What if I were to tell you that one of the first and oldest fire stations in the British capital is, as we speak one of the luxurious hotels in town? I am talking about the Chiltern Firehouse Hotel, a five star residence located in the chic neighborhood of Marylebone, in London. I am sure that Robert Pearsall, the architect of the original fire station building, built back in 1889, did not expect that his creation would become one of the most bespoke hotels in the world.
But let’s find out a bit more about the Chiltern Firehouse Hotel. Six years ago, in 2011, André Balazs, a famous American hotelier, bought the historic Firehouse building and along with the developer Harry Handelsman and Google’s Eric Schmidt. A very competent team of architects, Archer Humphryes Architects renovated the existing building and also built a brand new wing using the very same architectural design with Victorian crenellations and arches, using the same red bricks. They also developed the latest technology of heating and cooling practices, digging two stories underground.
The whole restoration project lasted for almost 3 years and in 2013, the exclusive Chiltern Firehouse Hotel opened its doors and presented 26 suites and a 200 seat restaurant.
The philosophy of both André Balazs and the constructors ( architects and designer) was not to pack in as many rooms as possible but to create a boutique hotel, an exclusive luxurious getaway where all rooms would be both comfortable and unique. All twenty six rooms/suites have a homey atmosphere. The Victorian style of the exterior complements the interior design with custom made mahogany furniture, fine furnishings and luxurious bed linen. All rooms are equipped with British style- fireplaces in an attempt to create an intimate space. All bathrooms are spacious and decorated with elegant handmade glazed tiles and white and grey marble. Each bathroom boasts high rise windows, a freestanding pewter bathtub, shower , double marble console and heated floors thus offering its’ guests maximum luxury.
An interesting fact is that before the hotels’ opening, the owner André Balazs decided to sleep in each and every room in order to experience the feeling of each individual room stating “I need to know what every room feels like.” As it is stated in the hotel’s website “every guest is looked after by a personal concierge, providing unsurpassed levels of thoughtful and authentic service more evocative of a private house than a hotel”.
Many seem to think that the Chiltern Firehouse is just a restaurant and are unaware that it is also a hotel due to the fact that so many celebrities are fans of its famous Michelin star awarded restaurant Nuno Mendes. Numerous celebrities such as Cara Delevigne, David Beckam, even the prior Prime Minister Cameron and Bill Clinton have been spotted wining & dining there.
The Chiltern Firehouse Hotel is considered to be one of the top boutique hotels in London, not only because of the high end luxury that it offers its guest but also because of its fashionable design, Victorian deco elements and mostly because it has become a celebrity hot spot!
With Gratitude, T
Suitehome 