Beaverbrook brings British charm, Japanese allure and the flamboyant spirit of Lord Beaverbrook to Chelsea, with the launch of Beaverbrook Town House
Joining its beloved Surrey sibling, Beaverbrook Town House is the debut London outpost from the lauded Beaverbrook brand, in partnership with Cadogan.
Spanning 15,000 sq. ft., this heritage hotel occupies two masterfully revamped Georgian townhouses, originally commissioned by Charles Sloane Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan, at the end of the 18th century. Surveying the leafy-green, Grade-II-listed Cadogan Gardens opposite, Beaverbrook Town House boasts a prime perch on superlative Sloane Street, in the heart of Chelsea, nicknamed the ‘Town of Palaces’ by Daniel Defoe.
Inside the hotel, you are greeted with rich rewards including: 14 theatrical suites, art and antiques galore, a 60-cover contemporary Japanese restaurant and bar, a meeting room, private events room and a pretty, perfumed garden, reserved for corporate functions and private hire.
A creative spirit prevails throughout, with delightful interiors courtesy of Beaverbrook’s dazzling design duo: Sir Frank Lowe (advertising mogul and Beaverbrook’s Creative Director), and acclaimed designer, Nicola Harding, whose previous triumphs include The Garden House at Beaverbrook in Surrey.
Drawing upon Lord Beaverbrook’s legendary tastes and predilections (including a certain fondness for mischief), the hotel’s medley of muses includes London’s storied theatres and iconic cultural attractions, Art Deco and Japanese culture.
Inspired by his Lordship
Beaverbrook in Surrey rekindles the spirit of the roaring Twenties, honouring its infamous former owner, Lord Beaverbrook: press baron and wartime MP. Beaverbrook Town House adroitly transports this nostalgia to the Big Smoke. The hotel recalls Lord Beaverbrook’s colourful life in London and his Fleet Street residence, where he hosted his illustrious friends, including Ian Fleming, Winston Churchill, Rudyard Kipling, Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Olivier.
Private-home
Channelling the charm of Lord Beaverbrook’s London abode, and decorated with antique treasures, vintage toys and saucy curios that could have been plundered from his travels, Beaverbrook Town House affectionately recreates a bygone era of hospitality combined with modern panache. The hotel conjures an atmosphere of generosity, as though you were staying with a fabulous friend. Instead of a formal reception area, there’s a snug little library, brimming with London-centric tomes to borrow; instead of formal staff, obliging personal assistants dispense savvy local recommendations. Upstairs, thoughtful touches abound, including personalised minibars stocked with your favourite treats, help-yourself whisky decanters, tea stations and thoughtful gifts. Once again, Beaverbrook cements its reputation as the host with the most…
Dapper design & inviting interiors
Joyfully referencing the Art Deco aesthetic of the 1920s and ’30s, sartorial highlights include: an abundance of tiles and tactile textures; a playful blend of the old and new; vibrant colour schemes and statement wallpaper, including bespoke marbled collages and pineapple motifs (a symbol of hospitality); and a collector’s stash of prints, posters, photographs, art and memorabilia. Art Deco was influenced by Japonisme, and this translates into cohesive design touches throughout; most notably in the Japanese restaurant and bar, but also upstairs and in the garden, via lacquered planters, brass accents, bonsai trees and flora picked for its lush blossom and autumnal foliage.
Looking closer to home, Nicola Harding has sourced fabrics, furnishings and fittings from an array of local London-based suppliers, including antique chairs from Howe, cushions by Penny Worrall, lampshades by Rosi de Ruig, decorative lighting from Vaughan Designs, ironmongery by Joseph Giles and trimmings from Samuel & Sons. These choices complement the hotel’s heartfelt celebration of historic London.
Theatrical boudoirs
When in London, Lord Beaverbrook relished attending West End shows with his artistic coterie. Thus, each of the hotel’s 14 suites is named after a famous London theatre, and decorated with clues to its playhouse’s past. Additional eye-candy comes in the form of four-poster and half-tester beds, antique bureaus and bedside tables, colour palettes ranging from the bold to the demure, oak floors topped with seagrass carpets and bespoke rugs by Nicola Harding, and opulent, theatre-style curtains, decorated with velvet geometric trims. Ensuite bathrooms star glossy tiles, Art Deco-inspired lighting and lacquered mirror frames in jewel-box hues.
Flavours of Japan
Continuing Beaverbrook’s love of contemporary Japanese cuisine, and aligned with the hotel’s sartorial leanings, Beaverbrook Town House is home to the Fuji Grill and Omakase Sushi Bar. Like the Dining Room at Beaverbrook, the restaurant will serve flawless sushi, sashimi and nigiri, alongside signature Beaverbrook dishes such as ‘Charcoal’ Wagyu with Juniper Miso. Restaurant General Manager, Trudi Fairweather, brings a two-decade stint at Nobu to the table; Alex Del (ex-Roka) is Head Chef, and Beaverbrook’s Head Sommelier, Giovanni Tallu (plucked from a 22-year stint at Annabel’s to open Beaverbrook in 2017) has curated the stellar wine list.
Dressed in soft shades of green, the Fuji Grill showcases an impressive collection of 19th-century woodblock prints depicting the eponymous Mount Fuji by the Japanese Masters, Hokusai and Hiroshige. This artistic treasure-trove represents the ukiyo-e genre, immortalised in Hokusai’s Great Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa.
The elegant bar has lacquered walls, burnt-umber and berry-bright stained glass (now a Beaverbrook trademark) and raspberry-pink fitted seating. Tables are decorated with new and vintage matchbox covers, sourced from Japan; some enjoyably risqué… Cocktails come courtesy of Alan Cook, Beaverbrook’s much-loved Bars Manager, featuring Beaverbrook favourites alongside London-edition libations. As a fan of Chinatown afterparties following dinners and dances at the nearby Savoy, His Lordship would no doubt approve.
London, unlocked
Like Lord Beaverbrook’s lucky guests of old, a visit to Beaverbrook Town House will benefit from exclusive access to the city’s cultural scene. Cherry-picked partnerships with the best contacts from Beaverbrook’s black book will put London’s crème de la crème at your fingertips. Other prestigious perks will include private-shopping experiences and in-room massage and beauty treatments, devised by Beaverbrook’s Coach House Spa Director, René van Eyssen. You can also book fitness classes at nearby KXU, or personal training sessions in the peace and privacy of Cadogan Place Gardens.
Beaverbrook Town House is Beaverbrook’s first partnership with Cadogan, whose stewardship of 93 acres of Chelsea and Kensington spans over three centuries. The project forms part of Cadogan’s strategy to strengthen Sloane Street’s position as the leading luxury shopping destination in the world and complements the existing focus on improved leisure and hospitality. A further £40m investment programme is underway, which includes ‘greening’ the street and upgrading everything the eye touches with the finest materials.
