If you want a taste of classic, upper crust New York, head to the deliciously understated Mark Hotel. This historic spot, which boasts 150 Art Deco-influenced rooms and suites, recently swept to international fame after Meghan Markle picked as the place to host her baby shower party. She booked the hotel's lofty penthouse, which comes in at an eye-watering $75,000 a night. As soon as you pull up to The Mark, you're transported to a world of refined luxury, with suited doormen ready to greet you and well-groomed guests wafting in and out. The lobby features low ceilings, sparkling monochr...
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If you’re looking for a spot to stay with the city on your doorstep then pack your bags and head for The Trafalgar St. James. This hotel boats a top location, with rooms and a magnificent rooftop looking out over Trafalgar Square. From the National Gallery to the West End, there’s a wealth of options to keep visitors busy. I checked into the hotel on a Friday before Christmas and the small lobby area was a hive of activity with people wheeling cases through. The check in process was swift and I was directed to room 506 on the 5th floor (in total there are 131 rooms at the hotel). I liked ...
Read more →I hadn’t been to The Bloomsbury Hotel for some years but on a recent visit there I couldn’t believe the transformation. The historic 153-room property underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment last year masterminded by interiors pro Martin Brudnizki, who has worked on iconic London venues such as The Ivy and Scott’s. The place now oozes sex appeal, with luxuriously warm interiors enveloping you from the bustling concrete world outside. A few of my friends had mentioned the Coral Room, which is an impressive bar located on the ground floor but I ventured to the hotel on a Monday night to...
Read more →It's somewhere I've walked by numerous times, but now I know what's lurking inside 30 Portman Square it's somewhere I'd definitely recommend as a more luxurious spot to stay in the city. The rather austere-looking building is home to the five-star Hyatt Regency London The Churchill, named and decorated in honour of the former Prime Minister. Not only does the place boast a prime location - around the corner from Marble Arch tube station and Hyde Park - it also serves up top notch service and delicious food, with a Michelin star restaurant on site. The moment you step into the Hyatt Regency,...
Read more →Finding a good central hotel can prove tricky with pricing usually not offering what you expect. But the new Assembly London appears to fill a gap, with simple and funky rooms starting at £150. The hotel boasts a super convenient location, literally opposite Leicester Square tube station. It is like a neatly wrapped parcel, with the compact building it’s housed in utilised to its full potential. On walking into the Assembly it feels a little like a hip bar or nightclub with black and hot pink interiors. Check in at the small reception desk was swift and I was handed a key to my room on th...
Read more →I’ve lived in London for more than a decade but there’s always new things to discover. Last month, on a walk through the historic area of Clerkenwell, I stumbled across the Malmaison hotel and a few weeks later I decided to check it out with a friend from out of town who was visiting. The guesthouse boasts a lovely location, overlooking a small grassy park with plane trees yawning high into the sky. It’s just a stone’s throw from Farringdon tube station, but its leafy surrounding makes it feel a world away from the bustle of London. From the outside the Malmaison looks a little unapproacha...
Read more →They say 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' but who would dismiss a timely little nip and tuck? The London EDITION has performed a little maintenance to its Lobby Bar menu, without sacrificing familiarity, featuring a raft of new drinks and bar snacks... WE'LL DRINK TO THAT! With head bartender Robyn Wilkie at the helm, the Lobby Bar’s creative team has concocted an inspiring array of new cocktails, featuring the perfect mixture of fresh new recipes and returning classics. Highlights include the Havana Moon: a thoughtful twist on the popular classic, made with Havana 7, caramel stout and waln...
Read more →On walking into the Philippe Starck-designed Faena hotel in Buenos Aires you’re immediately transported into another world. Thick Alice and Wonderland meets a sexy dragon’s lair and you’ve got it in one. Triple-height ceilings give way to dramatic draped curtains and the place is dripping in blood-red swathes of fabric, from the carpet to the scatter cushions. Outdoors, the rouge theme continues and there is even an over-sized gold crown erected defiantly at one end of the swimming pool. I taxied over to the 105-room Faena hotel on a Friday night, to catch on of the best tango shows in the A...
Read more →Newly opened and hotly awaited, The Mandrake is an independent hotel tucked away in Fitzrovia. Owned by Beirut-born businessman Rami Fustok, the RIBA-award winning converted hotel is a five star sensory experience whose hedonistic properties seep from every nook and cranny; from the eclectic art curation and bamboo-clad garden terrace to the polished hotel suites and Michelin-star restaurant that lie within its walls. Waeska Bar at The Mandrake is located on the ground floor at the heart of the hotel, surrounded by an opulent collection of taxidermy, a luxury red velvet booth and miscellaneou...
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