I stayed in London’s most unusual hotel room
What it's like in ROOM by Antony Gormley, at The Beaumont Hotel
I’ve visited some fabulous luxury hotels around the world, but the most unusual hotel room I’ve ever stayed in is right here, in London.
The Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair has a special suite called ROOM by Antony Gormley. The British sculptor, who is famous for Angel of the North and Another Place in Merseyside, designed a giant public sculpture on the rooftop of the five-star hotel on Balderton St, just opposite Brown Hart Gardens, near Selfridges.
On the outside, the sculpture is a steel crouching figure, based on the artist. But on the inside, it’s completely different – as the internal structure is a hotel bedroom – and the most unique one I have ever slept in.
It forms part of a luxury suite in the lovely hotel, which was originally launched by Corbin and King - the talented duo behind the Wolseley and Le Caprice. The sitting room has a 1920s feel, in keeping with the rest of the hotel and is designed so you take a “journey” through the suite, to the grand reveal of the bedroom.
You enter down a long corridor, through the comfortable and pretty sitting room, into a stark white bathroom, from which you go up a white marble staircase, with heavy black velvet drapes at the top. Parting the curtains, reveals the darkest room I’ve ever seen – a womb-like wooden space built out of cuboid structures, towering 10 metres high and lined with dark oak, which gives off a strong woody smell.
The artist said he wanted “to sculpt darkness itself,” and when the one long window is closed off with shutters, it’s intensely dark. There’s nothing other than a bed and it is quite discombobulating, but I did enjoy a very deep sleep, untroubled by the usual hotel air-conditioning noises, or the banging of other guests’ doors. It’s definitely one to try, if you want to experience something unique.
I loved the gorgeous boutique hotel, which feels like it’s straight out of The Great Gatsby, despite only opening in 2014. It has a private members’ club feel, which is intentional - the hotel’s “story” is a fictional hotelier called Jimmy Beaumont, who left prohibition-era New York and set up in London.
The hotel sticks to this concept throughout, with wood-panelling, black and white floor tiles and Art Deco furnishings. There’s a stylish new bar, Le Magritte, and popular restaurant, The Colony Grill, plus afternoon tea salon The Gatsby Room.
The story also runs throughout the rooms – my suite had wonderful little flourishes such as a curated selection of books, Beaumont playing cards and slabs of chocolate. There is a chauffeur service for guests and a beautiful spa and salon.
It’s all about service here, particularly in The Colony Grill, where I enjoyed a three-course meal of Orkney scallops and Devon white chicken with summer bean stew, followed by cheesecake. Next time I’ll try one of its famous steaks and signature ice-creams. You get a little pad and pencil with which to create your own sundae.
The Beaumont feels like a grand hotel, despite being a boutique one, although it is about to open extra rooms and suites, taking the total to 101. In my opinion, this gorgeous location deserves a place on everyone’s London list.
The Travel List
The Beaumont, Brown Hart Gardens, Mayfair, W1K 6TF
Visit thebeaumont.com, rooms from £470 a night.
I was a guest of The Beaumont.