The London Edition
A new generation of luxury at the London outpost of the Edition group
Hotelier Ian Schrager has done it again, creating one of the big smoke’s trendiest hangouts with a sophisticated restaurant and buzzing bars. Style and image are the draw at the London Edition Hotel where Michelin starred chefs and hip bars complement the boutique property’s sleek, contemporary image. Located in a desirable location just north of Oxford Street, the grand hotel occupies a spot in the super central, yet quiet neighbourhood of Fitzrovia. Appealing to the A-list crowd with its mid-century style rooms and slick wood panelled walls, regal Belle Époque interiors and bustling lobby bar, the hotel morphes substance and style very well.
The gorgeous lobby
Setting the scene
Ian Schrager’s considered, gimmick-free design has given the stucco, marble and stained glass of the historic lobby a funky edge. Textures are warm and tactile: mustard velvet upholstery, warm green leather, the walls burnt ochre. The real wow factor, though, comes from the Berners Tavern restaurant, with its 18ft-high stucco ceiling, open-plan dining room and look-at-me art-gallery walls, which takes up a large portion of the ground floor. The overall décor tips its hat to old-school London members clubs but the atmosphere isn’t stuffy or aloof at all – there’s a surprisingly relaxed feel to the place. It’s a natural clientele for Schrager, so expect the trendy, glamorous, and social.
Our cosy terrace bedroom
The Room
Simple, wood-clad room interiors give a nod to the interior of a luxury yacht. They’re slick and sexy, with Scandi wishbone chairs, Schrager’s trademark floor-to-ceiling white curtains, and gold-framed photographs by Hendrik Kerstens. Our room was fabulously quiet – a perfect relief to the hubbub below. The bathroom in our room was slightly out of kilter with the rest of the hotel’s style, kept to a basic all-white theme, which although clean and serene, left me pining for that pretty wood panelling and more eclectic decor. Most rooms come with enclosed rainforest showers, while larger rooms and suites feature free-standing tubs. We stayed in the terrace room overlooking the other side of Berners Street, which came with a sun-facing outdoor seating area.
Dining
Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Jason Atherton’s ground-floor Berners Tavern is the beating heart of the hotel and serves one of the best afternoon teas in London. Berners Tavern has fed fashion icons (Erin O’Connor, Jourdan Dunn) and A-listers (George Clooney, Alexa Chung) and Meghan Markle has been said to be a big fan. I only had breakfast in the grandeur dining room during this stay, but I have been previously for dinner - which was very good. Then there’s the lobby cocktail bar and the oak-panelled, reservation-only Punch Room, with its plush chairs, low lighting serving up some mean cocktails.
Berners Tavern
Breakfast is served!
Thoughts
It’s no easy task to repurpose an ancient period building and inject it with contemporary flair, while keeping the historic accents but the Edition successfully merges these two with ease. Service throughout the hotel is absolutely flawless, being a factor that made my stay so memorable. Whilst I’ve stayed in plenty of properties that have stellar facilities, it’s rare to find a property that also goes above and beyond in terms of service. Staff throughout the entire property were incredibly warm, professional, and eager to please - from the staff in all of the restaurants, to those at reception, and even the cheery bell boy, who gave us the warmest welcome upon our arrival. I love the award-show after party vibe of the lobby bar, the sleek wood panelled rooms with their faint 1950s yacht style, and iconic Berner’s Tavern. The hip and stylish London Edition is miles ahead of the pack.
