Kimpton Fitzroy London

BACKGROUND This striking Grade II-listed building, which first opened as the Hotel Russell in 1900, recently had a £75 million renovation and opened under the Principal brand in April last year. That identity proved short-lived, with Intercontinental Hotels Group and joint venture partners Fonciere des Regions buying Principal and reopening the property under upscale brand Kimpton. They have undertaken “light renovations” to put a new stamp on it. It is the first UK property for Kimpton, although this year will see openings in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.

WHAT’S IT LIKE? After arriving through large wooden doors on Russell Square, the foyer is an imposing sight, with marble walls, pillars and a marble mosaic floor. The hotel is softly lit and tastefully decorated throughout. Features include free bike use, a promise to provide any toiletries or other items you may have forgotten, and a daily “social hour” with complimentary wine and beer served from 5pm to 6pm. Pets can stay for free.

WHERE IS IT? In Bloomsbury, two minutes’ walk from Russell Square Tube station (useful for the Piccadilly line to Heathrow) or ten minutes’ walk from Euston (for the Victoria and Northern lines).

ROOMS The property has 334 rooms, which range from 11 sqm singles and 22-32 sqm doubles to 68 sqm suites. The design in all is similar, simple but inviting, with a colour scheme of cream and taupe with dark detailing. All rooms come with free wifi, Nespresso machines (except for City Singles), Perfumer’s Story bathroom amenities, Bluetooth speakers, mini fridges and smart TVs. Business travellers should note that many rooms lack desks, including the one-bedroom suite I stayed in.

The stand-out facility in my suite was the large bathroom, which was finished in marble. With its two sinks and big freestanding tub, it was so inviting I could have happily spent a whole day in it.

I did at some point leave, and happily found the bed to be extremely comfortable, with 300 thread-count linens and a mound of pillows. Copies of classic books were a nice touch. However, one gripe was that the many light switches weren’t very intuitive. It seemed that not all could be controlled from the bed, and I had to scour the room to work out how to turn off one particularly persistent light coming from the wardrobe.

The foyer is an imposing sight, with marble walls, pillars and a mosaic floor

FOOD AND DRINK Fitz’s Bar is a dimly lit ground-floor hideaway that seemingly wants to attract a cool crowd (as well as City types in suits, I’m pretty sure I spotted a very famous actor). On a dark velvet sofa beneath a disco ball and silk-tented ceiling, I tried a tasty and fairly lethal Negroni, as well as the delicious salmon Tolstoy and croquettes from the snack menu. Tragically, I arrived too late for social hour.

On the other side of the building is Burr and Co café, where a breakfast buffet is served. This is fairly standard but will cater to all tastes, with “health shot” mini juices and chia puddings as well as pastries, cheese and cold cuts, and hot options. The vibe is somewhere between a hipster coffee shop and a farmhouse. Guests who buy bed and breakfast packages can choose between this and an à la carte breakfast at Neptune, which for lunch and dinner becomes a seafood restaurant. I didn’t try a meal there, but its pink and cream décor (plus more marble) looks like something out of a Wes Anderson movie.

There is also the impressive Palm Court, which serves drinks, an all-day dining menu and afternoon tea in a bright, plantfilled space in the centre of the hotel.

MEETINGS The ballroom has been restored and fits 400 people for a banquet, while eight additional event spaces can accommodate gatherings of eight to 80.

LEISURE There is a 24-hour gym and complimentary bike hire.

VERDICT The hotel meets its aim of laid-back, unpretentious luxury. The design is classic and tasteful, and the staff young and friendly. Jenni Reid

BESTFOR

Events – the meeting rooms and public spaces have been beautifully done up – or a luxurious bath in a Corner suite

DON’TMISS

Celeb-spotting over free drinks during social hour at Fitz’s

PRICE

Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in April started from £299 for an Urban Double room

CONTACT

Kimpton Fitzroy London,

1-8 Russell Square; tel +44 (0)20 7123 5000; kimptonfitzroylondon.co.uk