1 HOTELS LAUNCHES LONDON'S FIRST NATURE-DRIVEN HOTEL EXPERIENCE

1 Hotel Mayfair, the UK Flagship, Is Now Open

LONDON, Nov. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 1 Hotels, the nature-inspired mission-driven hotel brand founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, announces the official opening of 1 Hotel Mayfair, its UK flagship and first European destination, developed in collaboration with Crosstree Real Estate Partners. Located on a fashionable corner of historic Mayfair overlooking the mature trees of Green Park, 1 Hotel Mayfair brings the beauty of nature to central London through vertical landscapes, sustainable design, farm-to-table food, and nature-inspired immersive experiences.

The hotel's proximity to prestigious galleries, Michelin-starred restaurants, and chic shopping on Bond Street, Mount Street, and Regent Street, plus important landmarks like the Royal Academy of Arts and Buckingham Palace, offer guests a unique opportunity to enjoy the best of London city life and the beauty of the natural world.

"We are thrilled to bring our brand's one-of-a-kind blend of nature and culture, sustainability and luxury, and a holistic focus on health and wellness to what has been a hub of heritage for generations," says 1 Hotels Founder and SH Hotels & Resorts Chairman Barry Sternlicht. "We designed this soothing urban oasis as a fresh, fashionable, contemporary take on timeless traditions. With Green Park as our backdrop, we are focused on reconnecting our guests and visitors to the wonder and magic of London's natural, cultural, and historical landmarks in an atmosphere that is as relaxed as it is refined." 

"At 1 Hotel Mayfair, we have meticulously curated a sustainable destination, drawing inspiration from the innate beauty of the natural world that surrounds us. Our brand's purpose-driven ethos seamlessly harmonizes with the vibrant tapestry of London and the illustrious Mayfair district," says SH Hotels & Resorts Chief Executive Officer Raul Leal.

"We are delighted to bring 1 Hotels' industry-leading sustainability focus to London as an alternative vision of modern luxury compared to the traditional hotels that dominate Mayfair. With 1 Hotels' signature biophilic design combined with its deep-rooted passion and authenticity around environmental responsibility, 1 Hotel Mayfair is a fresh addition to London's hotel scene," said Sean Arnold & Nick Lyle, Founders, Crosstree Real Estate Partners.

NATURE-DRIVEN DESIGN

1 Hotels' commitment to sustainability and biophilic design principles drove every decision when it came to creating this property, starting with the defining decision to reuse and renovate two pre-existing Mayfair buildings, as opposed to constructing from scratch. The resulting retention of over 80% of the existing structures reduced the amount of embodied carbon produced during demolition and construction, mitigated construction waste and debris, and helped the project to meet BREEAM Excellent standards.

Adding two new floors atop the building allowed for the addition of 44 stunning suites, which feature floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over Green Park or the skyline of bustling Piccadilly. A fully automated guest room management system reduces electricity—just one of the many sustainable features.

As part of the brand's commitment to sustainable practices, 1 Hotels has partnered with Livia Firth's Eco-Age, a leading sustainability consultancy, to ensure that environmentally focused initiatives are both credible and compelling.

HOTEL EXTERIOR & LOBBY

When guests arrive, they are greeted by a massive living, breathing wall of fresh greenery, which sets the tone for an astounding journey within. More than 1,300 individual plants and 200-plus local and native plant species are scattered throughout the property—an oasis created by London-based design studio G.A Group in collaboration with the SH Hotels & Resorts internal design team. Upon entering the spacious lobby through bespoke bronze doors, guests are welcomed by the soothing sounds of trickling water, echoing formal garden cascades.

There are other awe-inspiring design features like Rainforest, a custom-crafted "living" chandelier by nature-inspired artist Patrick Nadeau, suspended from the ceiling: It's made up of 50,000 strands of air plants, all lit magically from above. The raw timber-beamed ceiling has a similar artisanal sensibility: It rises above reclaimed Yorkshire dry-stone walls and is covered with preserved moss and local plants.

The reception desk is rough-cut from a single 200-year-old weathered oak tree culled naturally from the Balcombe Estate in West Sussex. Adding to the organic appeal, the lobby is decorated with custom furniture that was handcrafted using traditional techniques and featuring natural fabrics.

Art is also an important feature: At every turn, guests encounter original works by British artists that provoke a closer connection to the landscapes of the United Kingdom. Highlights of the collection include Steve McPherson's provocative marine plastic piece Flow and Kate MccGwire's sculpture Torrent, which is uniquely integrated into the Dover Yard bar.

SUITES & ROOMS

There are 181 rooms, including 44 suites, where guests can rest, revive, restore, and recharge in an environment filled with native plants and a preserved moss-covered wall. Design details in the rooms convey a conscious commitment to natural materials, from responsibly sourced British oak flooring to a private bar made with timber and responsibly hand-wrapped woven jute. There are also nightstands carved from sustainable wood, chalkboard notepads fashioned from reclaimed tree stumps, artisanal leather baskets, and trays hand-crafted by local makers. In the bathrooms, textured limestone walls offset sleek dark vanities hand-hewn from Welsh slate.

The hotel also features four spectacular signature suites. The seventh-floor double-height Green Park Penthouse is the largest one-bedroom suite in Mayfair. With its sweeping wrap-around terrace and retractable sliding doors that open to panoramic park views, the suite can be expanded to two or three bedrooms. The Garden Terrace suite features a private terrace and seating area with views of Mayfair's cinematic rooftop skyline. The Piccadilly Greenhouse suite has floor-to-ceiling glass windows, giving guests a bird's eye perspective of London, plus its own private dining area seating six. Finally, the Dover Terrace Suite is encircled by a wraparound terrace overlooking Piccadilly with a large exterior dining and entertaining area and unobstructed views of London's skyline.

MIND & BODY

The Bamford Wellness Spa enhances the hotel's dedication to well-being, with an exclusive selection of holistic treatments, services, and classes meant to nurture the mind, body, and spirit, following founder Carole Bamford's holistic approach inspired by her first wellness spa at Daylesford Organic Farm in the Cotswolds. Bamford designs and produces all its products ethically and consciously, making it an ideal partner for 1 Hotels and its mission.

The Field House Fitness Centre cultivates well-being and intentional living with state-of-the-art equipment from TechnoGym, plus sessions in stress reduction, strength training, endurance building, yoga practice, outdoor fitness classes, and one-on-one training sessions with London's best personal trainers. It's all offered in a calming setting that's conducive to deep and lasting restoration and rejuvenation.

TASTE

1 Hotel Mayfair is home to several restaurants and bar concepts that reflect the brand's sustainable, eco-minded approach to dining.

DOVETALE
Two Michelin Star Chef Tom Sellers helms Dovetale, 1 Hotel Mayfair's show-stopping ground-floor restaurant. Focused on reimagined modern European cooking and Mayfair classics, inflected with Sellers' own next-generation flair, the seasonal menu is composed of only the highest quality ingredients sourced from best-in-class British farms, growers, and fishermen such as Freedown Hills Farm, The Sea The Sea, Cacklebean Eggs, Neils Yard Dairy, Epping Good Honey and Flourish Farms.

The raw bar features an incredible bounty of British shellfish including Orkney scallops, dressed Cornish crab, and N25 Oscietra caviar. Dovetale's onsite butcher offers perfectly aged and cut steaks from the UK's best meat suppliers. For desserts made tableside, the Knickerbocker Glory trolley, created by Sellers in collaboration with famed British innovation and design firm Seymourpowell, enables guests to order their own bespoke creations or choose from four classic options. Oliver Espersen, Director of Wine, oversees one of London's most extensive wine programs and puts an emphasis on sustainable and organic bottles, small growers, and new wave producers, plus an extensive selection of Champagnes and back vintages from top houses.

Dovetale's design is as transporting as its menu, fashioned by Dion & Arles with a pleasing palette of pale wood, terrazzo flooring, oversized mirrors, and olive-green chairs. There's a beautiful adjacent terrace, complete with an open fireplace, for year-round drinking and dining that's accessed via Dover Yard.

DOVER YARD
Overlooking a lush botanical courtyard, Dover Yard is a destination bar that provides a serene oasis for casual bites and pre-dinner drinks for both hotel guests and the local Mayfair residents. Accessible via a newly walkable, cobbled, and landscaped pathway (formerly a parking lot) gifted to the community and running between Berkeley Street and Dover Street, Dover Yard is open daily from 12pm until late. Background DJs set the perfect tone, creating a sophisticated yet vibrant atmosphere, while a double-sided fireplace adds a touch of warmth in cooler months. The deliberately oversized bar counter gives a stage for the in-house mixologists who add theatrical and personal flair with classic drinks and signature cocktails. In keeping with the hotel's sustainable ethos, the menu includes a zero-waste focus and features repurposed ingredients. The in-house-made "Lemon Sour Mash," is crafted from the daily leftover lemon husks used for fresh juicing. The menu also includes an extensive wine, beer, and champagne list.

NEIGHBOURS
Open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Neighbours caters to busy guests with healthy grab-and-go snacks, cold-pressed juices, and artisan coffee, as well as wine, classic cocktails, and quintessentially local snacks in the evening. The café encourages conversation and collaboration throughout the day around its hand-crafted raw timber central communal table. Come evening, sliding rattan panels, a playful reference to the chic picnic baskets seen in Green Park, open to display Aperitivo spirits and antique mirrors. The space also hosts a series of community gatherings including wine tastings, terrarium workshops and panel talks with local experts.

EXPERIENCES

To encourage exploration, 1 Hotel Mayfair offers guests access to a fleet of electric Audi house cars—featuring the Q8 e-tron, Q8 Sportback e-tron, and RS e-tron GT. The cars are available daily to shuttle guests around the area.

ABOUT SH HOTELS & RESORTS

SH Hotels & Resorts, an affiliate of global private investment firm Starwood Capital Group, is a sustainable hotel brand management company that operates 1 Hotels, a nature-inspired lifestyle brand that launched in 2015 with properties in South Beach and Manhattan and now includes Brooklyn Bridge, West Hollywood, Sanya (China), Toronto, San Francisco, Nashville, the recently opened Hanalei Bay flagship property and the brand's first European property in Mayfair (London) with projects in development in Cabo San Lucas, Paris, Elounda Hills (Crete), Austin, Copenhagen, Riyadh and Melbourne; Baccarat Hotels & Resorts, a luxury brand that made its debut in March 2015 with the opening of its flagship property in New York, with projects under development in Brickell (Miami), Florence, Riyadh, Dubai and Rome; and Treehouse Hotels, which premiered in London in 2019 and with projects under development in Manchester, Sunnyvale, Brickell (Miami), Adelaide (Australia) and Riyadh. Leveraging its marketing, design, operational and technological expertise, SH Hotels & Resorts is the force behind some of the most groundbreaking and dynamic hotel brands in the world.

ABOUT 1 HOTELS

As a mission driven luxury lifestyle hotel brand inspired by nature, 1 Hotels cultivates the best of sustainable design and architecture, together with extraordinary comfort and an unrivalled level of service. 1 Hotels - which launched in 2015 with the opening of exclusive properties in Miami's South Beach and Manhattan's Central Park; followed by Brooklyn, located on the East River, in February 2017; West Hollywood, on Sunset Boulevard, in June 2019; Sanya (China) in 2020; Toronto in 2021; San Francisco and Nashville in 2022; and in 2023, the Hanalei Bay flagship property and Mayfair (London), the brand's first European property - is inspired by a simple idea: those that travel the world should also care about it. It is, after all, 1 world. 1 Hotels upholds this vision by channeling nature through design and culinary partnerships while connecting with the local community and taking sustainable steps to make a big difference. The brand is expanding with properties under development in Austin, Cabo San Lucas, Paris, Copenhagen, Elounda Hills (Crete), Riyadh and Melbourne. Additional information can be found at 1hotels.com

ABOUT CROSSTREE

Crosstree Real Estate Partners is a private real estate investment firm with a focus on the UK market. Founded in 2011 by Sean Arnold and Nick Lyle in partnership with Ernesto Bertarelli's investment firm B-Flexion, and based in London, Crosstree combines a private equity mindset with local market operating expertise to identify and unlock value from each transaction. Notable hospitality investments in addition to the 1 Hotel Mayfair include luxury lifestyle hotel The Standard, London in King's Cross opened in 2019, and Mama Shelter Shoreditch also opened in 2019. It invests opportunistically across all real estate sectors with a strong bias towards value–oriented investments. Following substantial backing from the Bertarelli family initially, in 2019 the capital base was expanded to include a select group of institutional and family office investors. Crosstree has raised capital commitments of over £1.25 billion since inception, with a current portfolio GAV in excess of £1.5 billion.

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SOURCE SH Hotels & Resorts