St Martins Lane, London, United Kingdom

The stark exterior of St Martins Lane and the slightly scary-trendy look of the improbably tall orange revolving door are belied by the cheery greetings of the doorman. This was the first Schrager and Starck design hotel in London and shook the London design hotel world up completely when it opened. Today, this design hotel is just as subversive and just as much fun.

The facilities

The lobby of St Martins Lane is a sweep of blonde wood dotted with Starck-esque bits and pieces, including molar-shaped stools and merry little garden gnomes. A line of light leads towards the famous Light Bar, walled off during the day with a luminous wall screen, with arty clips projected onto it. There are panels painted a happy sunlit primrose yellow and tall colonnade pillars set off by dramatic lighting. This design hotel is sculptural and exuberant and buzzing.

The lobby then segues into Asia de Cuba, the design hotel’s much-loved restaurant. Fat columns run the length of the room, each decorated differently in installation style. There is a tufted silk column, a column with shelves stuffed with books and mini-tvs, a column hung entirely with black-white photographs and another covered in identical pot plants.

St Martins Lane attracts a similar trendy crowd to its sister design hotel, the Sanderson, though here guests tend to be younger and more relaxed. Of the two, the Sanderson is more dramatic and better conceived; however, St Martins Lane feels more fun. If you want formal service and high-quality business facilities, or if you’re of the “Yes, but what’s it for?” school of thought, you may be happier elsewhere. Otherwise, come for a fun weekend in a fabulous location in London.

The rooms

The 204 rooms at this design hotel are faintly Lego-like. Some have wonderful full-length windows which allow light to come cascading in. All have comfortable beds and kitten-soft linens with a dramatic thread count. The ‘mood lighting’ (now much-imitated) allows you to change the colour of the room to suit you.

There are other touches of designer Starck: clear Perspex chairs, solid walls of colour, dramatic hanging lights. TVs and minibars are hidden in white freestanding cupboards. Open-plan bathrooms (separated by glass walls and white drapes) are stylish and good-looking and mainly have sleek walk-in showers. Some also have cool and curving tubs. The best rooms in the design hotel, for my money, are the garden rooms, each with a tiny private outdoor area hung with greenery and romantically lit at night with candles.