In the UK Radisson Edwardian are dropping the brand name from their latest hotel, London’s May Fair (see images below), preferring to regard it as an individual and intimate boutique hotel although it is over 400 rooms. Recognising the conflict between branding and the style they wanted to create, they have decided to differentiate it from the rest of the chain. This is not a new device, with the Stafford in London’s St. James’s operating independently from the rest of the Shire Hotels and establishing its own clear boutique identity. Designer Michael Attenborough, responsible for the Mayfair, says “Each project I take on is distinct and should be treated in an individualistic way”, surely in itself a definition of boutique. He goes on “Different hotels call for different treatments” and the Mayfair has opened to acclaim, but more importantly becoming an instant hit with the ‘Friday night millionaire’ crowd who come to see and be seen in the hotels swanky award winning bar.
Many brands strive to create a stylish and trendy look for their hotels but fall down because of their inability to manage the design process. Michael, working closely with the owner of the chain, is not only able to control the design, but is a ‘hands-on’ participant in the design process as the Head of Design for the group. Fifteen years ago Michael Attenborough moved from a design practice to become Liberty’s youngest ever Furnishing Fabrics manager. After the last nine years in charge at Radisson Edwardian he is enjoying the challenge of completely restyling all the hotels in the group, moving away from previously fusty country house appearance to simple calm, “lots of creams, no curtains, no fuss” with style, innovation and luxury.
Michael describes the Mayfair as a “totally new interpretation of a large luxury hotel” and it has certainly proved a success from the start with occupancy rates running at 100%. Showing the finished rooms off, Michael could not resist plumping up the cushions, leaping in front of the photographer to move a waste bin out of shot, or laughing with infectious enthusiasm about the gimp and fabric wall covering in a lift lobby. He lays down simple guidelines for integrating the design throughout the hotel – only one kind of marble flooring throughout, to give a basic visual unity to the scheme, for example. He also demonstrates the advantage of being on the group management team in that he can go back and tweak the design where it doesn’t quite work the first time, making jokes with the housekeepers to ensure he understands what works from their perspective as well as his own.
The result is an hotel with impressive public spaces as well as sparkling bedrooms and suites. Competition at the luxury end in London is getting stronger as individual hoteliers, as well as initiatives such as Marriot’s in the boutique market, compete for a share of the £400/$800 a night room rates being achieved. With 57 five star luxury hotels now open and more being planned, the additional rooms at the Mayfair may only be a drop in the ocean in the swelling demand in this most global of cities, but the rooms stand as a challenge to other hoteliers to do as well, continuing the game of ever rising standards first started by boutiques such as Blakes in the early 1980’s. The definition of boutique may still be changing, but the nature of the game remains the same. The game is, as Michael says, “designing hotel rooms that will please our guests”.
Patrick Goff
