A jewel of a restored English hotel, The Rockwell manages to combine traditional charm with contemporary ambience. A four-storey South Kensington Victorian terrace house was retrofitted to the highest standards, with modern touches such as vivid green window sashes and delicate glass balustrade.

A sense of hushed sophistication is apparent the moment you enter: stone staircases, wrought-iron banisters and a Victorian mosaic floor in the lobby are combined with contemporary furniture and fabrics. The stylish bar, One-Eight-One, serves modern interpretations of traditional English food, in keeping with the hotel’s overall theme (and dovetailing with England’s cooking renaissance and rediscovery of its own culinary roots), in a dining area that extends to a terraced garden. The 40 individually designed guestrooms are masterpieces of contemporary styling with a distinctly English twist, including floral wallpaper and original architectural details, but a spareness of line and ultramodern bathrooms keep the hotel squarely out of the realm of nostalgia. And on those rare rainy London days, the lounge offers an open fireplace and walnut bookshelves to provide a solid dose of indoor comfort rare in modern hospitality.

website | RSS Feed | Permalink | Digg | Stumble | Technorati | Email a friend

Posted in Hotels