When Hotel Russell opened in 1898, its grand silhouette caused such a stir that not only did its Russell Square neighbours rush to copy its distinctive light terracotta façade, but the owners of the RMS Titanic also tapped the hotel’s designer, Charles Fitzroy Doll, to create their ship’s dining room.
Happily, the Grade II-listed building survived the intervening century rather better, and is just emerging from a lavish overhaul of its interiors.
Designers Tara Bernerd and Russell Sage have modernised the 334-room pleasure palace, now renamed the Principal, with a dose of creamy drapery, tufted fabric, and artwork that is intended to evoke the Bloomsbury neighbourhood’s artistic and literary heritage. The restored Palm Court is once more a light-washed eyrie, while chef Brett Redman’s Neptune restaurant sports a raw bar as well as an aquatic menu speckled with Exmoor caviar, Isle of Mull scallops, and cured chalk stream trout served with mole-spiced beetroot.
There is a 200-kilo custom-designed chandelier in the hotel’s entrance. There are 30 bespoke cast-iron panels surrounding the entrance lobby fireplace
INFORMATION
Website (opens in new tab)
ADDRESS
1-8 Russell Square
VIEW GOOGLE MAPS (opens in new tab)
-
The best 10 art gifts for the creative in your lifeGet inspired with our ongoing guide to the best art gifts for the 2022 Christmas season
-
Last chance to see: furniture designed by children, Galerie Philia’s ‘Design Brut’
‘Design Brut’ is a new initiative by Galerie Philia whereby children create furniture design
-
Casa Sexta by All Arquitectura is an exemplar of urban minimalism
Casa Sexta by All Arquitectura brings together domestic warmth and minimalist architecture in the outskirts of Mexico City
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico
-
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland
-
Tattersalls Hotel — Armidale, Australia
-
KLoé Hotel — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
-
Casa Hoyos — San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
-
Littlenap — Hangzhou, China
-
Casa Santa Teresa — Corsica, France
-
K5 — Tokyo, Japan
