Maybe it’s because it’s The Londoner
A question for you: when is a boutique hotel not a boutique hotel? When it’s a super-boutique hotel, silly! And that’s what we are being lavished with in London’s until now not so glittering Leicester Square with The Londoner, a hotel designed - or super-designed - to become HQ of international movie premieres and other high-end shindigs.
You’ll have noticed it going up. It’s the one down in the south-west corner where the old ratty Odeon cinema used to be, the one with the blue glazed tiles. But don’t fear: screening rooms are very much part of the 16-storey package which also includes a ballroom, five bars and restaurants, a whole floor dedicated to wellness called The Retreat and 350 or so rooms, some with views right down to the London Eye.
Taking a closer look at those Food & Beverage opportunities - F&B in the trade - there’s The Stage, which is built around the consumption of champagne, whether it’s a high tea or taking in the performances they have planned. Then there’s Joshua’s Tavern, built around the consumption of gins and beers (they’re going to need personnel to help us to the lifts with this amount of alcohol at the centre of things!) and 8 at The Londoner, which is apparently a decadent rooftop izakaya lounge. No, we don’t know what that is either but we’ll give it a go.
All in all, it’s London’s most exciting new hang-out, whether you’re a movie star who has to be across the square in five minutes to do red-carpet duties or just a regular civilian looking for a drink. And yes, we are working on doing an event there so watch this space.
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