By Steve Taggart
With the opening of the V&A’s Alexander McQueen exhibition, London pays homage to a genius of rare vision and invention. lastminute.com joins the stylish celebration with a top 10 of avant-garde hotels in London – with their futuristic design, sleek style and trendy technology. All hotels can be booked on lastminute.comand prices start at £69 to sleep in rooms that are just as extravagant as priceless haute couture dresses.
The Qbic Hotel, situated in trendy East London, has some of the most bizarre modern art right down to the light fittings. Each room has edgy photography, incredible furniture and bold statement walls reflective of McQueen’s theatrical style – no two of the quirky rooms are the same. And this hotel is not just for the eyes, it’s a theatre for the spontaneous: some mornings breakfast is served in the park across the road. Available at lastminute.com from £69 per night.
The ME Hotel is one of London’s most spectacular avant-garde hotels and a creation of ubercool style and technical sensations. With interiors entirely designed in black and white, this unique hotel has a roof-terrace bar and a pyramidal atrium over nine floors for breathtaking moments just like in a McQueen fashion show. Available at lastminute.com from £270 per night.
An exclusive art gallery. A glamorous rooftop bar with a glass box structure. A giant copper clad wall. One huge copper hull – sweeping right through the building. The Mondrian London, with its rooms offering Thames river views, is a bold mixture of technology and craft – something that is intrinsic in McQueen’s fashion. Available at lastminute.com from £130 per night.
The Eccleston Square Hotel is tradition on the outside (it’s a beautiful grade II listed building), and on the inside it bursts with ultra-high-tech like no other hotel (think iPad concierge, massage beds, shower glass that frosts up) – this is a truly visionary hotel. But it’s not just the cutting-edge gadgets; the style is really innovative too with giant windows, black chandeliers and monochrome designs all giving the hotel an edge to its personality. Available at lastminute.com from £199 per night.
This minimalist boutique sanctuary has been created by British designer Anouska Hempel whose designs and architecture aims to reflect a utopian lifestyle and resemble the razor-sharp tailoring seen in McQueen’s designs. Each little aspect of the design looks very meticulously thought through down to the specific shade of blue seen throughout – messing up the bed is sure to be fun! Available at lastminute.com from £98 per night.
Alexander McQueen was the master of dramatic staging – his incredible shows surely got some fashionistas close to ecstasy. They might drool just as much over the South Place Hotel. Lighting is set up in a way that gives the effect of the bed floating above the floor – and each room contains art by a contemporary London artist. Available at lastminute.com from £157 per night.
Blakes is another creation of designer Anouska Hempel and is known as the world’s first luxury boutique hotel – beloved by stars and the fashion world, it’s often referred to as ‘The Couture Hotel’. Entering the Blakes Hotel, with its black façade, gives people a sense of spectacle: elegant, eclectic, abundant and rich tones. These interiors are simply astonishing exercises in design. Available at lastminute.com from £312 per night.
The Sanctum Soho Hotel has 30 rooms of all sorts of modern designs. Anyone staying here will be wowed by the eccentric furnishings and stylish themes. What’s more, it’s a stone’s throw from the buzzing streets of central London. So after visiting the Alexander McQueen exhibition there’s plenty of opportunities to enjoy the cool, hip restaurant or swanky bar, or even the hot tub next to the bar. Available at lastminute.com from £186 per night.
The W London Leicester Square is all glitz and glamour with its jet-black entrance hall and a bar sparkling in gold. The rooms even have silver curtains draping the windows – visionary design that can hardly be overlooked, just like an impressive haute couture dress. Available at lastminute.com from £249 per night.
Set in ‘museum city’, close to the V&A, the Exhibitionist Hotel brings together revolution with bursts of colour. It is set in a beautifully restored 18th century townhouse combining original design, contemporary decorations and stylish touches. It has eight galleries with famous artworks so visitors to the nearby Alexander McQueen exhibition can carry on their tour of inspirational art. Available at lastminute.com from £162 per night.
All Top 10 avant-garde London hotels can be booked via lastminute.com: www.lastminute.com/hotels/themes/avant-garde.htmland are subject to availability. Prices quoted are for one night in a double room, are based on 11th March 2015 and are subject to change.