REVIEW:

THE ROSEWOOD HOTEL HOLBORN: “MIRROR ROOM”…

You know when somewhere just gets it right?

The toilets to the left of the lobby in The Rosewood Hotel Holborn, are a sight to behold.

Silver hammered wash basins paired generously with thick hand towels and face cloths line the walls of these lavish loo’s.

Signature scented “Neroli” handwash and moisturiser leave a tastefully rich scent on your hands so that even once you’ve left the hotel you receive a reminder of your experience every time you raise your hand to your face.

On top of this the cubicles are not only spotlessly clean, they are also sensibly spacious with a strong hook for your coat and/or bag, so there is no need for laying your garments on the floor; although these are the sorts of floors you could happily eat your food off of.

The best part of all however, and this is where you can really see that the Rosewood have been innovative with detail, are the plain clothed porters donned with leather satchels who clean the toilets and remove any contents from the bin almost immediately after use, but not so soon that you’d ever notice. This means that, unless it is really busy, there is almost nothing in the bins and it’s as if the toilets are always brand new just for you.

I have observed many of these welcoming personal touches during my visits to the “Mirror Room” at The Rosewood.

Situated at the back of the courtyard, and through the somewhat impressive copper corridor, lies the large “Mirror Room” which can be frequented by any Joe from the street, (aka Me), if they so wish.

With this in mind, I have always felt extremely welcomed by the staff in the Mirror Room. The Maitre D’ has always been immaculately dressed and has a perfectly non-intrusive yet caring manor. Other staff members have been equally as friendly, and as someone who likes to ask questions they have been very forthcoming in conversation.

I have had the privilege of frequenting the Mirror Room for afternoon tea on two occasions. Once on my first visit when a friend treated me and once when I took my mum to treat her.

Afternoon Tea has been absolutely divine both times and the only downside is me feeling bloated. But this is to be expected after two servings of sandwiches, many a scone and plenty of desert. (Because you need desert after scones?!)

However, I have also visited the Mirror Room on my own for a simple pot of tea and to sit and write. It is rare to find quiet places in our relentlessly busy city and the Mirror Room has turned out to be quite a gem. Never is it needlessly busy as it’s a pretty well kept secret and never have I felt pressure to rush and leave.

Even if I just have one pot of tea I feel comfortable sitting and writing for hours in the magnificently humble surroundings of this venue.

Although not everything is to my personal taste, it is hard to deny that the Mirror Room is a well composed and considered space.

A vast plume of flowers in oversized pots from McQueens centres the room in an delicately sturdy manner. Large glass topped tables and golden yellow leather chesterfields add a good helping of camp to the warm space.

The importance of line and spacing has been carefully considered in the layout of the room. You feel like you have privacy yet there are ample opportunities for people watching. Even though it’s a very large room with high ceilings you still feel cozy because of the modular organisation of tables.

My favourite aspect of the design by Tony Chi is the inclusion of bold almost cartoon aspects of the room, which are mirrored by the vast selection of art books displayed so neatly on the side tables. I am a firm believer that in order to create an interesting space you need a certain amount of wrongness to make a space right.

To mix together classic elements such as mirrored glass and marble floors with cartoon books, Chinese print table tops and oversized dog statues is a bold move, however, a necessary one in order to remove the stuffiness and inject some fun into the venue. This allows the room to feel both special and comfortable at the same time. Pretence is out the door yet the service is still on point.

Overall, I have been very impressed by the Mirror Room at The Rosewood Hotel and I will most definitely be visiting soon. And remember, you only need a £5 and it could buy you that much needed 3 hours of freedom and serenity amongst the loud, pulsating beast of Central London.

Written by Ted Rogers “Artpornblog”