London Hotels with a Story to Tell
From classic to contemporary and even eccentric, five hospitality ventures that we’ve come to love
Visitors to London are spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting a home away from home. The city is booming and there are worthy hotel options on innumerable corners in so many neighborhoods. As travelers choose the perfect stay, they take into account so many considerations: location, budget, amenities and, above all, character. An intriguing story, that fills you with excitement, is a treasured trait whether that be a hotel with a rich heritage whose interiors still speak of that era or a contemporary place with a clear vision thoughtfully intended to represent an identity. Here are five London hotels with a story that we’ve come to love.
Beaverbrook Town House
Politician and proprietor of the legendary Daily Express and Sunday Express, Lord Beaverbrook made quite the mark in English society of the early 20th century. As well as being good friends with Sir Winston Churchill, he was notorious for throwing extravagant gatherings attended by high-profile politicians, celebrities and socialites in his country manor in Surrey. This residence was later converted into a fantastic hotel by business partners Joel Cadbury and Ollie Vigors who, only a few years ago, acquired and restored two stunning Georgian properties in the city of London in which they opened the Beaverbrook Town House. Facing the exclusive Cadogan Gardens and their 300-year-old Mulberry trees, this quiet city retreat is situated in the heart of Chelsea. Similar to the manor in Surrey, the townhouse integrates quintessential British charm, reimagining the flamboyant lifestyle of the British Lord and translating this into its decor. Interiors exude classic grandeur with nods to emblematic cultural aspects of the city; the fourteen suites, designed by Nicola Harding, are named after London’s historic theatres and feature sumptuous fabrics, four poster beds, illustrations and playful contrasting colors. The townhouse is further enriched with over 500 works of art, including artistic works from Japan, a particular interest of Lord Beaverbrook. This transformed into the inspiration behind The Fuji Bar and Restaurant which, alongside showcasing woodblock prints depicting the “thirty-six views of Mount Fuji,” presents a Japanese-inspired menu.
1 Hotel Mayfair
Set along Berkeley Street, on the most luxurious corner of London, is 1 Hotel Mayfair: a nature-driven hotel oriented toward recharging and retreating from the city while offering views across Green Park. What’s so particular about this place, and all 1 Hotels, is the meticulous research and attention to detail in integrating nature and natural materials even before you enter the doors. Outside, it presents itself as a vertical forest with an abundance of plants clinging onto the structure and, upon entry, you’re welcomed by a striking chandelier by Parisian artist Patrick Nadeau made up of 50,000 strands of air plants. This green-inspired fil rouge seeps throughout the hotel, from the 181 rooms and suites (each featuring a preserved moss-covered wall) including the largest one-bedroom Penthouse Suite in Mayfair to the Dovetale restaurant (where two-Michelin star chef Tom Sellers spotlights high quality British produce), the Dover Yard bar and the Bamford Wellness Spa, which hosts the philosophy of organic pioneer and founder of the wellness spa at Daylesford Organic Farm in the Cotswolds, Carole Bamford. Here the noise of Piccadilly fades among the nature-driven spaces enhanced by the 1,300 individual plants and landscape art displayed throughout the space.
Raffles London at the OWO
Formerly the Palace of Whitehall, royal residence of the British Monarchs between the 16th and 17th centuries, the Old War Office in London was completed in 1906 by architect William Young. Throughout the 20th century it stood as a silent witness to world-shaping events and saw within its walls a number of Britain’s legends including Sir Winston Churchill, Lord Haldane, Earl Kitchener and John Profumo. It was also here that Ian Fleming found inspiration for James Bond, with the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service sparking the character M. In 2023, Raffles acquired the property and transformed its precious walls into a 120-room hotel with a further 85 private residences. The interiors, designed by Thierry Despont, have been sensitively reimagined to preserve many historical features, especially in the five Heritage Suites which were once the offices of the aforementioned political and military leaders. Within Raffles at the OWO, there are nine restaurants with three exclusive dining venues by acclaimed chef Mauro Colagreco as well as three bars, each with their own guise: a classic afternoon tea at The Drawing Room, oysters and champagne at The Guards Bar and, for the more intimate cocktail experience, the speakeasy Spy Bar. There is also a spa signed Guerlain with treatment suites, indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room and TechnoGym equipped fitness room.
Ham Yard Hotel
Kit Kemp, co-owner of Firmdale Hotels with her husband, Tim, truly unleashed her inner interior-design instincts with the Ham Yard Hotel. We’re told that it was a challenge due to the hotel’s sizable structure, but within its walls resides a tapestry of quintessential British aura. Set on a three-quarter acre site in the heart of Soho, the 91-roomed hotel also houses 24 residential apartments, a restaurant, lounge and orangery (where an afternoon tea perfect for savoring light, fluffy scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam is a must), a library, spa, bar and an original 1950s four-lane bowling alley with very suave decor featuring South African handcrafted sofas and three driftwood crocodiles. The latter, Kemp describes as “completely bonkers, but perfect because many years ago I used to go to a place called The Croc, so I thought ‘fantastic, we’re going to create a new Croc Bar,'” It goes without saying that the Ham Yard Hotel was a canvas for Kemp to paint her personality, influences, creative vision and passion. Within each space, she thoughtfully coordinates joyful fabrics, textures and colors using both her own fabric designs and wallpapers as well as those in collaboration with Christopher Farr and Chelsea Textiles complete with handcrafted items from India and bespoke lighting by Gareth Devonald Smith. Artwork further enhances the vision, with a Martha Freud light installation at the restaurant, mixed media art by Jack Milroy at the spa and, outdoors, a contemporary bronze sculpture by British artist Tony Cragg.
The Twenty Two
Perched on the corner of Grosvenor Square is an Edwardian building with its white Portland stone façade that treasures within a tapestry of sumptuous colours and motifs across its interiors. This is The Twenty Two, one of our favorite hotel stays in recent years. Navid Mirtorabi and business partner Jamie Reuben transformed this residential establishment into a plush 31-room hotel, restaurant and members club, bringing in interior designer Natalia Miyar to revamp the spaces. Every room (which is different) has been meticulously designed to the slightest detail, from the gold door keys (wardrobes included) to the black joinery (inspired by Christian Dior’s Parisian apartment), Pierre Frey wallpapers, hand-blown glass table lamps and decadent Tyson London chandeliers. This extravaganza is relayed in The Members Club to which hotel guests have access throughout their stay; each of the four spaces are distinct, but its the Music and Dining Room that invites visitors in a lavish scarlet space where you can savor oysters, champagne or a late-night cocktail with the DJ playing in the backdrop. The restaurant offers classic decor with 19th century panelling painted in shades of blue, and the cuisine, spearheaded by Alan Christie, presents the best of Britain with one of the most sought after beef wellingtons in the city.
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