Classic Elegance Meets iPod Chic

There's a new kind of hotel emerging in London's trendiest spots, such as the Bayswater area. It?s popularly known as the "Art Hotel" - unique, stylish hotels with "designer" interiors and a focus on art and artists. It's a definite break from the more traditional London hotels, with their identical rooms and decidedly formal decor, and has evolved from the boutique hotel trend, offering personalised accommodation and services in a characterful environment.

The "Art Hotel" is a reflection of the tastes of the young, contemporary traveller for whom an unusual, distinctly designed hotel holds much more appeal than the formalities and dry stuffiness of traditional hotels or the bland sameness of a branded chain.

Consider, as an example, the eclectic blend of styles and influences at St. Martins Lane, a hotel in central London that bills itself as "a dramatic and daring reinvention of the urban resort". Designed by Philippe Starck, St. Martins Lane demonstrates the boldness and vitality of the "Art Hotel" with its distinctive multicoloured windows and a focus on atmospheric lighting in the famous Light Bar. The Conrad hotels are another example, stepping away from tradition to provide a home from home for young travellers, and encouraging individuality. The "Art Hotel" is part of a modern day trend towards providing spaces where people can be themselves, and modern art is becoming a bigger and bigger feature of this trend.

The ?Art Hotel? concept rejects the bland, uninteresting interiors of traditional hotels, and abandons the usual mood-music of insipid still-life paintings and inoffensive but dull oil paintings on the walls of rooms and lobbies. Instead, it revolutionises hotel decors, noting the discerning artistic tastes of the younger clientele and contemporary business travellers, and makes art a key feature of its establishment.

The St Martins Lane Light Bar comes close to this, with its portraits of people making silly faces: Unusual, different, intriguing. But the Guest Hotels group of hotels has fully embraced the full concept of an Art Hotel, where even controversial works are featured, and are popular with the modern art-savvy traveller. No mood-music here. Common areas are used as exhibition spaces, there are specially commissioned artist-designed rooms, and hotels often offer their guests VIP access to museums and art galleries.

There's a new and exciting twist in the "Art Hotel" niche. Art is becoming a bigger and bigger feature of these spaces, drawing in appreciative business travellers in the media world, who demand individuality and style. One Bayswater hotel, The Jones, is part of the Guest Hotels group of hotels which has its very own curator in order to give guests the ultimate cultural experience. Rather than having a fixed decor that incorporates a collection of pictures, the paintings on the walls change regularly just as they would in any curated art environment.
This type of hotel is a strong advocate of the arts culture, introducing travellers to proper art exhibitions and even - in the case of The Jones - including an authentic in-house theatre. It's something of an added bonus that you can actually stay there, too! The theatre at The Jones is often known as Lillie?s Theatre, since it was where Lillie Langtry (famously the mistress of Edward VII) used to perform. It holds nightly performances in a cabaret style ? following London's long hotel tradition ? but performers and acts are all cutting edge contemporary creatives, including DJs, comedians, artists, writers and performers.

The Jones also runs an artist in residence programme, making the hotel both a venue for creative performances, and a second home for artists and their friends. Guests are also given complementary membership of the hotel's own arts club, "Concierge Club". It's an exciting new development in the "Art Hotel" trend. These sorts of hotels reflect the tastes and work environments of today's younger travellers, both business and leisure; a new hotel environment to complement London's thriving arts culture. And of course, any hotel boasting such a radical new style is guaranteed to provide all the modern conveniences that their clientele will expect.

In Bayswater hotels like The Jones, for example, free Wifi is standard, and features like iPod docking stations and Plasma TVs in rooms are popular with guests. The restaurant at The Jones is a classy French brasserie - high cuisine being another identifying characteristic of the sophisticated "Art Hotel" niche.

London city centre hotels, particularly in busy, vibrant areas like Bayswater, are always popular with international travellers, partly because of their central location (and the convenience provided by the excellent public transport links to all of London's major attractions), partly because of the close proximity of fashionable districts like Mayfair and Kensington, and partly because they promise all the technological comforts of home. Now, however, it seems that the appeal of these central London hotels has increased even more to the more discerning traveller, offering an exciting curated cultural experience as part of a full London package.

Creative London

London is the place to be for those who love the arts. Samuel Johnson got it right when he said ?By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show.?

If Samuel were alive today it is certain he would still agree. Unfortunately he died in 1784 and since then ?seeing London? is much easier spoken by a dead poet, than put into practice by even the hippest Londonite.

It?s easy to observe London aesthetically. The gigantic and cleverly designed London Eye offers everyone the opportunity to view London?s beautiful and historic skyline from an unrivalled vantage point but, actually ?seeing? London the way that Samuel Johnson meant is much more challenging.

Johnson meant looking into London?s heart and soul. The vibrancy and energy of London are incomparable to any other city in the world, a maze of whirling streets and alleys, stately buildings, polished statues and a history dripping with multi-culture. London is the setting of famous books and plays and has survived many failed attempts to crush its spirit. A complex city indeed and whether soggy spring rain or warm city summers, London always exudes an aura of intrigue and excitement.

There is so much to offer in London it is easy to become overwhelmed. New bands, acts and artists crop up like new fashions but how do you know if they will become classics or go straight to the bargain bin? You want to feel satisfied that you are not wasting any time or money during your precious break in the beautiful capital.

One-night-only comedy, cutting edge arts events, an audience with established and renowned actors and artists or exclusive music performances, the key question is not where to find these experiences but where to look. Wouldn?t it be great if you could hire someone with inside connections and information to do the work for you? You would be able to relax in the comfort of your luxury hotel room knowing that an itinerary of exclusive and unmissable events would be delivered right to your door.


That is where the winning concept of Concierge comes in. The hotel version of the Artful dodger-after he has been given a bath and dressed in bespoke Armani, Concierge is a street wise club with a hand right on London?s pulsating jugular. Always operating one step ahead of everyone else, Concierge makes the most of inside knowledge and exclusive behind the scenes information to bring you the most exciting and interesting London events before everyone else.

The premise is genius but simple. Dot five stylishly individual hotels around the heart of London?s City and West End and open them to guests as venues to host exhibitions, installations, cultural events and social activities. Then, set about searching for the best talent in London to perform exclusively in-house.

The result is nightly hand-picked music, performance and literary events from the hottest new artists in London right on your doorstep. Not only that, but you will also receive priority access, promotions and entry to special events hosted by the ICA, the V&A and the Tate to name a few. Concierge Club is partnered with both independent and institutional arts establishments that make up an exclusive and unique community of the brightest and finest of creative London that is not available anywhere else.

Forget stuffing yourself into crowded gig?s to see the hottest up and coming bands, queuing for hours to access new art showcases or bribing the bouncers at the Groucho club to let you in to catch your favourite author give a talk on his new novel.

If you want to see as much as the world will show, let Concierge Club bring the world right to your doorstep.

The Golden Ticket to London Arts Events

According to Samuel Johnson ?When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.? Three hundred years on this adage still holds true; to be tired of London is to be tired of life. From gorgeous architecture and galleries, to world class shopping there is enough to keep even the most discerning visitor or cynical Oyster card-holder entertained.

Beyond this, the entertainment scene has never been more vibrant and the number of world-class events in London grows daily ? if there is any criticism, perhaps it is just that there?s so much to choose from.

Looking for things to do in London isn?t difficult. In fact, it?s probably fair to say that whilst you?ll be spoilt for choice finding events in London, experiencing the capital can be an event itself. However, since quantity doesn?t always equate with quality it?s a breath of fresh air to come across a new concept from the Guest Hotels group. Membership of their Concierge Club guarantees you a ?golden ticket? into the cream of cultural events in London. Whether you love theatre, music, art, literature or fashion, they?ve opened the door to a whole new way of enjoying the best that London has to offer in beautiful surroundings.

Music lovers, for instance, can indulge in everything from large-scale symphony performances to world famous stadium gigs in London. However, whist big may be beautiful, it?s worth remembering that many renowned musicians, from rock to classical, started out their careers in, and often prefer the intimacy that comes from playing smaller venues. Classical musicians perform in eclectic venues around the city, from restaurants, to galleries to tube stations. The number of pub gigs is endless ? you might well witness the next Amy Winehouse or Radiohead before a rock and roll life style and/or giant ego have taken over. But, all too often these gigs are either jammed to the rafters or take place with minimal advertising. Blink, and you?ve missed them.
With this in mind, who wouldn?t jump at the chance to be regularly invited to the best concerts in intimate surroundings? Imagine if every visit to London, or regular nights out for those who live there, included a guarantee to catch the best of cultural events whether music, theatre, art or literature? Membership to The Concierge Club offers exactly this.

The concept of these arts events does not so much involve jumping any queues as rather negating the need for them in the first place and leapfrogging the mediocre. If a fast track ticket to top quality events seems to good to be true, perhaps it?s time to re-evaluate your expectations. After all, with such diversity of cutting edge cultural activity taking place in the capital, isn?t it time that innovation was applied to the ways audiences experience the arts?

They say that New York is the city that never sleeps, whilst this may be true, there is no doubt that London is the city that never bores.

New Ways to play in Creative London

Oscar Wilde famously declared that, "Life imitates art far more than art imitates Life". He might well have been speaking of the latest innovation to burst onto London?s art events scene; the world?s first foray into arts club hotels.

London has long been an inspirational hub for arts of all disciplines; from music, to literature and visual arts, the city is a thriving centre of cultural activity and excellence. However, the search for events in London can, too often, feel like seeking the holy grail. Whilst the city is home to some of the worlds best arts events, there?s a lot of rubbish out there too.

Even if you live in the midst of the creative buzz of London, there?s often a sense that something a little more cutting edge, exciting or exclusive might be going on right next door to you. For those who?ve splashed out on a hotel for a well-earned getaway, this can feel even more frustrating ? leaving a nagging doubt that, even armed with an up-to-date London travel guide, so much more is going on ?out there?. If only you knew how to be in the right place, at the right time without being a friend of Ms. Moss, Beckham or Osbourne. Wouldn?t it be great to sip champagne backstage during London fashion week, without an editorial career at Vogue? What if you?d heard that band who were a sensation on YouTube, before they hit the daily playlist on Radio One? Have you ever wished that you?d heard an up and coming member of the literati read from their latest novel, before Richard and Judy got hold of it?

With the launch of the Concierge Club hotels, accessing this side of creative London is now possible for mere mortals. The opportunity to stay in the sumptuous surroundings of contemporary London hotels, soak up the ambience and keep a finger right on the pulse of the latest arts events has become a valid proposition. Artistic movers and shakers are no longer so elusive; in fact, they?ll come to you, in the comfort of your hotel. Or, you?ll be given the ?secret? to the hottest new show or party along with your room number.

The plan is (as always with great ideas) beautifully simple ? to create hotels that are a playground and showcase for artistic creativity. Rather than displaying artwork, get the artist involved in the whole hotel design. Who needs second-rate cabaret singers or a piano bar, when the hotel could host cutting edge gigs? Forget slipping a back hander to the concierge for a party hot tip, why not include year round access to exclusive events as part and parcel of the overall hotel experience. Everyone?s a winner. Guests enjoy immersion into the cultural vibrancy that epitomizes London, whilst creative talents and arts agencies get a wider arena and audience.

An arts club hotel means that you get to choose style and substance together. Move over ?boutique? and ?five star?, with a new concept in hotels, creative London just got more creative. Life, it seems, now really does imitate art.

New Arts Club Hotel, London

Under the plans, the hotel collection Guest Hotels will turn its five hotels into stages for emerging talent from London's creative arts scene.

At the centre of the idea lies a members club for guests enabling them to enjoy leading-edge contemporary arts events within the hotels where they are staying and exclusive access to events in London.

"Until now, hotels have used art as decoration. We are reversing that concept by allowing artists to use our hotels as their showcase, says entrepreneur Johnny Sandelson, chairman of Guest Hotels and founder of the innovative hotel investment company GuestInvest*.

"I believe we are the only group of hotels in the world to give guests automatic membership of a club that brings the best of London's contemporary arts scene to their door."

The Concierge Club will be open to both guests and non-residents and will offer a diverse programme of cultural events ranging from cabaret and indie music through to back-stage passes to some of the hottest celebrity events in London.

The first 1000 members will be considered as founders and will be rewarded with a free night in one of the hotels within Guest Hotels' collection.

To further strengthen this commitment to the arts, Guest Hotels' has established a network of partners including renowned arts institutions such as the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) and the Tate to give members privileged access to their ongoing exhibitions and shows.

Sandelson has hired an impressive team to bring his idea to fruition. Iram Quraishi leaves London's famous Institute of Contemporary Arts to curate the arts club. Management of the five hotels - which includes the iconic Blakes in Kensington - will fall to Caroline King who joins from the private members club Home House.

Internationally acclaimed restaurateur Oliver Peyton takes charge of the bars and restaurants, whilst founder of The Design Museum, Stephen Bayley joins as style director.

Barry Ryan, the fashion photographer is head of visual imagery and will serve as the group's photographer-in-residence.

The first two arts club hotels will open this summer in Bayswater. The Jones is a 176-bed listed building which Guest Hotels has restored to its former Edwardian baroque glory.

Nearby Nest has been recently converted from a row of stucco-fronted terraced houses to an elegant 157 bed hotel.

Simultaneously, the already established Blakes Hotel and Guesthouse West will join the arts club hotel initiative hosting their own arts programmes.

Early next year, the group will open The Chiswell in the City offering a further 200 rooms.

The arts club hotel concept has received wide support from the creative industries and arts communities.

The ICA has also given its support to the scheme and is becoming an official partner to Guest Hotels.

"We are delighted to be working with Guest Hotels on a new collaboration, which aims to present the very best of cultural London and offer a unique insight into the minds and practice of some of the incredible creative talent working in this city" said Ekow Eshun, Artistic Director of the ICA.

GuestInvest was launched in November 2003 as the UK's first buy-to-let hotel company. The concept allows investors to buy their own fully maintained room in a central London hotel, stay there for up to 52 nights a year for free, and receive 50 per cent of the room's income, which is let out by the hotel on their behalf throughout the year.