If a Modern Art Gallery were to create a hotel, this is what it’d feel like. Cool, glamorous and super impressive. Welcome to The Mondrian London.
The urban brother of its sister hotel on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, the 5 star Mondrian London takes it’s inspiration from the 70’s designed ‘Sea Containers’ building it lived it’s life as before it became a hotel in late 2014.
Part of the Morgan’s Hotel Group of 13 luxurious hotels in London, New York, Los Angeles, South Beach Miami, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Istanbul, the group pride themselves on creating individually themed hotels that blend art and unique design with unparalleled service and local influences.
The Mondrian London certainly exemplifies this and so much more.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The copper ship hull at reception is a beautiful thing
With an entire copper-bottomed ship hull running through the lobby area, the quality level of design is mind boggling from the moment you walk through the front door with many of the original buildings features retained and recycled.
The Life Aquatic? or 2001: A Space Odyssey?
And if you’ve seen the movie ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’ you’ll know where I’m coming from when I guess the inspiration for the staff uniforms. Designed by London stylist Karen Langley they’re all futuristic baby blue and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before in a hotel.
Which pretty much sums up this overflowing palace of creativity really. It’s just uber coolness everywhere with the staff themselves mostly twenty something glossies from all over the world flashing their pearly whites and hips and efficiently taking care of whatever your heart desires.
HOTEL FEATURES
The Agua Spa
Designed by award winning interior designer Tom Dixon, the Mondrian London features a chic rooftop bar called ‘The Rumpus Room’ that kicks on late into the London night as a destination in it’s own right, an expansive river fronted restaurant called ‘Sea Containers’ with private dining rooms, ‘Dandelyan’ which is one of London’s finest cocktail bars, an Agua spa and even its own a maritime inspired 56-seat Curzon cinema that screens art house movies.
Boredom is definitely not a word associated with this hip joint.
The 56 seat ‘Curzon’ Cinema
The place has got the lot and is full of creative surprises, art and sculptures with even the lifts housing stylish hologram images of star like folk that jump out at you when you least expect it. There’s a distinct possibility that you’ll bump into someone famous too during your stay.
The Sea Containers Restaurant
THE ROOMS
The River View Balcony Suite
The Mondrian London has 359 guestrooms and suites, almost all with river views or panoramic city views over the River Thames towards St. Paul’s Cathedral, the financial district and the East end.
Walking into my River View Balcony Suite at night was a total epiphany moment.
Door opens. Jaw hits floor.
The view is incredible, especially at night with the old and new money city of London stretching out and glittering in front of you.
Stepping out onto the private balcony felt like something James Bond would do in a ponderous moment between his espionage pursuits and love making sessions with his latest Bond girl.
No Bond girls for me though. I was just happy to be there.
The view from the Private Balcony Suite. Jealous much?
The suite is huge, itself an immediate advantage for London hotels with a separate marble bathroom with claw foot bath and rain shower, luxurious lounge and dining area and an inspiring place to do some work from in by far the comfiest chair I’ve ever sat in. Not that I could take myself away from that view to do any work.
Drawing on the Sea Containers theme, the room did feel like being inside a ship with a battleship grey paint scheme and considered colourful accents and touches such as a striking bubble gum pink wardrobe and bed throw. It might sound a bit odd. But believe me – it just works as you’ll see below.
A standard room at The Mondrian London
The bed was super comfy too and there was decadent and imaginative spoiling to be had everywhere with ‘Mr Lyan’ (of the famous ‘Dandelyan’ cocktail bar downstairs) make your own cocktails for 20 quid a pop as well as a hangover kit (I did need that the day after) and even a cheeky intimacy kit which is a novel and needed idea. Not that I used it but i’m sure it would have come in handy for James Bond.
Even the Malin and Goetz toiletries are an out and out extravagance and a clear stand out versus other hotel offerings in quality throughout the entire experience.
The Rum bar soap is especially a favourite
There’s definitely no tack to be seen here with cool London fashion and Street art books to read and not a London guide in sight.
LOCATION, LOCATION
The heritage Sea Container building is a London icon
The Mondrian London sits between the Oxo Tower and Blackfriars Bridge on the southern side of the river Thames and is only an 8-minute walk across the bridge to Blackfriars Station and fifteen minutes walk to St. Paul’s cathedral and the city. You’re also a short stroll along the riverfront from the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre or the Southbank Centre. It’s still a rapidly up and coming area of London and is an exciting place to be right now.
THINGS WE LOVED
The lobby is a cool place to hang
I pretty much loved every aspect of this hotel.
As a design fan it blew my mind for innovation, use of space and the level of style and understated quality. The location is great too as somewhere different off the usual London tourist trail but still handy for everything transport and sights wise. I could have quite happily stayed here for much longer as a base to explore London. If only.
FAST FACTS
Room Rate: From AUD $320 – 380 per night
Address: The Mondrian Hotel, 20 Upper Ground, London, SE1 9PD
Website: The Mondrian London
Rating: 5/5