New kid on the block

THE LOWDOWN Munich-based Ruby Hotels is promising to bring the carnival to town with its first UK property, opening in January on London's Southbank. Defining itself as 'lean luxury', the brand says it focuses on the essentials – location, fittings and design – but keeps it affordable by cutting out frills like room service and overpriced minibars. A three-minute walk from Waterloo Station, the hotel's interiors – rich, dark tones with bright brass, subtle stripes and carnival-themed touches like drums and juggling pins – are inspired by the surrounding markets, galleries, and theatre scene. There's a 24-hour bar, communal work station, a library and 76 bedrooms, from cosy 'Nest' rooms to more spacious 'Loft' rooms. All come with sleep-inducing soundproofing, blackout curtains, posh linen, and extra long and wide custom mattresses. Ruby Hotels plans to open a second hotel in the capital by 2022, so watch this space.

THAT'S a FACT Every room comes with its own Marshall guitar amp to plug into. If you don't have your own guitar, you can borrow one from reception (thank goodness for the soundproofing!).

THEY said it “The model works because we accommodate luxury in a relatively condensed space, similar to luxury yachts, and we forego unnecessary services.”

rates

Rooms start from around £110 per night.

A city of waterways,

boutiques and bicycles, Amsterdam may seem quaint

but it’s also a forward-thinking European Capital of Innovation with an

entrepreneurial mindset – and always

on trend, writes