Dating back to 1835 and originally starting life as five grand residential houses, the historic Berners Hotel in London is currently enjoying extensive refurbishment, and its rather delightful Edwardian architecture caught my eye as I thundered past on a Barclays bike.
After its former owners, JJW Hotels & Resorts went into administration owing shedloads of dosh, the hotel has been scooped up by Marriott International for a mahoosive wad of cash, rumoured to be hovering around the £60m mark.
The upmarket not-for-oiks five-star hotel will offer 176 bedrooms and a swanky marble reception area, and will rebranded under the rather daft new name of ‘Edition.’
Arne Sorenson, head cheese of new owners Marriott International, declared the building to be, “a perfect canvas for creating a true work of art,” while Edition brand creator Ian Schrager was, “excited and passionate about creating an authentic and original experience for this special Edition hotel in this gateway city.”
Anyone got any idea what a ‘gateway’ city is? Once you stay in one do you have to move on to bigger and bigger cities before overdosing on massive hotels?
Interestingly, the hotel’s name goes all the way back to 1654, when a Josias Berners purchased the land on which it stands for £970. I somehow doubt the ‘Editions’ moniker will be around for long.
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Cocktails in the Gothic splendour of the Gilbert Scott bar, Midland Hotel, St Pancras
A trip up the 330 year old Monument tower in central London
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Bike Parking Tax protest, central London 12th October 2011
