Gilchrist & Soames | cheriecity.co.uk

A Stay at The Nadler Soho, London

July 22, 2014 by cheriecity

The Nadler Soho is a game-changing boutique hotel that brings affordable luxury to London’s most exciting neighbourhood.

Located on Carlisle Street, The Nadler Soho is just a few steps away from Soho Square and surrounded by an array of buzzing restaurants, terrace cafes, lively bars and renowned theatre.

The Nadler Soho is part of the growing Nadler Hotel Group, which currently has another two hotels in Kensington and Liverpool. The hotel group’s philosophy is to offer a comfortable urban stay without unnecessary facilities (keeping prices competitive), plus no unexpected extras on the check-out bill.

The hotel features 78 contemporary rooms, from the cosy Soho Single to the Nadler Deluxe and the Carlisle Suite for a truly indulgent stay. On arrival, we were warmly greeted by the team of ‘Local Ambassadors’, who were fantastic throughout our stay. They seem like the kind of well-connected people who know exactly where to send you for a great night out in Soho.

Our Superior Room on the first floor was petite yet light and airy with efficient use of space. It’s designed in chic monochrome with dark wood touches and has clever lighting and a top quality Bose sound system to set the mood.

The focal point of the room is the sumptuous king-size bed with crisp 300-thread count linen, a pillow menu, plenty of cushions and a stylish faux fur throw. Tech fans will be delighted by the 40-inch LCD Samsung smart TV with free internet, web radio and music library, plus a Wifi/HDMI link to stream content to the TV.

There are also free digital newspapers and magazines – over 2300 publications from 100 countries in 56 languages – which can be viewed on the TV or downloaded to your mobile device. It’s an environmentally-friendly alternative to providing a selection of print magazines and can be tailored to the guest’s tastes.

A perk of staying at The Nadler Soho is the mini-kitchen, neatly hidden behind a sliding door with sensitive lights that switch on when you approach. The kitchen includes a microwave, fridge, sink with a Britta tap for filtered drinking water, kettle, Nespresso machine with plenty of capsules and a selection of teas. Also provided is a draw full of cooking utensils, a full set of china and glassware and handy trays, in case you fancy dining in your room.

The room also features a wardrobe with plenty of hanging space, leather seating, a working desk with a built-in USB and HDMI plug point, an iron and ironing board under the bed, powerful air-conditioning and free unlimited wifi.

The large bathroom is designed in black and silver and includes a walk-in rainfall shower with powerful water pressure, speakers linked to the TV, extra-large towels, bathrobes and slippers and a full set of Gilchrist & Soames bathroom products. A thoughtful touch is the luxury GHD hairdryer in the room and GHD hair straighteners on request.

The view from our room was mostly of construction workers and office execs in the opposite building, but luckily there were some beachy painted shutters to close for privacy. The room was also surprisingly quiet, benefiting from double-glazed windows.

A unique feature of Nadler Hotels is that there are none of a four-star hotel’s usual facilities such as a restaurant, spa or gym, but The Nadler Soho is so conveniently-located that they aren’t missed. However, the lobby lounge is a comfortable space to relax with plush leather sofas, plenty of coffee table books and an iMac with printer for guests to use. The hotel has also collaborated with Camellia’s Tea House to create The Nadler Soho Bespoke Tea Blend, which guests can sample in the lounge on request.

That evening, we went to an event in Piccadilly, but if you’re dining out in Soho, I highly recommend Pizza Pilgrims (literally opposite the hotel), Russell Norman’s Spuntino and Polpo, dim sum at Yauatcha and Patara for delicious Thai food.

The Nadler Soho also offers breakfast delivered to your room from nearby artisan bakeries Princi and Gail’s. Refreshingly, there is no hotel mark-up on prices, just a tiny £1 delivery charge – well worth it for a delicious breakfast in bed. If you fancy a snack, there are vending machines in the lobby with products sold at regular prices.

As if that isn’t enough, the hotel has also arranged discounts for guests at a selection of good local eateries, including an excellent offer on breakfast at nearby Quo Vadis – a Soho institution and perfect for an elegant breakfast.

The Nadler Soho is an ideal hotel for savvy travellers who appreciate luxury but want to get out and explore the city. It’s a real home from home and one of London’s most forward-thinking, design-led hotels that is sure to impress.

Double rooms at The Nadler Soho start from £195 (inc. VAT). For more information, visit: www.thenadler.com

Chérie City was invited by The Nadler Soho

All photos by Chérie City

Hotels, Hotels - Design, London

A Calming Stay at myhotel Bloomsbury

June 2, 2011 by cheriecity

Whenever I walk through Bloomsbury, my mind still drifts to the romantic, bohemian lives of Virginia Woolf and the literary Bloomsbury Set. The Bloomsbury of today is part old world elegance and part creative industry hub (overspilling from Soho), making it an ideal neighbourhood for experiencing London.

myhotel Bloomsbury was one of the first affordable design hotels to hit London in 1999 with its minimalist Conran & Partners interiors and zen ethos. The myhotel group has gradually expanded to Chelsea and Brighton and all of the myhotels are designed using the principles of feng-sui.

While some hotels hit you right away with their brand philosophy, myhotel Bloomsbury reveals its personality slowly, offering small clues about its origins.

It may appear to be a minimal boutique hotel, but throughout the stay we discovered small Eastern touches in the decor, which give it a unique sense of character.

We were assigned a Studio King room and were swiftly welcomed with a large bottle of mineral water and two delicious bite-size brownies with fresh strawberries, compliments of the chef.

The generously-sized loft-style room is designed in a minimal style with retro patterns and soft, tactile furnishings in brown and aubergine.

It has a calming, homely feel and everything is set up for familiar comforts – living up to the name, myhotel.

The king-size bed was exceptionally luxurious with pristine, crisp sheets and I couldn’t resist sprawling out and working on the bed all afternoon, making good use of the free high-speed wifi…well, why not?

A lovely touch was a huge stack of glossy magazine by the bedside, which I delved into for a whole afternoon when I was supposed to be working. A reference to the Eastern vibe of the hotel was a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, although I was admittedly engrossed in Marie Claire and probably should have investigated more.

Some of the furniture has admittedly seen better days, but it doesn’t detract from the homely charm.

Adding to the comfort of the room, we were provided with a full-size kettle and huge mugs (complete with mini biscotti and large stirrers) with plenty tea, coffee and hot chocolate. There were also two complimentary bottles of mineral water – we were given no fewer than four bottles throughout our stay!

The bathroom well-sized and bright with a bath and shower, so you can relax and unwind at the end of the day.

I was pleased to find the bathroom stocked with Bee Kind bathroom toiletries by Gilchrist & Soames, which I tried and loved earlier in the year at Bloomsbury Street Hotel – it must be a Bloomsbury thing!

After an afternoon spent somewhere between lounging and hard work, we stayed local and went out for pizza at the Italian Coffee Centre in Fitzrovia – cheap, exceptional quality and quick.

Merkaba at myhotel Bloomsbury is perfect for an indulgent yet informal evening meal and the Pan-Asian menu has some very tempting dishes. Merkaba has a sociable, cosmopolitan feel and the terrace is a real focal point, especially when the sun is out or at cocktail hour. Or, if you don’t want to leave your cocoon, there is 24-hour room service available.

There’s something very decadent about ‘turndown service’ and this extra drop of attention has greatly varied between the hotels I’ve stayed at.

myhotel Bloomsbury provided a thoughtful tray of evening-time treats to ensure a good night’s sleep. We were given a complimentary bottle of mineral water, Gilchrist & Soames bath salts and pillow mist (containing snooze-inducing lavender) and a little gift box of chocolate truffles.

We decided to really indulge and have breakfast brought up to our room. Breakfast included a Full English (with a choice of 5 items), toast, a selection of pastries, cereal, natural yogurt, freshly-squeezed orange juice and freshly-brewed coffee.

The cooked breakfast was plentiful and high quality and the pastries were really exceptional – flaky, soft and fresh.

Everything came bang on time and it really was a lovely start to the day, lingering over a decadent breakfast in bathrobes and slippers.

myhotel Bloomsbury is a real gem of a hotel, as it feels like a home away from home in a wonderfully central location, just a short walking distance from Soho, Covent Garden and of course, Oxford Street.

For ultra relaxation, the calming downstairs spa, Jinja, offers reasonably priced beauty and well-being treatments that combine ancient Eastern healing techniques with effective Western products.

Another exciting addition to the hotel is Central, the creative work space where you can work without distraction, collaborate with like-minded folk and hold meetings. It’s an ideal spot for entrepreneurs and freelancers who can’t cope with the annoyance of bad cafe wifi.

myhotel Bloomsbury is perfect if you’re looking for a well-located, chic city bolthole where privacy, comfort and calm are top priorities.

For more info and booking, visit: www.myhotels.com

Chérie City was a guest of myhotel Bloomsbury.

Photos by Chérie City and myhotel Bloomsbury.

Hotels, Hotels - Design, Hotels - Luxury, London

Townhouse Elegance at Flemings Mayfair

March 6, 2011 by cheriecity

London is a city in constant change, but there’s something curiously traditional about Mayfair with its age-old tailors, gentlemen’s umbrella shops and dusty old arts institutions.

Mayfair has remained defiantly eccentric and there are only a handful of West End hotels where you can experience such character and charm…

Established in 1851, Flemings Mayfair is a real hidden gem – an elegant boutique hotel spread across six Georgian townhouses on the whimsically named Half Moon Street.

Tucked away on a peaceful semi-residential street, Flemings is just a short walk from bustling Green Park, the beautiful shopping arcades and gentlemen grooming shops along Picadilly.

On arrival we were met by Branca Sabbagh, the formidable Guest Services Director, who showed us to our room, which she had personally selected for us.

Our room was magnificent – spacious and beautifully designed in an palette of pearlescent beige, cream, ice green and purple, with accents of silver and glass.

Waiting for us on the table for each of us was a delicately wrapped gift of handmade biscuits with a welcome note.

This was a lovely touch, especially when we saw during our tour of the rooms that every guest receives such a sweet welcome.

Our room had all the comforts that you would want for a home away from home – tea and coffee making facilities, a writing bureau, plenty of comfy seating, lots of storage space, a large flat-screen TV, and a stack of lifestyle magazines to work through.

The king-size bed was heavenly with sumptuous linen and despite the central London location, we had a very peaceful sleep with very few disturbances.

The bathroom was large and covered entirely in marble, just like the traditional London palace hotels. We loved having the luxury of a separate bath and walk-in shower.

The bathroom was furnished with plenty fluffy towels, embroidered Flemings bath robes and slippers and bathroom spa products by Gilchrist & Soames – very fitting for a Mayfair hotel.

The warm, dimly-lit corridors at Flemings are lined with stunning black and white photographs depicting ‘the good life’, from screen goddesses in Hollywood to summer in the Mediterranean and legendary movie scenes.

A counterpoint to the contemporary design of the hotel is a beautiful, traditional stained-glass window, commemorating the opening of the hotel.

After settling in, we headed downstairs for a quick tour of the restaurant, salon and bar areas followed by an exquisite afternoon tea in the front room.

We ordered pots of Earl Grey and Darjeeling second flush tea from the extensive tea menu and worked our way through the cake stand of delights, starting with delicious finger sandwiches.

We munched on warm scones with clotted cream and jam, victoria sponge cake and a delectable range of mini pâtisserie, Primrose Bakery cupcakes and chocolate truffles.

The front room is so relaxing and homely that we made ourselves at home (albeit a much prettier home) and stayed for most of the afternoon. Staff left us to our own devices but came in every so often to top up our tea and offer more hot water.

Flemings has strong links with the Flemings art collection and features a piece of art from the collection in the front room every month.

In the evening we strolled into Soho for dinner at one of our favourite Japanese canteen restaurant, OSatsuma. The Chicken Katsu Curry (£8.50) is slow-cooked and comes in a massive china dish with steamed rice, a soy and ginger side salad and a pot of miso soup.

In the morning, we headed down to breakfast and were greeted by the lovely Darren, Food and Beverage Manager, asked us about our stay and the afternoon tea before showing us to our table.

The continental breakfast breakfast is simple, well-considered and of excellent quality.

We enjoyed a large pot of fresh coffee and ordered Eggs Benedict and a Cheese Omelette with toast from the cooked menu – both delicious.

Everything was beautifully presented and it’s lovely to have breakfast in the restaurant.

After we reluctantly tore ourselves away from the room, we had a tour of the guest rooms and luxury apartments with Branca. There are various colour schemes and rooms are carefully selected to be compatible with each guest’s requirements and duration of stay.

The apartments are mostly used by families staying in London for a number of nights and have a more traditional design than the contemporary hotel rooms.

What sets Flemings apart from other bijou townhouse hotels is the warm, familiar service. Staff are as attentive as you’d expect, but they make a point of remembering guests and building a rapport during the stay. The head staff are visibly proud of Flemings as though it were their own home and to see this dedication is something very special.

Flemings Mayfair is ideal for a first-time stay in the most charming part of London, a romantic getaway or an indulgent shopping weekend. Not only a stunning, design-led hotel, Flemings has such character and a warm atmosphere that you might never want to leave.

Take a look inside…

For shopping, afternoon tea and cultural breaks at Flemings Mayfair, visit: www.flemings-mayfair.co.uk

Chérie City was a guest of Flemings Mayfair