Information & Amenities

Hotel Information:

Entrepreneur Ian Schrager and internationally famed designer Philippe Starck transformed the interior of the 1950s Sanderson building in 2002. Salvador Dalis crimson lip sofa, illuminated white-silk drapery, and ambient video images set the tone in the bright, white lobby. The lobby leads past the baroque Purple Bar to the Long Bar, where chic guests, most dressed in black, mingle with media types.

Amenity highlights:

Overseen by acclaimed New York chef Zak Pelaccio, the menu of fresh British and Malaysian produce marries French cooking techniques with intense south-east Asian flavours. The Purple Bar offers distinctive cocktails and 150 vodkas in a deliciously decadent baroque setting. The Agua Spa, designed by former dancers, is a two-level space with marble-mosaic floors, a maze of illuminated white curtains, 14 treatment rooms, and a relaxation suite with down-filled meditation beds.

Insider tip:

Not all the hotels attractions are contemporary. Original 1950s features include a freeform mosaic by Jupp Dernbach-Mayen, abstract stained-glass window by English modernist painter John Piper, and the Japanese Courtyard Garden, designed by Philip Hicks.

Property Amenities

Conceived by Rita Schrager and Leila Fazel, former dancers with the New York City Ballet and Dance Theater of Harlem respectively, the bi-level Agua Spa features 14 treatment rooms, steam rooms with vibrant colors that shine out from behind etched glass, and built-in video screens displaying a stream of soothing images. Treatments include hydrotherapy, yoga, guided meditations, massage, Thai bodywork, and Reiki. A 24-hour fitness center offers private trainers for indoor and outdoor sessions.

The SUKA restaurant offers some of the most sought-after tables in town, including semi-private dinning at 'The Table'. The Purple Bar and the Long Bar are prime spots for sipping, snacking, and people-watching. The Billiards Room, dressed in voluptuous shades of violet, features a rich purple billiards table.

In the tempting boutique just beyond the lobby, Starck-designed pink lacquer shelving displays designer clothes, jewelry, and accessories.

Spa tub Full-service health spa Steam room Technology helpdesk Billiards on site Room service (24 hours) Bar/lounge Parking (surcharge) Event catering Business center Meeting rooms (small groups) Internet access - wireless Cell phone/mobile rental Internet access in public areas - surcharge Number of rooms: 150 Porter/bellhop Doorman/doorwoman Safe-deposit box - front desk Medical assistance available Tour assistance Babysitting or child care Coffee in lobby Elevator/lift

Spa services on site Massage - treatment room(s) Sauna Concierge desk Health club Breakfast available (surcharge) Restaurant(s) in hotel Conference room(s) Exhibit space Banquet facilities Internet access in public areas - high speed Audio-visual equipment Secretarial services Computer rental 24-hour front desk Express check-out Security guard Multilingual staff Beauty services Currency exchange Dry cleaning service Air-conditioned public areas Umbrella

Room Descriptions

This hotel has 150 guestrooms, all with custom-designed silver-leaf sleigh beds set at an angle in the middle of the room. Beds are fitted with 450-thread-count, silver-and-white Egyptian cotton sheets and draped with soft pashminas. Dreamscapes are painted on the ceilings above the beds. Bon mots by French philosopher Voltaire are woven into wool rugs. All rooms have DVD players and wide-screen TVs within green-glass boxes. Guests have access to a DVD library of 1,500 titles (surcharge). Some rooms offer panoramic London views; others overlook the courtyard garden. Glass-walled bathrooms can be revealed or concealed by swaths of drapes with the touch of a button.

Room Features

Internet access - high speed Cable/satellite TV Pay movies Hypo-allergenic bedding available Soundproofed rooms Air conditioning Internet access - surcharge Voice mail Wake-up calls Turndown service Bathroom telephone Hair dryer Slippers Handheld shower In-room safe Iron/ironing board (on request) Desk Cribs (infant beds) available

Premium TV channel(s) DVD player CD player Premium bedding Climate control Blackout drapes Multi-line phone Minibar Housekeeping (daily) Designer toiletries Bathrobes Makeup mirror Extra towels/bedding in room Electronic/magnetic keys Television Welcome amenities Rollaway beds Smoking rooms

Area Attractions

Oxford Street - 2 blocks
Covent Garden - 1 km (0.5 miles)
West End theaters - 1 km (0.5 miles)
Trafalgar Square - 1 km (0.5 miles)
National Gallery - 1 km (0.5 miles)
Piccadilly Circus - 1 km (0.5 miles)
British Museum - 1 km (0.5 miles)
Regents Park and London Zoo - 1.5 km (1 mile)
Buckingham Palace - 1.5 km (1 mile)
BA London Eye - 1.5 km (1 mile)
Westminster Abbey - 2.5 km (1.5 miles)
Houses of Parliament and Big Ben - 2.5 km (1.5 miles)
Hyde Park - 2.5 km (1.5 miles)
Harrods - 3 km (1.75 miles)
Tate Britain - 3 km (1.75 miles)
St Pauls Cathedral - 3 km (1.75 miles)
Tate Modern - 3 km (1.75 miles)
Victoria & Albert Museum - 4 km (2.5 miles)
The City (business district) - 4 km (2.5 miles)
Tower of London - 5 km (3 miles)

London Heathrow Airport (LHR): Approximate driving time is 45 minutes and distance is 24 kilometers (15 miles).

Driving directions from London Heathrow Airport: Drive East along the M4, then Great West Road to Knightsbridge, along Park Lane to Marble Arch. Continue along Oxford street and turn left into Berner Street.

The Heathrow Express train and black taxis are available for transfer from the airport to the center of London. The London Undergrounds Piccadilly Line also serves all Heathrow terminals and takes passengers into central London. From central London, guests can take the Underground to the Oxford Circus station.

Restaurants & Bars

Suka

- Serves authentic modern Malaysian cuisine prepared with European touches. Overseen by acclaimed New York chef Zak Pelaccio, the menu of fresh British and Malaysian produce marries French cooking techniques with intense south-east Asian flavours. Set on the hotel's ground floor, the restaurant's setting has been redesigned by the Paris-based architect and designer India Mahdavi and encompasses the 'hidden' space following the Long Bar as well as the entire Garden Terrace. This restaurant has a relaxed and informal atmosphere.

Location

50 Berners Street London, England W1T 3NG United Kingdom Nearest major airport: London, England (LHR-Heathrow) Area: Bloomsbury - Soho, London, England, United Kingdom