The London EDITION

The contrast of mirrored silver orb light sculpture hung from the ceiling set against marble columns and a lush green velvet upholstery epitomize the design and drama of this talk-of-the-town hotel: Edition injects a contemporary, urban cool into the grand traditions of the private gentleman’s club and the English country manor.

Yes, it’s owned by one of the biggest of the big chains. But it’ll get you closer to the mark to think of the London EDITION not as a Marriott, but as an Ian Schrager hotel — he is, after all, Marriott’s partner in the venture. Or if you’re a design groupie, you might think of it as a Yabu Pushelberg hotel (the interiors are the work of the expert Torontonian hospitality-design firm).

Better yet, if you’d prefer to stick to the facts, here they are: the London EDITION is a row of old Georgian townhouses on Berners Street in Fitzrovia, renovated and given the luxury-boutique treatment by some of the biggest players in the game.

It happens to be just down the road from the Sanderson, one of the original crop of Schrager hotels. The London EDITION is no knockoff, though — a cursory look makes it abundantly clear that this is a more sedate, more elegant, more grown-up affair.

The public spaces are a subtly postmodern mix of disparate eras, drawing inspiration from the 1835 houses, the original 1908 hotel, and bits and bobs from the history of modernism, from mid-century to the present.

Meanwhile the rooms take a more contemporary tack, all simplicity in rich wood textures and modern-classic furnishings. Earth tones dominate, historical details abound, but you’re never unaware that this is a 21st-century interpretation rather than a period piece.

The rooms, of course, are only half the package; perhaps less, when it’s Ian Schrager we’re talking about. The London EDITION features no fewer than three bars, the wide-open and welcoming Lobby Bar, with its extremely serious cocktail menu, the intimate, reservations-only Punch Room, and the food-focused Berners Tavern.

This last qualifies as a restaurant as well, and it’s got no less a light than the Michelin-starred Jason Atherton as its head honcho. All three are classic nightspots in the boutique-hotel mode — modish and attractive, both in design and in clientele, and with something of a talent for getting talked about. London essentials, all of them.

Main text in large parts courtesy of Tablet Hotels.

in our opinion

What we love

• Very impressive lobby, with the spectacular light fixture hung from the ceiling. Created by Ingo Maurer and hinting at Salvador Dali's surrealism, this spaceship-like, polished silver sphere immediately draws attention, looking great in the grand space of the lobby;
• Great interiors in the rooms, minimalist yet warm;
• The opulent Berners Tavern run by the Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton serves excellent food—make a dinner reservation even if you don't stay at the hotel;
• ‘Punch of the day’ served in antique silver bowls—in the Punch Room, tucked at the back of the hotel comfortable spot redolent of an English gentlemen’s club. By reservation only!

What you should know

• Edition is nothing if not grand and marble is everywhere. This stays true to the hotel's luxurious credentials—but we wonder if it's a little overdone? Thankfully: green velvet sofas!
• Stay in an upper floor room, to escape the noise of the city;
• There is a complimentary broadband WiFi throughout the hotel;
• Check-in: 3:00 PM, Check-out: 12:00 PM;
• This hotel has a smoke-free policy and pets are not allowed.