'The London Edition' Hotel by Yabu Pushelberg

Extraordinary things happen when you combine a c.1835 architectural masterpiece with the stylistic nous of the reigning pioneer of both disco culture and boutique hospitality. Enter The London Edition, a spectacular hotel redesigned by Studio 54 founder come boutique hotelier Ian Schrager, in collaboration with New York architecture firm Yabu Pushelberg.

Located in London’s Fitzrovia area, the hotel occupies a row of exquisite Georgian townhouses, that were converted into a hotel in the early 90s, and have since been refurbished by Schrager’s team. The final design impeccably balances aristocratic Edwardian grandeur with a confident modern slickness, a no-brainer must-stay when in London.

The public spaces are framed by the building’s grand bones, including six-metre high ceilings, original marble flooring and incredibly detailed Edwardian stucco ornamentation. At the same time, the sheer scale of the overall space is quite imposing, making you feel like you need to be on your best behaviour. There is a comfortable and relaxed ease to each area within it.

New layers of decoration and design details create this ease, and visibly take design cues from the libraries and whisky rooms of English country manors and nineteenth-century private gentlemen’s clubs. Rich walnut and oak timber tones work harmoniously with furniture upholstered in luxe velvets and aged leathers in moss green, tan, mustard and cream. Silk rugs and gold-leaf framed portraiture artwork complete the look.

While it’s hard to look beyond the majestic scale of the public areas, surprisingly it’s the individual rooms that we’re loving the most. The design for all 173 rooms is incredibly resolved, down to the teeniest tiniest details such as the floating ceilings with recessed lighting and mid-century modern built-in efficiencies like desks and seating. The timber paneling scores a big fat 10/10 – wide oak and walnut planks repeated on floor and ceiling, channelling cabin-like cosiness, a little like the luxe intimacy of a private yacht.

Strong angular walls elevate the design to the next level, with classical furnishings, geometric fittings and fixtures and crisp white bathrooms capping it all off. An artful and thoughtful blend of old and new, the design lets the history of the building sing loudly, while pulling the aesthetic forwards to the present with all the comforts of a world-class hotel.