London in 2011 will not only have been synonymous with the wedding of the century. This year will also undoubtedly go down in the annals of the hotel industry. If the figures put forward by the London authorities are to be believed, 10,618 new rooms in all categories will have been opened or are due to open this year.
In this abundance of four and five stars, it's hard to discern the predominance of any one style. In terms of extravagance, the real novelty of spring 2011 was the arrival of the fortieth W in the world on the night of 14 February. Business travellers with a disco spirit, or rather an arty spirit, will be delighted to be greeted in the first-floor lobby by a barrage of sparkling disco balls, in the heart of Leicester Square's theatre district. That's why one of the other original features of the place is a 39-seat cinema specially opened for private screenings and previews. Here, playfulness and uniqueness, two hallmarks of the brand, are deployed in ultra-contemporary architecture, all curves and glass, but also in a series of nods to a quirky 'Britishness': XXL versions of Chesterfield sofas in the W Lounge; tartan cushions and a watermark Union Jack in the design of the Library Lounge bookcase. "In the lifts, the design of the leather upholstery is also reminiscent of the British flag".says Simon Warrington, the hotel's marketing director. While the 192 rooms are divided into three categories - wonderful, spectacular, fabulous - as in all the other Ws, the London imprint is as unmistakable as it is whimsical.
Classicism and extravagance
But that doesn't mean that the English capital has forgotten about lovers of classicism. The arrival this spring of the Corinthia brand, for example, has been hailed as a double event. Firstly, because this discreet group, which was born in Malta in the 60s, wanted to make its London property its own. "flagship. Secondly, and above all, because it has succeeded. Housed in a fantastic building dating back to 1885, which was once one of the great hotels of Victorian London and was later transformed into offices, the Corinthia has managed to play up the original splendour of the site, with its columns, high ceilings and immense spaces, with elegant luxury. Among the marble, the refined Baccarat chandeliers and the floral arrangements of an almost old-fashioned grace, 294 rooms, including 43 suites - seven of which are duplexes - exude a vintage charm reminiscent of the 1940s. "We wanted this hotel to take the brand into a new sphere, one of assertive luxury".explains Claire Durnford, Head of Public Relations for the Group. This commitment is also reflected in the hotel's services. One of its two restaurants, the Northall, with its brown leather armchairs and imposing stuccoes, offers cuisine made from the produce of small local producers, while the Massimo, an oyster bar run by an Italian chef, is already attracting the attention of the whole of London. As for the spa, even the busiest business travellers will make a point of dropping in. The four floors of pure relaxation are decadently sober.
1-Corinthia has made a remarkable arrival in London, part of an exceptional wave - of luxury hotel openings, the total value of which is estimated at over a billion euros.
2 - Old glory of the local hotel industry, the Savoy has been restored to its former glory under the leadership of Pierre- Yves Rochon.
3 - On the other side of the world With its 'so British' classicism, the W immerses its customers in a playful, even eccentric atmosphere, reminiscent of the heyday of Swinging London.
Such a vast spa is certainly a rare luxury in a metropolis like London. Except, perhaps, at the Four Seasons at Park Lane, where the tenth and top floor is entirely devoted to it. From the treatment rooms and glass-enclosed sauna, the view is magical, almost surreal. The hotel, built in 1970, is the oldest establishment in operation since the creation of the brand. But for two years, until February 2011, the building was completely restructured, with only the façade remaining as it was originally. "So it's not just a simple renovation. It's a real reopening".says John Stauss, Regional Vice President of the Group and Director of the hotel. "Admittedly, we have slightly fewer rooms than before, but our suites are much more spacious."he adds, pointing out that "Pierre-Yves Rochon has been entrusted with the decoration".. The same man who helped revive the Savoy. This 1889 jewel was closed for three years before reopening on the symbolic date of 10/10/2010. This 120-year-old hotel really needed an overhaul of its infrastructure," explains Kiaran Mac- Donald, the hotel's manager. We've restored the Savoy to its former glory, but brought it into the 21st century." Here, as at the Four Seasons, small Art Deco touches blend with the original Edwardian style. "The renovations were supposed to cost £100 million (editor's note: €147 million). It ended up costing £220 million (€324 million), but the result is exceptional".Kiaran MacDonald proudly concludes, pointing out the view of the Thames from one of the 62 suites.
In the classic category, the Hyatt Regency The Churchill is an excellent business hotel, taken over by the American group in 2004. Since then, the hotel has undergone a series of improvements and refurbishments, but it has never stopped operating and offering attractive packages, particularly to its cor porate guests. This 434-bedroom hotel overlooks the delightful Portman Square, close to Oxford Street and Mayfair, and offers three Executive floors, the "Regency Club roomsThese include two lounges, a concierge area and private check-in. In addition to breakfast, guests on the Executive floors enjoy evening cocktails and free access to a private meeting room for one hour. "We want to focus on our business customers".explains Henny Frazer, Marketing Director.
New meeting points
The spirit of the place is one of simple elegance, with touches of soothing mauve in The Montagu restaurant, the recently refurbished lounge and the bedrooms. The hotel also offers around fifty suites, including thirteen Regency Suites, with balconies overlooking the private park to which guests have access on request. A unique feature of the hotel is its partnership with Frieze Art Fair, a major contemporary art fair, making it a popular business and cultural venue for business travellers and Londoners alike.
With its spirit "casualThe Andaz Liverpool Street has also become a popular meeting place in the British capital. This former station hotel dating from 1884 offers 267 contemporary-style rooms and five bars and restaurants, including the highly popular 1901. Its opening in 2008 marked the launch by the Hyatt group of a new brand that breaks the mould of upmarket hotels - Andaz, which translates as "the best of the best". "personal style in Hindi - with a personalised welcome, laptop check-in, WiFi and minibar contents "healthy included in the price.
London also boasts a plethora of new four-star business hotels. In December 2010, the Mint Hotel Tower of London, a highly functional 583-bedroom hotel, opened in the heart of the City. "All our hotels are brand new. We don't renovate old buildings because we want to ensure maximum ecological and technological potential".explains Jihane Mamouri, spokeswoman for Mint Hotel, a Scottish group founded ten years ago. Until now little known internationally, as it has only been present in Great Britain, Mint has just launched on the European market, with an opening in Amster dam. With a concept "up-to-date The Mint Tower of London is a four-star hotel with a business and technology focus, offering iMac computers in all rooms, 24-hour room service and excellent meeting facilities. Those of the Mint Tower of London, from the twelfth floor, offer splendid views over the Thames. In a more classic spirit, the Accor group has just launched an MGallery in London, a new label grouping together hotels that offer a wide range of services. "with a soul.
And St Ermin's is certainly not lacking in this respect. Not only is it located opposite Scotland Yard, which gives it an infinitely London feel, but in April 2011 it took up residence in a delightfully ornate former hotel dating from the 1900s, all red brick and white stone. Despite the splendours of its rich past, including the grand staircase in the lobby and a few beehives for home-made honey, this 331-bedroom hotel is nonetheless very much a business hotel, offering a VIP lounge, two sumptuous conference rooms, fifteen small meeting rooms and a restaurant tailored to business meals.
Arrival at St Pancras station
The long list of new developments includes an Aloft hotel, "little sister de W, launched by Starwood Hotels in 2008 and distinguished by its affordable design rooms with an anti-conformist spirit, will open this autumn in the ExCeL business district. In the five-star category, 45 Park Lane, part of the Dorchester Collection, is due to open this autumn. Next up in 2012 will be the Bulgari Hotel, due to open in spring in Knightsbridge, the Inter Continental Westminster and the Edition, a boutique hotel resulting from the transformation of the historic Berners Hotel by the Ian Schrager-Marriott duo. As for the long-awaited Shangri-La, we will have to wait until 2013 to discover it in an iconic building designed by Renzo Piano, The Shard, whose slender shape will dominate the London skyline.
Design and functionalityThe Mint Hotel Tower of London is a perfect example of a business hotel that has fully entered the 21st century.
But while we wait for the rest of the festivities, and before taking the Eurostar back to France, we must make one last stop, right inside St Pancras station, in a place we can't quite tell whether it's a museum or a hotel. In fact, guided tours by a historian take place every day in this Renaissance hotel. Its official opening took place on 5 May 2011, exactly 138 years after the inauguration of what had been the Midland Grand Hotel, one of the most expensive and modern establishments in London at the end of the 19th century. Still full of the real and dream journeys of the Victorian era, this place immerses visitors in the world of the English Pre-Raphaelites. With its neo-Gothic style, this veritable jewel, 18 suites out of 245 rooms have windows overlooking the station, offering an absolutely unprecedented and truly transporting vision! The place has been marvellously preserved and brought up to date in the pure respect of what it was in its heyday. And all for the modest sum of 150 million pounds, or 221 million euros. In this world of rosewood panelling, frescoes, arches and painted scenes that look like something out of The Name of the Rose, you can work in 21st century style, efficiently and quickly, without the slightest fear of not being able to connect to the WiFi network or miss your train.
Notepad
W London Leicester Square10 Wardour Street, Leicester Square
- Phone: +44 20 77 58 10 00
- Internet : www.wlondon.co.uk
The Savoy, Strand
- Tel.: +44 20 7836 43 43
- Internet : www.fairmont.com/savoy
The Four Seasons London at Park LaneHamilton Place, Park Lane
- Phone: +44 74 99 08 88
- Internet: www.fourseasons.com/london
Aloft London ExcelOne Eastern Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock
- Phone: +44 20 72 90 71 70
- Internet: www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels (opening on 31/10/2011)
Corinthia LondonWhitehall Place
- Tel.: +44 20 79 30 81 81
- Internet : www.corinthia.com/london
St. Pancras Renaissance London HotelSt. Pancras Station, Euston Road
- Tel.: +44 20 78 41 35 40
- Internet : www.stpancrasrenaissance.co.uk
Sr Ermin's HotelCaxton Street
- Tel.: + 44 20 72 27 77 78
- Internet : www.sterminshotel.co.uk
The Churchill Hyatt Regence30 Portman Square
- Phone: +44 20 74 86 58 00
- Internet: london.churchill.hyatt.com
Andaz Hotel40 Liverpool Street
- Tel.: + 44 20 79 61 12 34
- Internet : london.liverpoolstreet.andaz.hyatt.com
Mint Hotel Tower London7 Pepys Street Tel: +44 207 709 1000
- Internet: www.worldhotels.com/minthoteltoweroflondon or www.minthotel.com/our-hotels/london-tower-london
45 Park Lane45 Park Lane
- Tel.: +44 20 74 93 45 45
- Internet : www.45parklane.com
