Check in and bliss out The new-gen luxury hotels - YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Sign in Welcome!Log into your account Forgot your password? Password recovery Recover your password Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password A password will be e-mailed to you. YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Home Interiors Check in and bliss out The new-gen luxury hotels By You Magazine - August 12, 2018 The new-gen luxury hotels have their own unique DNA. We asked the design teams behind this year’s three big UK launches what inspired them – and how we can get the same vibe at home. For design lovers Opening later this year, Vintry & Mercer is located between St Paul’s Cathedral and The Shard in Central London, and was inspired by the area’s trading history. Design team: Lindsey Bean-Pearce and Giada Gemignani, Dexter Moren Associates. How did the project evolve? When the client approached us, plans to have bedrooms focused around a small internal courtyard had already been approved. We worked with the client to push the design – increasing the number of rooms with external views as well as improving the entrance and experience for guests. The project took just under a year. What influenced the design? Vintry & Mercer draws on the area’s links with medieval trade guilds, such as the vintners (wine merchants) and mercers (textile sellers). Design details? Specialist joinery finishes have been used to tell the story of the local heritage of fine silks and wines from across the globe. In guest rooms, dressing areas are a modern play on a deconstructed travel trunk, featuring scraped, textured oak veneers with brass mesh inset panels, metal stud detailing and a plush palm print. Graphic maps, which merge the old and new city, are digitally printed as wall coverings; bespoke carpet designs and rich velvets and damasks give it a historic feel, and carefully curated artworks connect to each of the guilds. First impressions? At the time of the guilds, the hotel would have been a stone’s throw from open countryside. The lobby nods to this with plants, trees and calming green accents. Dining experience? Vintry Kitchen offers elegant, informal dining: think geometric tiled floors and leather banquette seating. The Mercer Roof Terrace has views over the Southbank and St Paul’s; and the underground speakeasy bar, Do Not Disturb, resonates art deco style. Rooms from £190; vintryandmercer.com For glamour seekers Recently opened, the Principal London is a Grade II-listed Victorian landmark in the heart of Bloomsbury where authentic character meets contemporary cool. Designer: Tara Bernerd, Tara Bernerd & Partners. How did you become an interior designer? I studied film and initially worked in production before honing my skills in building and construction. In the late 1990s I designed hotels with Philippe Starck and set up my own design studio 16 years ago. Moving from film to interiors was unconventional, but both involve a blank canvas: one to sell films, the other, rooms. How long did the project take? Four years. We opened last month. Do your projects follow a formula? Each has its unique DNA. There is never a set brief – it’s instinctive and something that cannot be taught. How do you approach the design? Once the building’s character is established, the interior architecture and layouts are defined. Finishes, fabrics and details always come later. I never follow trends and hope my designs will be timeless in their appeal. Was the area an influence? The hotel merges the old Bloomsbury Set heritage with the area’s new revival. It’s a homage to the past –with authentic materials, fabrics, wood-panelled walls and stone floors – combined with a modern aesthetic: striking bronze Crittall windows, statement lighting and mosaic floors. I want the hotel to be a place where guests and locals never want to leave; where the energy embraces you. How can guests expect to be wowed? With such a large-scale project there are so many incredible elements. The Palm Court is very special and so unexpected – an oasis in the heart of Bloomsbury. I wanted the discovery of each aspect to not be obvious – whether it’s luxurious four-poster beds, knockout bathrooms, statement lighting or small furnishing details, every detail is a treasure. Rooms from £225; phcompany.com For high-rise high-flyers Opening in October, Manhattan Loft Gardens is a state-of-the-art build in London’s East End offering a mix of long- and short-term hotel living. Property developer: Harry Handelsman, Manhattan Loft Corporation. What inspired The Manhattan Loft Corporation? I was excited by the conversion of warehouse buildings into fabulous living spaces in 80s New York. Who designed Manhattan Loft Gardens? SOM, the architects behind the World Trade Center. Hotel interiors are by Space Copenhagen and our in-house team designed The Lofts. Why the East End? The area is a creative mecca and one of the world’s most exciting postcodes. The experience? Nothing’s impossible: 24-hour room service, housekeeping, private butler service, dog walking, grocery stocking… Work and relax in communal spaces and sky gardens on the 36th, 25th and seventh floors; dine at the seventh-floor garden restaurant or play in the after-hours members’ club. How long did the project take? I initially viewed the site in 2008 and construction started in 2014. The Lofts will launch in October, followed by The Stratford hotel and restaurants next March. Where did the idea for long-term hotel living with all the perks come from? Working habits have changed, with professionals keen to live in and explore different cities. Inspired by New York’s legendary long-stay hotels such as The Carlyle and The Chelsea, the concept offers service, convenience and infrastructure, while addressing high-rise living’s lack of social cohesion. It’s also a game-changing response to the Airbnb landscape. From £860 for a minimum seven-night stay. To receive a 15 per cent discount on your first reservation, register your interest at manhattanloftgardens.com and enter code YOU2018 Report by Ali Heath RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR Hotel review Wyndham Residences Costa Adeje National Trust is giving away free tickets this autumn Aldi s pumpkin-shaped casserole dish is all we want for Halloween DON' T MISS Fiona Bruce Sometimes I struggle not to cry November 14, 2021 17 beautiful 2021 diaries to help you to look forward to December 4, 2020 Why women leave men for women What’ s fuelling the rise of April 28, 2019 Hollywood veteran Laura Linney on plastic surgery friendship and her stellar July 3, 2017 You can shop the khaki jumpsuit from Holly Willoughby’ s new M& S July 17, 2019 The secrets and lies behind this happy family photo April 11, 2021 It’ s cocktail hour Olly Smith’ s cocktail recipes and Eleanor Maidment s canapé November 14, 2021 BBC One has revealed its Christmas TV schedule and there’ s lots December 2, 2020 YOU Beauty Box August Reviews August 1, 2017 Rome has been named the cheapest major city to visit in August 7, 2019 Popular CategoriesFood2704Life2496Fashion2240Beauty1738Celebrity1261Interiors684 Sign up for YOUMail Thanks for subscribing Please check your email to confirm (If you don't see the email, check the spam box) Fashion Beauty Celebrity Life Food Privacy & Cookies T&C Copyright 2022 - YOU Magazine. 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