We’re fans of 1 Hotels. They call themselves a ‘nature-driven’ hotel, which translates to really thinking about how to make things better for the planet (read: in-room filtered water taps), and in every property, they find a way to bring the outside in.
Each 1 Hotel also has a unique DNA that’s relevant for its neighbourhood. From the ones we’ve visited: 1 Hotel Brooklyn feels urban and hip, 1 Central Park feels compact and central, 1 Hotel Toronto feels fashionable, 1 Hotel Miami feels v Miami – white and billowy, with bottles and cabanas by the pool – and 1 Mayfair feels perfect for London. Grown-up, city ready, and, dare we say, friendly for W1.
The Hotel
There are 181 rooms and 44 suites, some of which have incredible views of Green Park and the surrounding neighbourhood. It really is special to take in this location from above. Everywhere you look there’s nature and foliage woven in; the reception desk that welcomes you is cut from a single 200-year-old tree from West Sussex. There’s a custom ’living’ rainforest chandelier that’s made from 50,000 strands of air plants; the furniture throughout is nature-inspired, with natural fabrics in muted shades; and there are over 1300 plants on the property, including 200 local and native plant species. There are also cosy fires, plush fluffy throws, and comfy seating.
The Vibe
Yes, it’s a nature-inspired kind of place, but one with style. Uniforms worn by everyone from the bellmen to the wait staff are considered, with variations of the same palette, and the crowd throughout is a great mix of visitors and locals.
The Rooms
The rooms here are calming, which is the intention. Cream fabrics are offset by wood furniture and greenery, and there’s a commitment to natural materials: the floors are made with British oak, the minibars are made with timber and hand-woven jute, night tables are carved from sustainable wood, and they use chalkboards made from reclaimed tree stumps (so crafty) for messages.
Products are Bamford, hairdryers are Dyson, and they have a yoga mat, foam roller (is there anything better than a foam roller when travelling? This is the first time we’ve seen it in-room and it’s a very, very welcome addition), and signature filtered water taps in every room.
Suites have incredible views, with floor-to-ceiling windows; some also have circular layouts (great feng shui), a terrace, dining area, and can be expanded into two or three bedrooms. The Green Park Penthouse also looks like an excellent place for an event.
Restaurants/Bars
Dovetale is exactly where you want to be on a Thursday night; well, any night really. The lights are low, the vibes are high, they have vinyl nights on Friday and Saturdays, and if you get the right table (a half moon booth facing out), it’s a great place to spend the entire night. Design-wise, it feels like a more laidback Chiltern Firehouse, and for the menu, with two Michelin-starred Tom Sellers at the helm, it’s a good one for an international audience. Dishes use the best ingredients from suppliers across the UK and menu highlights include things like fried artichokes with tomato, fennel and bitter leaf; carpaccio of English Wagyu “Harry’s Bar”; BBQ whole chipotle chicken with slaw and cornbread; and a house chopped salad that’s mixed table-side.
They also have an on-site butcher, a raw bar, and a kitsch Knickerbocker Glory trolley.
Their cosy bar, Dover Yard, overlooks a greenhouse-style courtyard with a glass ceiling that feels like a great little central London hideaway. Come here for drinks and a bar menu.
Highlights
Dovetale, the views, and the foam roller in rooms.
Anything Else
There’s a Bamford Wellness Spa, a café with great matcha in the lobby, a run club at 8AM on Wednesday mornings, meeting rooms, and a fleet of electric Audis for guests to use around the area.
