Originally published on Wednesday, 4th May 2011

Sleeping Around

The plethora of recently launched London hotels like the Zetter Townhouse, the Corinthia and the lusciously revamped Savoy have had us daydreaming about life as writer-in-residence in such stylish environs (with a regular flow of martinis from the gold leaf-adorned Beaufort bar, if you please). And London’s hotel offerings are set to skyrocket even further in the coming months, ready to welcome the Olympics crowd.

Grade II townhouse, Eccleston Square, is preparing to open its high tech, high spec doors this spring with 007-worthy gadgets galore: iPad 2s, VOIP phones and smart glass bathroom walls. What’s more, each room will feature Swedish Hästens beds with an in-built massage facility. They reportedly fetch £12,000 a pop, so expect a blissful slumber. Then, launching later this year, is 45 Park Lane – a Dorchester Collection hotel with views of Hyde Park from each suite. 45PL will notably house Wolfgang Puck’s first foray in Europe. The steakhouse, dubbed ‘Cut’, will be a cut above the rest (see what we did there?) offering a menu of the finest prime dry and wet aged beef. Spring 2012 will also bring the opening of the Bulgari hotel in Knightsbridge – think Italian luxe design and fittings from the jeweller-hotelier. 

Meanwhile André Balazs is rumoured to be opening his first London hotel on a small site within the disused Manchester Square fire station in Marylebone. And on an even smaller scale will be the rumoured Japanese-style pod hotel rooms in the Trocadero. Apparently, these 12sq metre rooms will also be opening in Trafalgar Square – a nifty sleep solution for when the London 2012 Olympic hoards arrive…

by Rachel Borchard