ROOM ENVY

The scheme that has inspired us this month

Kensington’s eccentric Blakes Hotel, considered the original boutique hotel, is a London institution. Tightlipped discretion and luxurious couture stylings have made the property a favourite with figures from across the worlds of Hollywood and high society, with Princess Margaret, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kate Moss all on the guest list of this sultry hideaway. Decor was overseen by influential hotelier and interiors maverick Anouska Hempel, a designer with perfected approaches to both zen-minimalism and all-out eclecticism. We adore the serenity of the hotel’s Corfu Suite, once named the most seductive hotel room in the world. The stuff of romantic legend, this tranquil bedchamber cossets guests in swathes of buff, taupe, and pristine ivory; a calming colour scheme that promises to unwind even the most highly strung of city folk. As the name would suggest, a Grecian vibe runs through the room set off by its pièce de résistance, a four-poster bed enfolded in seductive linen drapes that echo the billowing robes of a Greek goddess. Mother-of-pearl inlaid chests and white-stained furniture help set the calming tone, while a number of carved earthenware jars anchor the room to its Mediterranean influences. The look is completed with murals depicting classical architectural motifs, and a generous assortment of pure-white orchids. If you can tear yourself away from this white wonderland, venture downstairs for dinner in the restaurant, a chic space inspired by the old Turkish steamer boats that sail along the Bosphorus. Finish off this most decadent of evenings with a descent to Blakes Below, the hotel’s intimate basement bar where glamorous chinoiserie panels, sink-in banquettes and moody lighting are guaranteed to put a twinkle in any design-lover’s eye.