Kafe coffees and Crosstown doughnuts — a savvy partnership with one of London’s favourite confectionaries.
The Eccleston Square Hotel is one of Europe’s most technology-friendly, packed full of gadgets and innovative features to keep guests comfortable and entertained, including soundproofing and high-spec air filtration.
Each room comes with adjustable Hästens Swedish massage beds, over 100 3D movies on demand and iPads allowing guests to control their environment and order room service from the kitchen.
Hotelier Olivia Byrne says one visitor even extended their stay to use the complimentary Handy integrated mobile phone system, offering guests unlimited local and international calls.
Just a stone’s throw from Hyde Park, The Gore shows has embraced its rich and storied history with a modern twist, celebrating its 125th birthday with an extensive refurbishment.
Legendary rockers The Rolling Stones launched their album Beggar’s Banquet here, while there’s a suite named after Judy Garland who lived here during her career treading the boards in London’s West End.
Think four-poster beds, tapestries, stained glass windows and mahogany bookshelves coupled with state-of the-art digital concierges that go unnoticed until you need them.
A version of this article was originally published at theculturetrip.com, where all of Alex Jordan’s work can be read.
