The stark exterior of St Martins Lane and the slightly scary-trendy look of the improbably tall orange revolving door
are belied by the cheery greetings
of the doorman. This was the first Schrager and Starck
design hotel in London and shook the London
design hotel world up completely when it opened. Today, this design hotel is just as subversive and just as much fun.
The facilities
The lobby of St Martins Lane is a sweep of blonde wood
dotted with Starck-esque bits and pieces, including molar-shaped stools and merry little garden gnomes
. A line of light leads towards the famous Light Bar
, walled off during the day with a luminous wall screen, with arty clips projected onto it. There are panels painted a happy sunlit primrose yellow
and tall colonnade pillars set off by dramatic lighting
. This design hotel is sculptural
and exuberant
and buzzing
.
The lobby then segues into Asia de Cuba, the design hotel's much-loved restaurant
. Fat columns run the length of the room, each decorated differently in installation style
. There is a tufted silk column, a column with shelves stuffed with books and mini-tvs
, a column hung entirely with black-white photographs and another covered in identical pot plants.
St Martins Lane attracts
a similar trendy crowd
to its sister design hotel, the Sanderson
, though here guests tend to be younger and more relaxed. Of the two, the Sanderson is more dramatic and better conceived; however, St Martins Lane
feels more fun. If you want formal service and high-quality business facilities, or if you're of the aEUReYes, but what's it for?aEUR school of thought, you may be happier elsewhere. Otherwise, come for a fun weekend in a fabulous location
in London.
The rooms
The 204 rooms
at this design hotel are faintly Lego-like
. Some have wonderful full-length windows
which allow light to come cascading in. All have comfortable beds and kitten-soft linens with a dramatic thread count. The aEURmood lighting
' (now much-imitated) allows you to change the colour of the room to suit you.
There are other touches of designer Starck
: clear Perspex chairs, solid walls of colour, dramatic hanging lights
. TVs and minibars
are hidden in white freestanding cupboards. Open-plan bathrooms
(separated by glass walls and white drapes) are stylish and good-looking
and mainly have sleek walk-in showers
. Some also have cool and curving tubs
. The best rooms in the design hotel, for my money, are the garden rooms
, each with a tiny private outdoor area
hung with greenery and romantically lit at night with candles.