With an increasing thirst for the extraordinary and something-to-write-home-about, there is no question that London's hotel scene is more exciting than ever. From budget, to boutique to grand luxe, new hotels are popping up across the city with unusual twists designed to add considerable intrigue to your stay.
THE CORINTHIA
FEATURE: HARRODS SHOP
The Corinthia Hotel is the first ever hotel to boast its very own Harrods store. Not only can you shop here for souvenirs or have your Harrods purchases delivered for collection, but the minibars in every room are stocked with Harrods goodies.
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HAM YARD HOTEL
FEATURE: CROC BOWLING ALLEY
The newly opened Ham Yard Hotel hosts surely one of the most interesting events spaces in London; The Croc Bowling Alley. The room itself has a sort of swanky lounge feel, and includes a bar, dancefloor, exquisite decor collected from all around the world and an impressive vintage style bowling alley.
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ANDAZ LIVERPOOL STREET
FEATURE: MASONIC TEMPLE
Hidden deep within the Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel by Hyatt lays an extraordinary room laden from top to bottom with marble and gilt. The stunning and secret space was only rediscovered when the hotel was fully refurbished during the 1990's. Reportedly it cost £4 million in today's prices to construct well over 100 years ago - not surprising when you see the lavish use of twelve types of marble, a gold piped organ and meticulously crafted mahogany furniture.
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LONDON SYON PARK
FEATURE: BUTTERFLY HOUSE
As a tribute to the beautiful estate and gardens in which the hotel stands, an exquisite glass butterfly house was built in the centre of the London Syon Park's lobby, exhibiting a haven for exotic species from all over the world. The nature of the insects adds a gentle and serene nature to the most busy area of the building.
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HAYMARKET HOTEL
FEATURE: SWIMMING POOL BAR
Many London hotels these days come complete with spa and swimming pool. However, what makes the Haymarket Hotel’s offering stand-out is that the poolside area; with a pewter bar serving cocktails, a surround sound system and hundreds of fibre optic lights, this pool is considerably more bar than spa.
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ROUGH LUXE
FEATURE: PEELING WALLPAPER
Not at all your average boutique hotel, the architecture and design here uses an unusual combination of classic English luxury furnishings and urban shabby chic finishings. Think peeling walls, unfinished surfaces and bare floorboards juxtaposed with top quality furniture and an array of modern art pieces. Unusual at its best.
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THE CHELSEA HARBOUR HOTEL
FEATURE: CATAMARAN
Set on the banks of the Thames and offering stunning views of both city and river, The Chelsea Harbour Hotel lies within one of London’s most prestigious addresses. The hotel itself also owns its own private catamaran which is available for charter; and what a fantastic way to see London.
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ECCLESTONE HOTEL
FEATURE: MASSAGING BEDS
Behind the doors of a beautiful 19th Century Grade II listed Georgian building; this hotel has taken cutting-edge technology to the next level. Boasting a range of in-room features from 3D TVs and SmartGlass shower walls to iPads controlling everything from the curtains to your room-service, our favourite though has to be the state-of-the-art fully adjustable beds with a range of massage settings.
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HAM YARD HOTEL (again)
FEATURE: HYPOXIC STUDIO
As already mentioned, this new hotel ticks a lot of boxes. A highly unique feature of the Soholistic Spa is a small Hypoxic Studio, where more serious guests can use the most advanced natural performance enhancing tools available to adjust oxygen levels (mimicking high-altitudes in training), to achieve optimum performance results.
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THE ZETTER HOTEL
FEATURE: EXOTIC VENDING MACHINES
Definitely more budget quirky than luxury, The Zetter Hotel has had the novel idea of installing vending machines on each floor that dispense everything from deodorant and toothbrushes to champagne and bloody marys!
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THE TOWN HALL HOTEL
FEATURE: MAGISTRATES COURT
Perhaps the most unusual on this list, The Town Hall Hotel, in London's East End features its very own court room for guests to enjoy breakfast or lunch in. Complete with a judges chair, jury benches and mahogany wall panels the superbly restored room dates back from when the hotel acted as Bethnal Greens county hall at the turn of the 19th century.
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THE COURTHOUSE HOTEL
FEATURE: JAIL CELLS
The bar at the Courthouse is particularly of interest – its architecture contains a number of pointers to the room’s history as a magistrate’s court. None more so than the three original holding cells that are now utilized as VIP enclaves. They still contain their original layout with the prisoner benches (now comfortably upholstered) and even (thoroughly cleaned) toilet bowls. The booths can be privately booked for up to 8 people if you fancy being locked away behind their thick iron doors.
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THE GROSVENOR HOUSE HOTEL BY JW MARRIOTT
FEATURE: ABANDONED SWIMMING POOL
Not many five star hotels have a swimming pool in London, making it even more curious that the Grosvenor House Hotel on prestigious Park Lane has a 25m pool that has sat gathering dust since the early 2000's. Not surprisingly the hotel were not keen to provide a photo of its forgotten asset.
For more guides to the best London Hotels visit: www.bluebirdvip.com
