World_Traveller_-_May_2019

26 worldtravellermagazine.com

1

KETTNER'S TOWNHOUSE LONDON

Where: Soho

If walls could talk, Kettner’s tales

would be enthralling. First opened

over 150 years ago by Napoleon III’s

former chef, this legendary French

restaurant was once the haunt

of Oscar Wilde – and its newly-

opened hotel is fast becoming hot

property too. The bedrooms are few

but fabulous, with richly-textured

wallpaper, vintage furniture and

deep-soak standalone bathtubs.

2

NEW ROAD HOTEL

Where: Whitechapel

Set in an old textile factory – where

the owners' father used to work –

New Road Hotel is the home of Marco

Pierre White’s latest restaurant, Mr.

White’s English Chophouse. While

that’s certainly a boon for business,

the hotel doesn’t rest on its laurels:

expect excellent service, edgy interior

design, and Loft rooms with al fresco

London-view hot tubs.

THE HOT HOTELS

From makeovers of historical abodes to spectacular, super-sized,

full-service apartments, London’s hotel offering has upped its game

again in the past year

3

THE DIXON

Where: Southwark

Capturing the creativity and

cultural clout of Southwark, The

Dixon champions local craftsmen:

everything from the imposing marble

staircase to the hotel’s own coffee

blend are British-made. The result? A

wholly unique twist on a much-loved

heritage property (it’s over 100 years

old) that’s guaranteed to set your

Insta alight.

4

FOUR SEASONS RESIDENCES AT

TEN TRINITY SQUARE

Where: City of London

For longer London stays, these ten

spectacular apartments top anywhere

else in the city. Each one boasts views

of the Tower of London and Tower

Bridge, and combines the comfort

and ease of a hotel with the luxury of

a private (and huge) apartment. The

Four Seasons hotel – and its Michelin-

starred dining, spa and fitness centre

• is a mere elevator ride below.

5

BELMOND CADOGAN HOTEL

Where: Chelsea

Guests at these luxurious lodgings

will be given the keys to Cadogan

Place gardens – one of Chelsea’s most

beautiful gated retreats. Festooned

with English roses, fruit trees, and

plenty of quiet nooks for a picnic, it’s

a little rural idyll in the heart of the

city. Just as you’d expect from the

Belmond brand, the hotel itself

is sublime.

6

VINTRY & MERCER

Where: City of London

With its leather door handles, silken

upholstery and velvet headboards,

Vintry & Mercer feels more like a

heritage property than a newbie (it’s

just a few months old), but those

plush interiors were inspired by the

area’s illustrious textile-trading past.

For front-row views of London’s

skyline (from the dome of St Paul’s

Cathedral to the tip of The Shard,

head to the Mercer Roof Terrace.

Kimpton Fitzroy London

The Dixon

L'oscar

worldtravellermagazine.com 27

7

WHITE CITY HOUSE

Where: White City

White City House, the BBC’s

former Television Centre, is one

of London’s greatest cultural

icons – so all eyes were on its

transformation into a members’

club and hotel last year. It didn’t

disappoint. With just 45 rooms,

a fabulous rooftop pool, and

exquisite dining in the Canteen

(one of many nods to the building’s

history), it’s an interesting and

intimate retreat.

8

KIMPTON FITZROY LONDON

HOTEL

Where: Bloomsbury

Behind the soaring archways of

its ornate 19th-century facade lies

the most extravagant newcomer

in London. After an £85 million

revamp, the Kimpton is pristine

and palatial: all multi-coloured

marble and rich dark woods, with

chandeliers the size of small cars.

Opt for a corner suite, and you can

gaze over Bloomsbury from your

gold-trimmed tub.

9

L'OSCAR

Where: Holborn

Inspired by the area’s theatrical

heritage (the West End is just

a stone’s throw away) L’oscar’s

interiors feel deliciously vaudeville:

think glittering chandeliers and

velvety claret tones. Jaques Garcia

• creator of New York’s The NoMad
  Hotel – is the design mastermind,
  while Michelin-starred chef Tony
  Fleming brings the culinary clout.

10

GREAT SCOTLAND YARD

HOTEL

Where: Westminster

Another of London’s great

landmarks to be reborn as a

five-star hotel, Great Scotland

Yard (the former HQ of London’s

Metropolitan Police) promises

decadent suites and destination

dining – though at time of press,

the opening date hasn’t yet been

confirmed. But if you’re in town

after this £110 million hotel has

launched, it would be criminal

Four Seasons Residences at Ten Trinity Square (sorry) to not take a look.

Belmond Cadogan Hotel THE LONDON SCENE

OR REVISIT A

CLASSIC...

Having completed the

most extensive restoration

in its 117-year history, the

Mandarin Oriental Hyde

Park, London reopened in

its entirety last month. The

fresh look includes two

newly created penthouse

suites.