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An Amazing Stay at The London EDITION Hotel

August 22, 2014 by cheriecity

The London EDITION is one of the city’s hottest hotel openings last year and has received much acclaim since its arrival.

Behind the game-changing Fitzrovia design hotel is hospitality guru Ian Schrager – a pioneer of the boutique hotel experience who brought us Sanderson and St Martin’s Lane. The inaugural EDITION Hotel opened a few years ago in Istanbul’s Levant district and a number of the brand’s hotels are set to open globally over the next few years, under the expert management of Marriott.

Location

The London EDITION took over the former Berners Hotel and occupies a row of five Georgian townhouses. It boasts a central location, just off Oxford Street, within walking distance of Soho and Covent Garden.

I visited The London EDITION for a weekend staycation and was wowed by the hotel’s cool design, social scene and attention to small detail.

The lobby is a constant hub of activity and is beautifully-designed with a restored stucco ceiling, original fireplace and futuristic stainless-steel orbs by Ingo Maurer. It’s an inviting space with plush green velvet seating, a billiards table and complimentary work station in the lobby with Apple iMacs.

Arrival

Check-in was friendly and dedicated and a member of staff accompanied us to fully introduce us to our room. A Schrager signature is eye-catching artwork in the public areas and we couldn’t help admiring the stunning Louis XV Gobelin Tapestry behind the reception desk, contrasted by a glowing installation by Korean artist Chul Hyun Ahn at the back of the hotel.

The Room

Our Loft room was long and spacious with a gorgeous king-size bed and an open-plan seating area. The unique style is contemporary with retro design touch and a dash of chalet-chic. The room is designed with walnut wood panelling, pale wood flooring and a natural colour palette of caramel and cream.

The living area features a plush sofa, comfy armchair and a low coffee table with a chic orchid and design books. I loved the addition of a cream cashmere blanket for curling up on the sofa and the pretty hydrangeas – a detail that can sometimes be overlooked by design hotels. The view from the window was simply office buildings, so we kept the sheer curtains closed to keep the atmosphere of the room.

The hotel’s art focus extends to the rooms with a contemporary interpretation of one of Vermeer’s iconic paintings by Dutch photographer Hendrik Kerstens. The portrait is both eerie and beautiful and the girl’s captivating gaze seemed to follow me around the room.

The king-size bed was extremely comfortable and covered in sumptuous linen, plenty of large pillows and a gorgeous faux-fur throw nonchalantly draped over one side of the bed. In front of the bed is a 46 inch flat screen HDTV with movies on demand and a stack of premium magazines including Vogue, GQ and The Gourmand.

Other room features include a super-wide desk and retro chair, iPod docking station and an extra-large built-in wardrobe filled with a handy umbrella, clothes brush and ironing board. Not only is there a minibar filled with premium drinks and gourmet snacks, but there’s a marble bar counter with a selection of spirits, a mini cocktail shaker and fancy glassware.

A Welcome Treat

To top it all off, we were welcomed with a retro sweet shop bag filled with large strawberry marshmallows – the Chef’s sweet of the day. At evening turndown, complimentary mineral water was placed beside the bed.

The Bathroom

The sleek, minimal bathroom was covered in tiny white mosaics, with a powerful walk-in rainforest shower, wooden towel rail and wide Corian Grohe white sink – the cool kind that you might find in a nightclub.

It had clever storage with a pull-out drawer below the sink featuring a proper hairdryer, face tissues, vanity essentials and the all-important bathroom products. We also had the luxury of plush embroidered bathrobes and slippers for lounging in.

Le Labo products

I’m never usually excited by hotel own-brand toiletries, but The London EDITION’s range is very special and almost reason enough to stay overnight.

The products have been created exclusively for the hotel by cult perfumer Le Labo and have a luxurious, intoxicating black tea fragrance. They smell amazing on both men and women and perfectly capture the stylish, sexy ambiance of the hotel.

That evening, we decided to eat healthy and went for some vegan food at Planet Organic, however if you’re after something a bit more sparkly for a Saturday night, try and score a table at the hotel’s renowned Berners Tavern by Executive Chef Jason Atherton, Roka and Dabbous just a short walk away.

The Lobby Bar

Of course, we couldn’t resist checking out the hotel’s lively atmosphere with a round of cocktails in the buzzing Lobby Bar. The bar attracts a well-heeled crowd elegantly lounging at the bar and low tables with glam waitresses serving cocktails in designer LBDs.

Davide Segat’s cocktail menu is innovative and well-edited, with a focus on aromatic drinks using house-made bitters and potent spirits. I tried a refreshing Summer Cup and Steven went for a Golden Age, made with Johnnie Walker Black Label, aged cherry brand, yellow Chartreuse and Fernet Branca.

Another drinking destination in the hotel is the reservations only Punch Room. Nestled at the back of the hotel is an oak-panelled den that feels like a cross between a private members club and the library of a country manor house.

It serves Punch Bowls for 2-8 people and has a cosy feel with low-key vintage soul, jazz and blues playing. It’s ideal for a quiet, intimate drink but we preferred the atmosphere and open-plan design of the lively lobby bar.

At night, the charming door security multiply and manage the queue behind the velvet rope for the members-only BASEMENT nightclub inside the hotel (Ian Schrager was behind Studio 54, after all). The vibe seems distinctly non-glitzy with a cool crowd and YOYO’s Seb Chew at the helm.

Breakfast

In the morning, breakfast is served in the gorgeous surroundings of the acclaimed Berners Tavern. The breakfast menu is full of tempting dishes, from healthy chilled citrus salad and cold-pressed kale juice to indulgent Hazelnut waffles with berries and cream and the ultimate Full English.

My Eggs Benedict were sustantial and delicious, with perfectly-poached eggs, thick griddled ham and creamy Hollandaise atop a fluffy English muffin.

However, Steven’s enormous Buttermilk pancakes with summer berries, maple syrup and vanilla cream was the winning breakfast dish. No less than five freshly-flipped pancakes were doused in high quality maple syrup and topped with fresh whole berries, with the most indulgent vanilla cream served on the side.

Our Earl Grey tea was presented nicely in a silver pot with fine china tea cups – clearly everything is done with flair at Berners Tavern.

The London EDITION is the hotel to stay at if you appreciate cutting-edge design and a lobby that’s constantly bringing its A game. While the hotel has plenty of dining and bar amenities, I was a little surprised that a property of its size didn’t have a spa for some pampering and relaxation.

With Ian Schrager’s vision and Marriott’s signature warm hospitality, The London EDITION is without a doubt one of the city’s finest design hotels.

Room rates at The London EDITION Hotel start from £285 per room per night. For more information and booking, visit: www.edition-hotels.marriott.com/london

Chérie City was a guest of The London EDITION Hotel

Photos by Chérie City (Berners Tavern by The London EDITION Hotel)

Hotels, Hotels - Budget, Hotels - Design, London

Qbic Hotel London City

January 31, 2014 by cheriecity

Qbic Hotel London City is the city’s most exciting new affordable design hotel, with an innovative room concept and budget-friendly prices.

Founded in Amsterdam, Qbic Hotels take a fresh look at the budget city hotel experience with only the essential amenities, plus lots of convenient extras to make a stay more relaxed and enjoyable.

While many East End hotels and restaurant tend to be clustered around Shoreditch and Hoxton, Qbic Hotel London City occupies a more ‘under the radar’ position in Whitechapel. Just a few steps away from the renowned Whitechapel Gallery, buzzing Brick Lane and Spitalfields Market, the hotel is also conveniently close to Aldgate East underground station with quick access to central London.

On arrival, we were greeted by a friendly member of staff, who helped us check in using the self check-in kiosks. They were simple and easy to use, dispatching the room key and a receipt with the room number and check-out information.

The lift that we took to our floor features a cool wall-mounted electric guitar and information about the hotel and local events.

Our third-floor room was happily far away from the lifts, avoiding any noise, and in the corridor is a hot drinks machines offering lattes, cappuccinos, mochas and hot water for English Breakfast and herbal teas.

Entering our Park View Room, we were greeted by a super-sized Princess Diana and cheeky little Justin Bieber on the headboard – a fun design touch and a real talking point (especially with Justin Bieber’s current antics).

The room was spacious and simply designed, with a table and chair, full-length mirror, wooden floorboards and large windows.

Dutch designer Sander Bokkinga has specially created a striking lamp made from a hosepipe and a multi-functional luggage stand with hanging space and shelfs for belongings. It certainly captures the imagination and the creative spirit of the artistic East End, plus there are hangers and hooks on the wall for extra space (a few wall-mounted shelves would be nice too).

The focal point of the room is the ‘cubi’ which comprises a king-sized bed with an integrated 32-inch LED Smart TV, a lamp and a well-appointed bathroom. Constructed from curved plastic, wood paneling and glass, the pre-fabricated cubi is easy and affordable for the hotel to set up, keeping prices down for guests.

I found the bed extremely comfortable and luxurious with good bed linen and handy space-saving wooden side trays. The bedding was a little unusual with just two thin and basic pillows and a duvet that was almost double thickness, making it rather stifling at night.

I liked that each side of the bed had mood lighting switches and electrical sockets, making it easy to use a laptop or tablet in bed. The high-speed wifi is fantastic and can be accessed by simply entering a general password.

The bathroom is surprisingly slick with a powerful rainfall shower, a wide bowl sink and plenty of towels – even the zesty yellow colour of the walls is uplifting. In the bathroom are two large bottles of Emerelle Spa Hair & Body Wash (made for hotels), which were perfectly adequate for a shower, but guests need to bring their own conditioner and body lotion.

Guest rooms come without a telephone and while it’s not always an amenity that I use often, I can’t help thinking it’s a security issue not to have any channel of communication between the reception and the many guest rooms on the floor. There should at least be one phone that connects only the the reception and emergency services in the corridor, just in case.

A perk of staying at Qbic London City is the cool, atmospheric lounge where guests can enjoy complimentary tea and coffee in take-out cups and purified water. There are a number of jazzy Union Flag vending machines stocking locally-sourced snacks and drinks – we couldn’t resist trying a bottle of Dalston Cola.

Every evening at 6pm, Qbic Hotel London City offers guests complimentary home-made soup and fresh bread provided by local partner, Food Cycle. It’s a thoughtful touch that gives that home away from home feeling. There is also a microwave and kitchen station for preparing food – ideal for those visiting London on a budget, or just wanting a low-key evening.

In the morning, we enjoyed a continental breakfast (£7.50), including a selection of high quality produce such as Chegworth juices, delicious blueberry muffins, freshly-baked croissants, bread, cheese, preserves, cereal and fruit. For a lighter breakfast, all guests can fill a paper bag with a complimentary Chegworth juice, gourmet cereal bar and a piece of fresh fruit, displayed at the reception.

Qbic Hotel London City is a fun, affordable place to stay and it couldn’t be better placed for discovering East London. It best suits individuals or couples on a short stay in the city, particularly as the cubi bathrooms lack privacy. With cutting-edge design and home comforts, Qbic Hotels are set to revolutionise the city hotel stay and I can’t wait to see more of them popping up in Europe’s coolest cities.

A double room at Qbic Hotel London City starts from just £59 per night and includes a complimentary breakfast bag for each guest. For more information and booking, visit: www.qbichotels.com

Chérie City was invited by Qbic Hotel London City

All photos by Chérie City

Bars, Breakfast, Hotels, Hotels - Design, Hotels - Luxury, London, Music, Restaurants, Spa

A Luxury Staycation at Sanderson London

October 3, 2012 by cheriecity

Staycations are my one of my favourite indulgences and Sanderson is such a fabulous destination hotel that it’s easy to forget all about London and the outside world.

Sanderson is a dreamy, surreal urban resort where innovative design is matched with a cool ambiance and friendly, attentive service. Part of the petite and perfectly hip Morgans Hotel Group, Sanderson is designed by Philippe Starck and there are a number of his witty touches to discover around the hotel.

The hotel is perfectly located in the heart of London’s shopping district, just a few steps from Tottenham Court Road, however my staycation was all about pure relaxation.

Agua Spa

I started my visit in a blissful state with the hotel’s signature Milk and Honey treatment at Agua Spa. This heavenly 55 minute full body treatment consisted of a dry brush exfoliation, followed by hot honey lightly massaged into my skin and rinsed away with warm milk and flannels. My therapist then slathered on fragrant rose oil to soften my skin, followed by a light head massage. I usually go for facials or massages when visiting a spa, so it was a welcome change to try a body treatment solely to condition and moisturise my skin.

Agua Spa has a very unique design – there are no walls dividing the 14 all-white treatment rooms, only billowing white drapes. I found the quiet hum of the therapists quite relaxing, but there are iPods available to block out any sound. The changing rooms and elegant relaxation lounge are ever so luxurious but best of all are the private meditation pods where you can unwind and watch TV behind your own curtain.

Madhatter’s Tea

After my spa treatment, the indulgence continued with Sanderson’s famous Madhatter’s Tea in the tranquil Courtyard Garden. Included in the afternoon tea is a glass of Laurent-Perrier Brut NV Champagne or one of three different cocktails. I chose the refreshing Lucid Spark – Camomile infused Cariel vanilla vodka shaken with fresh apple juice and elderflower cordial – and ordered a pot of Earl Grey tea.

We were served a plate of dainty rainbow coloured finger sandwiches, followed by a pretty stand filled with layers of traditional scones served with Alain Milliat strawberry preserve and clotted cream and scrumptious cakes. Sometimes afternoon teas can be too heavy on the sweets, however Sanderson offers a modest yet generously sized trio – The Queen of Hearts Strawberry and Cream Mousse, Chocolate Opera Rabbit’s Clock and a three layer ‘Drink Me’ bottle.

The afternoon tea finishes on a fun note with a Blueberry Lollipop that turns your mouth from hot to cold and a Hazelnut Praline Ice-Cream Lollipop coated in popping candy. The friendly staff asked on arrival if we had any food allergies and I was impressed that the pastry chef made an entirely new Chocolate Opera Cake avoiding coffee, just for me.

The Room

Before dinner, we had some time to get settled in to our rooms and chill out. My Superior King Room on the fourth floor was a serene sanctuary designed entirely in white, with just a few colour highlights. At the centre of the room is the magnificent king-size sleigh bed with adjoining work desk, on a large grey rug inspired by Voltaire’s handwriting. I meant to study the rug to see if I recognised which Voltaire novel the excerpt was taken from, but I was distracted by the bed, which was covered in the most exquisite Egyptian cotton linen and was exceptionally comfortable and inviting.

The bedroom also features a large flat screen HDTV on a sliding stand, iPod docking station, powerful air-conditioning, a full-length mirror, a well-stocked minibar, two bottles of complimentary mineral water and some cool Philippe Starck hand weights for an in-room workout (I couldn’t resist trying out the weights after dinner).

The only thing missing from the beautiful room is free wifi, which you might expect as standard from a such a youthful, design-led lifestyle brand.

Behind the sheer white curtain is a large open-plan bathroom and dressing area with plenty wardrobe and storage space. Instead of a bath tub, there is a slick walk-in shower, a full set of bathroom products by Malin + Goetz and bathrobes and slippers.

Dinner & Music in the Courtyard

Later that evening, we returned to Suka for supper and Sanderson Sessions, featuring Swedish/Australian duo Say Lou Lou. Twins Miranda and Elektra Kilbey performed their stunning debut single ‘Maybe You’ and a few as yet unreleased songs to a full crowd.

Saint Lou Lou’s sound is a mix of dreamy, panoramic synth pop and sultry, wistful vocals, but there’s a real power and intensity to their performance and they have lots of stage presence. It was exciting to see such a new band play outside of the typical gig environment and their first album, which they are currently recording in London, is sure to be on everyone’s radar soon.

At night, the courtyard garden at Suka twinkles with tiny tea lights and there is something romantic and fun about dining outside (under the heated lamps, of course). With the delicious Malaysian street food menu, it felt like we were transported from central London to a cool rooftop restaurant in the Far East, reminding me of my trip to Singapore earlier this year.

The menu at Suka is so appealing that it may be hard to choose, but the best way to experience the food is by ordering 2-3 dishes plus a sayuran (side dish) per person and then sharing. We started with a glass of Champagne and then tucked into authentic Chicken Satay, Crispy Squid, Beef Rendang, Wok-fried Noodles with Lobster, Spring Rolls and many other dishes. For dessert, I finished with the Berries with White Chocolate Sauce, which was a light and reasonably healthy way to end the meal.

Cocktails in the Purple Bar

For a great cocktail to match the fragrant, aromatic dishes, I highly recommend the excellent Lychee Martini – fresh lychees shaken with Bulldog Gin, sweetened with gomme syrup. The Long Bar gets lively and busy into the late evening, but for somewhere more intimate, try a bespoke cocktail at the residents only Purple Bar or play a game of pool in the Billiards Room.

Breakfast

After an excellent sleep in the divine bed, we regrouped for breakfast at Suka. I ordered Eggs Benedict and enjoyed a few freshly-baked mini pastries from the buffet, served with English Breakfast tea and fresh apple juice. The breakfast menu offers everything you could possibly want to start the day, whether it’s a full cooked breakfast, an indulgent Champagne breakfast or a healthy option.

Before leaving, we visited the Lobby Shop curated by Luna & Curious, offering unique prints, designer jewellery, homeware and quirky souvenirs – it’s easily one of the coolest hotel gift shops in the world.

Sanderson is the perfect base for style-conscious travellers who appreciate exceptional hotel facilities as well as a great city to explore. For Londoners, the Madhatter’s Tea or an evening of Malaysian street food and cocktails at Sanderson Sessions are absolute musts.

For more information and booking, visit: www.morganshotelgroup.com

Chérie City was a guest of Sanderson

Photos by Chérie City and Sanderson

Bars, Hotels, Hotels - Design, London

Mixology At The Zetter Townhouse Cocktail Lounge

June 24, 2011 by cheriecity

This year I had the pleasure of staying at Clerkenwell’s eccentric new boutique hotel, The Zetter Townhouse. We lounged elegantly in The Townhouse Suite and came downstairs for an indulgent night cap at The Zetter Townhouse Cocktail Lounge.

The Cocktail Lounge is a quirky collaboration between The Zetter and the creators of the highly-esteemed 69 Colebrook Row, Tony Conigliaro and Camille Hobby Limon.

Bartender Simon told us tales of the hotel’s patron, the illustrious Wilhelmina and her travels around the world. He also treated us to a demonstration of two of their most delicious drinks – Les Fleurs du Mal and The Master At Arms.

Follow the step-by-step guide and make cocktails with a history that will get everyone talking…

Les Fleurs du Mal – Rose vodka, lemon juice with a hint of La Maison Fontaine Absinthe…

The Master At Arms – Myers Rum, port evaporation with homemade grenadine…

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

Chérie City was a guest of The Zetter Townhouse

All photos and video footage by Chérie City.

Hotels - Design, London

The Zetter to open The Zetter Townhouse

December 8, 2010 by cheriecity

Clerkenwell’s effortlessly stylish boutique hotel The Zetter, is extending its family to include a Georgian townhouse just on the other side of St John’s Square.

The Townhouse is set to be The Zetter’s petite, charming cousin, filled with designer objects and eclectic artworks collected on the global travels of owners Mark Sainsbury and Michael Benyam.

Designer Russell Sage has been enlisted to give the Townhouse a dramatic, English Eccentric look that will be in contrast with the modern-vintage, high design of The Zetter Hotel.

The Zetter Townhouse will offer a more intimate, luxury B&B environment than The Zetter with just eleven rooms and two suites. Guests can hide away from the London crowds in one of the luxurious rooms or indeed book the entire Townhouse for a really decadent party.

Renowned drinks pioneer, Tony Congliaro has designed an ‘apothecary’-style bar which will serve up well-mixed cocktails and night caps.

Other homely comforts include a basement games room and private dining, sourced from Bistro Bruno Loubet at The Zetter Hotel.

The Zetter Townhouse opens late March 2011.