Travel
Originally published on Tuesday, 1st May 2007
Do Not Disturb
And there we were, thinking there was only going to be one chic new hotel hangout opening this month.
The Haymarket with its deluxe-eclectic rooms, Hollywood A-list-filled lobby and northern Italian restaurant Brumus, was going to be quite enough if its Firmdale siblings the Charlotte Street, Covent Garden and Soho were anything to go by. The fact that there was going to be an indoor pool lounge in which to show off your new Pucci bikini or Vilebrequin trunks whilst sipping a mojito just made it all the more exciting.
But then another bolthole for not-so-dirty stop-outs was brought to our attention: The Church Street Hotel - an enticing blend of Mexicana and Louis XIV, five star boutique-yness in the middle of, wait for it, Camberwell of all places!
The Raido brothers (actor Mel and artist Jose) saw the potential in former South London dive, The Marbella Hotel and have transformed it into a vibrant hosteleria more suited to the creatives and romantics they mean to attract.
Our favourite room has to be the Havana-inspired library lounge bar with its walnut panelling and
ceiling fans.
Hmmm, Camberwell cool or Haymarket hip... how's a person to decide?
Haymarket Hotel - opens today
1 Suffolk Place, SW1 - 020 7470 4000
The Church Street Hotel - opens Monday May 7. 29-33 Camberwell Church St, SE5 - 020 7703 5984
