Editor Hamish Kilburn checked in to one of London’s more edgy bolthole boutique hotels, Vintry & Mercer, which, despite opening in 2019, very much feels like a new and fresh hotel…
There is no doubt about it, London is very much in the centre of a luxury hotel development boom this year, with multiple leading grand dames completing renovations and new luxury brands making their dramatic entrances in the capital. With all the noise being generated this year, it would would be easy to forget some of the hotels that opened prior to the pandemic that have made a statement on the London hospitality scene. Among them is Vintry & Mercer, a 92-key boutique jewel a stone’s throw away from St Pauls.
Image credit: Vintry & Mercer
The city’s new destination hotel, which celebrates colourful mercantile history with a contemporary twist, features a snazzy roof terrace, an all-day restaurant and even an underground speakeasy that is aptly named ‘Do Not Disturb’.
Image credit: Vintry & Mercer
The client wanted to create a ‘bolthole’ away from the city that could transport guests into another time and space entirely. The client requested a design approach similar to its first property, the award-winning The Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington, which Studio Moren also designed. The brief called for the same high level of design, ingenuity and quality.
Following its appointment in 2015, Studio Moren redesigned an already approved scheme, which originally had bedrooms focussed around a small internal courtyard. Working within the building’s envelope, the new design, led by Co-head of Interior Design, Lindsey Bean-Pearce, and Associate, Giada Gemignani, increased the number of external aspect rooms and created a more impactful entrance.
Image credit: Vintry & Mercer
Vintry & Mercer is a one-of-a-kind property, immersed in and visually referencing the location using bespoke wallcoverings, carpets, and light sculptures to engage guests with the story of the hotel and its neighbourhood. The old-world charm of vintage inspired furniture and joinery mixes with modern and clean detailing: it’s a playful marriage of old and new, just like the city itself.
The hotel’s 92 rooms are spread across five room categories, ranging from intimate doubles to suites with glass-panelled balconies that overlook London’s Southbank skyline. Bespoke wall coverings and statement headboards meet the client’s brief for a signature DNA linking back to The Ampersand.
Image credit: Vintry & Mercer
The design for the Mercer Roof Terrace is based on a countryside orangery with a palette of weathered timbers and muted sage green and grey in the upholstery. Floor-to-ceiling windows celebrate the views of St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Southbank. Richness is introduced using brass detailing, with honeycomb-patterned tiles on the walls and Versailles parquet timber flooring.
A clever combination of plantation shutters and delicate wire framed mirrors, throws natural illumination across the space from the roof light above, while a partial-open prep kitchen, bar seating and overhead storage make the most of a small space.
Main image credit: Vintry & Mercer
