I’ll never forget the first time I walked into a Morgans Hotel lobby. It was the late ‘90s in New York, my friend was staying at Paramount, and when I went to meet him I just thought ‘wow’.
I’ll admit I wasn’t particularly well travelled at that time but I’d never seen anything like it. Then again neither had a lot of people.
The Morgans Hotel Group which includes the Mondrian Los Angeles, Delano Miami Beach and Sanderson in London is considered by many to be the innovator of the whole designer luxury boutique hotel concept and while they may have since farewelled the Paramount from their stable of hotels, they haven’t lost their touch for making an impression.
Flash forward almost 20 years and as I walk into the Mondrian London for the first time I may be much better travelled but I’m still feeling the Wow factor.
Designer Hotel Style at The Mondrian London
For his first ever hotel project the renowned British designer Tom Dixon paid homage to the building’s past as the landmark Sea Containers House. As such the first things I see and fall in love with when I walk into the lobby are a giant sweeping copper clad wall inspired by the hull of a ship and a huge bright blue pop art sculpture of an anchor chain.
The dramatic and beautiful 68 metre long copper hull is made from hand rolled copper shingles, held together with around 160,000 nails, and leads from the lobby through the building to the Sea Containers riverside restaurant and bar.
In the lift guests ride with 3D figures of a tattooed rocker with Queen Elizabeth I, and an astronaut who hangs out with a pearly king. Tom Dixon himself playing the role of the astronaut.
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Pink leather seats and an emerald marble cocktail bar greet guests as they enter Dandelyan which was recently awarded the World’s Best Cocktail Menu at the 2016 Cocktail Spirited Awards and is headed up by Tales of the Cocktail’s World’s Best Bartender (2015) Ryan Chetiyawardana A.K.A Mr Lyan.
Then there is the Rumpus Room.
Cocktails, Views and Yoga at Rumpus Room Mondrian London
As I discovered after checking in and having a chat, the Rumpus Room is closed on a Sunday, which is when I happened to be staying. But the front desk was kind enough to let me sneak up with one of the team for a bit of a look.
As soon as I saw the room I fell in love with the rich colours, the curves of the leather banquettes and the lights made of so many tiny bulbs. And then there’s the view.
Since I lived in London many years ago I’ve always had a thing about St Pauls. I love seeing that dome and the view from the Rumpus Room filled my heart with joy.
While I may not have had the chance to sip champagne or try a cocktail in this bar I could have joined in a yoga class here the next morning. Mondrian London has sunrise yoga classes in the Rumpus Room on Mondays from 7am and you don’t have to be staying at the hotel to join that one.
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Anyone can call the Spa on 020 3747 1010 and book a place at sunrise yoga, which costs £15 for hotel residents and £20 for day guests.
It was a lovely idea and something I did plan on doing. But then I saw my room. And my view. And felt my bed. And I barely made it out of there in time for breakfast.
South Bank Suite Times in a River View Balcony Suite
Opened on London’s South Bank in 2014, the Mondrian London has 359 rooms, with seven room types from standard to studio and four suite types from Loft Suite to River View Apartment.
I was lucky enough to be staying in a River View Balcony Suite, which wasn’t only super styling inside but has two balconies looking over the Thames to St Pauls.
You know those stories you hear about people who live in a hotel room? Oh boy could I live in this one. Here’s a little look at why….
I mean, come on. That’s just gorgeous. So many touches I love from that Union Jack artwork to the signature Tom Dixon wingback chair. And I did smile when I saw the hangover cure, mobile charger and fun things for lovers to play with in the mini bar.
After just kicking back and enjoying being in that lovely space and soaking in that bathtub a while I started to get hungry.
While I was tempted to head downstairs to experience the Sea Containers restaurant I had been running around so much in the weeks leading up to my stay that the idea of room service and a movie was too tempting to give up.
It was a tough call but the Mondrian Burger got my room service vote. And with its juicy beef, smoked bacon, applewood smoked cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickle and super sauce with a side of chips I was very happy with my choice.
As I mentioned earlier it was hard to drag myself out of my happy dream home the next morning but I did make it down to Sea Containers for breakfast.
After getting a window seat looking out at the Thames I found myself watching as London’s weather did not very nice things to people outside.
It was one of those days when the rain was coming in at such an angle that people had to hold their umbrellas almost horizontal to their faces, and every time they came around the corner I was sitting in and lost the shelter of the hotel building they’d be hit with a blast of wind so strong it almost blew them backwards.
I did feel a little bit guilty for being in such a nice place as they battled it out with the weather. But then I remembered all the times I’d been soaked by the London rain, felt a surge of gratitude for being safe and warm and dry with a delicious breakfast and pot of hot tea in front of me, and decided that morning I was going nowhere except back upstairs to my room with a view.
And that’s just what I did.
Amanda Woods stayed as a guest of the Mondrian London but all opinions remain her own.
You may also like to find out what it’s like to spend the night at Sanderson London after enjoying their amazing Mad Hatter’s Tea Party or maybe find out some of the other great romantic London hotels if you’re planning a getaway with someone special.
TVs in Magic Mirrors and the legendary Sky Bar… I also share what it’s like to stay in the Mondrian Los Angeles in West Hollywood.
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