As the grand reopening of Montcalm Mayfair approaches, the hotel opened its doors for a viewing of the renovations. Vicky Lewis headed to Marble Arch to witness the extraordinary reimagining of this historic hotel.
Set back from the hustle and bustle of the main street, Montcalm Collection‘s flagship hotel is set to reopen in March following a year-long renovation which promises to introduce a ‘sensitive luxury’ to the London hotel scene.
The Georgian Grade II-listed facade of Montcalm Collection’s flagship hotel has been lovingly restored by award-winning architect Holland Harvey and expands the property with floor-to-ceiling glazing to maximise natural light.
Image credit: Montcalm Mayfair
An extension to the hotel has allowed for fifteen additional guestrooms and suites whilst three signature suites have been added. The most exceptional of these is the Botanical Suite which benefits from a private entrance as well as additional living space.
Themes and design influence
Donning my hard hat, I was guided through the space by interior designer, Louise East, founder of Studio Est whose team has been responsible for the creation of the light-filled public spaces. Her design has majestically fused the historical charm of the Georgian architecture with modern and unique furnishings and delightful artistic details. A theme of flora and gardens is scattered throughout the design and culminates in an unexpected yet beautiful mural on the ceiling of the lobby bar which utilises hues of soft beige to allow those of blue and green to radiate from the backdrop.
Louise told me that her influence for the design came from Marble Arch itself, which sits mere metres from the hotel, and she also drew on botanical themes to create this space: “We took our influence from the botanical themes, which was the client’s idea. You’ll see that referenced throughout the spaces on walls, colours and fabrics – if you look closely, you’ll see there’s little references of planting and foliage. Being close to Marble Arch, we also made subtle nods throughout the design. In the bar front, you can see the arch carving and this motif can be found in other place, like in the furniture and in the joinery. A lot of piping has this fan detail on, such as on the bar stools and lounge chairs in the restaurant.”
She explained that there are lots of layers within the design and one that is yet to be installed is the artwork that she and the team have carefully curated with art and experience consultancy Culture A. Over 800 pieces have been sourced or commissioned from different artists or antique markets to extend the visual impact of the design.
The Restaurant
Our tour took us from the lobby and bar area, which has been turned into a more open-plan design featuring some of the striking Georgian pillars, to the main restaurant for the space. Rich green tones dominate here, speaking to the botanical theme that Louise alluded to. Much of the furniture and FF&E products are yet to be installed, but the clear highlight of the whole space is the stunning light fitting secured into the roof’s alcove. “There are 150 lampshades in there!” Louise explained. “The handmade design of the chandellier has been inspired by a blooming flower and I feel that it really grounds the space”.
Image credit: Montcalm Mayfair
The private dining room
One of my favourite spaces within this redesign is the new private dining room, set to one side by the lobby bar. This space reflects the themes seen in other public spaces, namely the wooden carved arches found against the bar. A residential atmosphere has been created here with bookshelves and a fireplace acting as the centre piece to the room. Even though this is yet to be finished, it was easy to imagine a completed space with happy patrons enjoying the environment.
Spa
A subterranean spa will be installed as part of the renovation. Designed by Louise and Studio Est, neutral pastel tones will create tranquil spaces and reflect the botanical themes felt elsewhere throughout the public spaces of the hotel.
London sound design studio, MindFidelity has created a signature soundscape for the Montcalm Mayfair Spa that reflects recordings of British woodlands and forests.
Guestrooms
All 151 guestrooms, including the signature suites, have been designed by Studio Mica.
Image credit: Montcalm Mayfair
Earthy colours will be reflected here – beige, mushroom and taupe with colour pops in green or terracotta will set the tone for calming and restful rooms. Once completed, textures will be added through the use of rugs and soft furnishings to provide a ‘home away from home’ aesthetic. Studio Mica designed bespoke wallpaper for inside each of the wardrobes, featuring specially commissioned poetry hidden in the design.
Sustainability
The hotel has been created with sustainability and responsible hospitality at the front of the owners’ and designers’ minds, including a focus on integrating improved energy and water efficiency into the building, and development of partnerships with social enterprise and community-focused organisations. The hotel will aim towards B Corp certification, as well as working towards Green Key Certification.
All in all, this renovation is one that delivers what it promised from the beginning – a design steeped in the history of the Georgian building it resides in whilst bringing a contemporary and botanical twist to proceedings.
View our video of our favourite highlights of the hard hat tour below. Look out for our review of the completed renovation in the coming months.
Click here to follow the latest developments on the Montcalm Collection Instagram page.
