A super boutique in London
The Londoner in Leicester Square is a new breed of hotel deemed to be a “super boutique”, says Kate Maxwell in The Wall Street Journal. That means it’s “an urban playground with a grown-up vibe”.
The hotel is spread over 16 floors, eight of which are underground. There are 350 bedrooms, six bars and restaurants, two cinemas, a swimming pool, spa and gym. The interiors riff “on the theatreland location, with undulating walls that mimic curtains, massive chandeliers and its own mini stage for live music”. Clever lighting makes the place feel intimate and it smells good too, thanks to a partnership with fragrance brand Diptyque.
For some of the best views in London, looking out on Nelson’s Column, Big Ben and the London Eye, go for one of the top-floor suites, or head to the rooftop lounge bar, where former Nobu chef Kuenhi Won oversees the Japanese menu. At ground level is Joshua’s Tavern, named after artist Sir Joshua Reynolds, an 18th-century resident of Leicester Square. You’ll find many of his paintings in the nearby National Gallery. From around £450 a night, thelondoner.com
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A perfect spot for rugby fans
Rugby fans rejoice, says Ianthe Butt in The Independent. Celtic Collection (the hotel group behind swish Celtic Manor Resort in south Wales’s Usk Valley) has opened the Parkgate Hotel on behalf of the Welsh Rugby Union. It’s in Cardiff, moments from the famed Principality Stadium, and is without doubt the place to stay for this season’s autumn internationals.
The 169-room property resides in the Grade II-listed former Head Post Office and County Court. Inside, the design is all about understated glamour. “Bedrooms have eye-catching geometric-patterned headboards, metallic oversized anglepoise lamps and walk-in showers – or baths – lined with Elemis potions.”
Welsh delights, such as Brecon lamb, Hafod cheese, and Severn & Wye Penderyn whisky-cured salmon, are served up in the restaurant and brasserie. There’s also a courtyard tapas restaurant, tea lounge, rooftop spa with infinity pool and hospitality packages on offer for the big games. From £133, theparkgatehotel.wales
Old meets new in Manchester
The Moxy Manchester City Hotel, a huge new hotel in a former hat factory, is set to open in Manchester later this month, says Daisy Jackson in the Manchester Evening News. Located in Spinningfields, the heart of the city’s business district, the hotel has preserved its 18th-century façade, with added weathered-effect metal panels complementing the original brickwork. The insides, however, are all modern.
The 146 bedrooms over nine storeys will feature walk-in showers, Netflix-enabled TVs and plush platform beds. The Moxy is also pet-friendly. Bar Moxy will serve drinks and small plates, with a barista counter serving snacks and drinks every hour of the day, while guests checking in here will be handed their room keys over a complimentary cocktail. From around £80, marriott.co.uk
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