Royal Lancaster London — London, UK

Architect Richard Seifert’s 18-storey Royal Lancaster London turns 50 this year and to celebrate, its Thai owners have just lavished £80m on a tip-to-toe refurbishment.
Studio Proof capitalises on the hotel’s coveted location on the edge of Hyde Park by turning the furnishings in each of the 411 rooms – a modern take on the mid-century look in sage green, white Carrara marble, Spinneybeck leather, and wool and silk throws – towards either greenery and London landmarks like St Paul’s Cathedral and Notting Hill.
The most dramatic changes, though, are the public spaces, in particular a new sweeping entrance and lobby braced in gold lacquer, brass and bronze, and anchored by a white marble staircase, and walls swathed in pale grey horsehair.
The in-house Nipa Thai is the setting for richly spiced curries and views of The Italian Gardens in Hyde Park, whilst the Island Grill scores for its mod Brit menu.
ADDRESS
Lancaster Terrace
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Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
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