Clayton Hotel, City of London
The 4-star 212-key Clayton Hotel City of London contains three different bedroom schemes and eight suites housed in a rooftop extension, a lobby lounge, bar and restaurant and gym. With an interior design inspired by the rich history and character of the vibrant local neighbourhood, the hotel redefines the concept of a destination hotel.
Close to Petticoat Lane and Brick Lane markets, and bordering the City banking district, this new hotel draws on the rich history of the local neighbourhood.
When we inherited the scheme, it comprised 22 keys per floor with three lifts – one a guest/service lift – and 11 different room types and obtuse multi-corner corridors. Our brief was to create a more efficient, guest-friendly layout. We worked closely with the brand to develop a neighbourhood story concept for the interiors and ensure this philosophy flows through the look and feel of the guest experience. Everything has a place and a story, which links back to the locality, even down to the coffee mugs and reading books in the bedrooms.
Our redesign created 24 rooms per floor, dedicated three lifts to guests, added an additional service lift, and created regular corridors with family and universally accessible rooms inter-connecting via their own separate corridor. This enabled the back of house to be placed on the mezzanine floor, negating the majority of crossovers and improving the guest experience. We reduced the scheme to four different room types, which married with the existing envelope and windows, and added a 10th floor extension with eight suites.
Detailing, materials and artworks directly reference the local area. From the bespoke Persian carpets in the lobby recalling the area’s involvement in the tea trade to the carefully selected artworks in the guestrooms inspired by the local delftware and Victorian bells.
The guestrooms adhere to an open space, warehouse concept, influenced by the Donald Judd warehouse in New York in the 1960s. Sliding Crittall doors conceal bathrooms and wardrobes with panels to the base inspired by metal work and delftware directly linking to the area.
The 22sq m deluxe room is cleverly designed to optimise natural light. The layout of the room connects the bathroom to the sleeping chamber via an open vanity, one side within the bathroom itself and the other in the bedroom. The design creates a unique make-up area, separate to the basin and desk area, utilising the natural light from the floor to ceiling windows. The toilet sits within a separate cubicle to the shower and vanity allowing two guests to use the bathroom at the same time with ease. Leather detailing used in the feature bedheads, and a variety of metals within wardrobe door panels, link to the area’s history of craftwork.
The Presidential suite, the largest of the suites, offers views across the city with 67sq m of loft-style designed space including a generous bathroom, open-plan living and dining area with kitchenette, guest WC, cloakroom and office. The hotel’s destination bar, restaurant and café are designed to appeal to local residents, as well as guests with a scheme and produce inspiration from the local market life.
Awards and nominations
- Client
- Meadow Partners
- Location
- London, United Kingdom
- Status
- Completed 2019
- Uses
- Hotel
- Size
- 212 keys
- Photos
- Amy Murrell