London’s Chiltern Street might not be the most obvious location on which to launch a new hotel, given the considerable dominance of the Chiltern Firehouse on the same road. Yet despite this, Holmes Hotel London has risen to the challenge, successfully carving out a corner all of its own on the Marylebone stretch this May with a £9 million overhaul of a pre-existing property that lives up to it luxe surroundings.
Situated in Marylebone Village — lending credence to the hotel’s self-styled home-from-home concept — Holmes presents a witty blend of heritage and playfulness paired with guestrooms and public areas that reflect the locale’s cultural and historic connections. Spanning four floors across four Georgian townhouses once known as Bedford House, the hotel encompasses 118 sophisticated rooms and loft suites that mirror the essence of this stylish central London enclave.
Furniture by the likes of Tom Dixon and Muuto harmonise with Sherlock Holmes-inspired details that include antiques and curios, as well as limited-edition artworks by Nelly Duff Gallery.
It’s all executed in a surprisingly chic fashion, aided by the artful positioning of Simon Key Bertman throws, and fabrics and furnishings by Mourne Textiles, and comes to a pleasing climax in the hotel’s laid-back library and Kitchen at Holmes, an in-house restaurant where a merger of tradition and contemporary style guides both the interiors and the menu. §
