The Luxury Travel Bible - LUXURY HOTELS The Beaumont Mayfair, London

LUXURY Hotels: The BEAUMONT MAYFAIR LONDON

UBER-RESTAURANTEURS Chris Corbin and Jeremy King have just opened their first hotel in London and all of Mayfair is aflutter. And why not? Everybody knows that Corbin and King's The Wolsey (hard to believe it has been open a decade) and the three year old The Delaunay are eating institutions. Who wouldn't want a hotel where the morning repast is guaranteed to be as good as the legendary breakfasts at The Wolsey (devilled kidneys anyone?)

The new hotel is an art Deco delight. F Scott Fitzgerald would have been right at home. Part New York gentleman's club part Daisy Buchanan boudoir, the hotel has been created inside a 1926 building overlooking Brown Hart Gardens, one of Mayfair's leafiest squares. It is only one block from Selfridges department store and a Manolo'd stroll from the exclusive shops on Mount Street, South Audley Street and Bond Street (for those who about such things).

the beaumont lobby the luxury Travel bible
the beaumont lobby the luxury Travel bible
beaumont colony grill table the luxury travel bible
beaumont cub room  the luxury travel bible
the beaumont exteriorthe luxury travel bible
the beaumont gormley room the luxury travel bible
beaumont bathroom with bath the luxury travel bible

The entrance sets the tone with a revolving door leading to a polished wood lobby, with black and white chequerboard floors and leather chairs. Jeremy King has channelled fictional character Jimmy Beaumont to be an inspiration for the interiors (actually created by Richmond international) and the whole hotel has a clubby feel with more leather in the American bar and low slung light and private booths in the Colony Grill. The private residents Lounge is the height of exclusivity.

Rooms are slick and chic with marble and chrome bathroom and bespoke toiletries provided exclusively for the hotel by British perfumer D R Harris. The feel is Art Deco but the tech is very 21st century with integrated media everywhere. Spa-wise we're loving the hamman and dry steam spa. And the well-equipped fitness centre, treatment rooms and salon.

Without doubt the biggest talking point in this hotel is ROOM, the special suite created by artist Antony Gormley. London-based Gormley is best known as the creator of the Angel of the North sculpture in Newcastle. From outside it looks like a giant transformer standing guard over the building. Inside the space is more or less a conventional luxury suite until you come to the three storey bedroom that Gormley designed.

Reached by narrow stairs the bedroom, is located inside the artist's statue. Taller than it is wide, with huge wood-paneled cubes on the ceiling, the narrow space is more wooden cave than bedroom. Gormley himself describe it as, 'a cave, a tomb, a womb or a padded cell'. With the main lights switched off ,carefully placed halogens are intended to create a dreamlike feeling of infinity and the night sky. It is a room which guarantees, if not a good night sleep, then certainly an interactive art experience. Arty types will love it, claustrophobics won't.

It's the perfect room to stay in for this month's (October) London Frieze Art Fair.

Address: 8 Balderton Street, Brown Hart Gardens, Mayfair, London W1K 6TF, UK

Luxury links: www.thebeaumont.com , www.antonygormley.com, https://preferredhotelgroup.com

 

Hilary Doling 10/110/14


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