From its exclusive perch on the corner of Brook and Davies Streets in Mayfair, Claridge’s has been the glamorous home-from-home for a kaleidoscope of VIPs, including Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill, Audrey Hepburn and Carey Grant, since it first opened over 200 years ago.
Staying true to an art deco refurbishment in the 1920s, the storied property has undergone multiple renovations and refurbishments over the years. The latest and most ambitious update is a seven-year project that involved digging deep to excavate a five-storey basement, which now houses the hotel’s gorgeous new spa and adds four new floors to the top of the hotel. Here, you can find the sprawling glass-wrapped four-bedroom Penthouse Suite on the 9th floor, as well as a series of new rooms and suites, including the recently launched The Residence.
View from the top: Claridge’s The Residence
Occupying a purpose-built two-tier glasshouse, The Residence unfolds over 300 sq m and two storeys to feature two bedrooms, a fully-equipped kitchen and a private outdoor hot tub overlooking London’s skyline. The interiors are the work of Hong Kong-based interior architect André Fu – a long-time Maybourne collaborator – who created a modern take on the hotel’s design history, taking his cues from the meandering contours of art deco patterns.
The result is a visual treat, the panoramic floor-to-ceiling wrought iron windows shedding natural light onto interiors layered in rich details, textures and luxurious materials, such as intricate stained glass, antique brass and solid oak. The entrance is lined with timber panelling, while the main living area is embellished with a ceiling of intertwining art deco moulding, a fluted marble bar, a cosy ceiling-hung fireplace, and softly curved furnishings and decorative lighting from Fu’s home collection, André Fu Living, in tones of oatmeal and hues of blue.
Taking centre stage is a sensually curved spiral staircase that connects the two floors and leads to a small family salon and the second bedroom, complete with two bathrooms and views of London’s skyline. Here, as with the master bedroom on the ground floor, the meticulous details include hand-painted silk panels specially commissioned by Fu in collaboration with De Gournay Studio.
If you can tear yourself away from the hot tub, the rest of Claridge’s pleasures await, including the iconic Foyer & Reading Room, which serves one of the best breakfasts in London, and the recently relaunched Claridge’s Restaurant, a classic spot with a menu of modern British favourites. Think local and seasonal produce in dishes such as buckwheat crumpets with black truffle or the delicious roast chicken served with brioche and lemon stuffing.
