The Beaumont, Mayfair, London review: A monopoly on poshness

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This was published 8 years ago

The Beaumont, Mayfair, London review: A monopoly on poshness

By Amy Cooper
The Beaumont, Mayfair, London.

The Beaumont, Mayfair, London. Credit: Anthony Weller

THE LOCATION

Mayfair boasts the highest price tag on the Monopoly board. In the real world, it's much the same; a swath of central London poshness containing luxury bastions Claridges, The Dorchester, Fortnum and Mason, Bond Street and Savile Row, right near Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Oxford Street and Pall Mall. For affluent establishment London unsullied by hipster grunge, head here.

The Beaumont is the first hotel from acclaimed restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King – who gave London Le Caprice, The Ivy and The Wolseley. They've sought to recreate the neighbourhood's pre-war elegance with an injection of roaring '20s New York. The result is a five-star hotel that, although barely a year old, successfully convinces it's from the same era as its heritage 1926 facade.

The Beaumont, Mayfair, London.

The Beaumont, Mayfair, London.

THE SPACE

Corbin and King have crafted their 1920s time capsule with meticulous zeal. The 73-room hotel is a deco-fabulous feast of dark cherry wood panelling, geometric wool carpets, original art, bespoke reproduction furniture and hundreds of photos of 1920s socialites and stars.

Amid the opulence is The Beaumont's most talked-about feature: a very contemporary, three-storey "habitable sculpture" called ROOM, grafted halfway up the hotel's façade. ROOM, from sculptor Sir Antony Gormley, is a giant, crouching, cuboid human figure whose interior forms the bedroom of a second-floor suite. The work's presence on an otherwise period-perfect exterior is arresting, but beautiful.

The Beaumont, Mayfair, London.

The Beaumont, Mayfair, London.

THE ROOM

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My one-bedroom suite, Harriman, is a grand deco affair, with a long, generous living area, two bathrooms and dimensions that shout "statesman in residence".

ROOM appears initially similar, except the bathroom is entirely white, and seven stairs ascend to a black curtain. Within is a four-metre wide, 10-metre high chamber lined with fumed oak, containing just a double bed. With the lights off, ROOM affords complete sensory deprivation, and visitors liken its soothing vibe to a meditation retreat, a womb, even a tomb. With the single shutter open you can gaze at the sky and ROOM becomes a womb with a view.

Lobby at The Beaumont, Mayfair, London.

Lobby at The Beaumont, Mayfair, London.

THE FOOD

The Beaumont's food reflects its owners' formidable culinary CV. In the wood-panelled cocoon of The Colony Grill Room, classic American fare such as hot dogs, Reubens, mac and cheese and The Colony Hamburger share menu space with European classics typical of The Wolseley: lobster a la russe, steak tartare and shepherd's pie. The American Bar is an old-school shrine to bourbons and American whiskies and the bartender delivers a perfect Old Fashioned, the quintessential American rye whisky cocktail.

STEPPING OUT

Lobby at The Beaumont, Mayfair, London.

Lobby at The Beaumont, Mayfair, London.

As the concierge points out, "you can roll into Selfridges from here". London's famous department store is a block away amid Oxford Street's retail heaven. Opposite the hotel there's a baroque, domed building once rumoured to house Queen Victoria's private elephant collection. In fact it's always been an electrical substation – albeit a spectacular one – and boasts a tranquil garden café. Your nearest tube, Bond Street, is five minutes' walk away.

THE VERDICT

Although ROOM has attracted the Beaumont's major buzz, the hotel's fundamental appeal is in its combination of high-concept theming and impeccable service. It's a period movie set that actually works; a fantasy beautifully realised. Corbin and King's winning restaurant formula translates to their first hotel, and we hope to see more.

HIGHLIGHT

The Cub Room, a snug, residents-only private hideaway with its own bar.

LOWLIGHT

Independent spirits may baulk at the no-kettle suites.

ESSENTIALS

The Beaumont, 8 Balderton Street, Brown Hart Gardens, London W1K 6TF

Doubles start at $395. ROOM is POA (but launched at $2250 a night).

Amy Cooper was a guest of The Beaumont

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