Friday, July 30, 2010

Metropolitan road house London: The Rihanna prime where minimalist cool and rockers in the club power autarchic

Continuing our series on the world"s finest hotels and the stars who frequent them, Sarah Turner checks in to the Metropolitan, London. A room at the Metropolitan hotel

Metro set: Rooms at the Metropolitan hotel have views of Hyde Park and a spa among other luxury appointments, which make it popular with celebrities

STAR QUALITY: Bruce Willis, David and Victoria Beckham, fashion designer Giorgio Armani, the Killers, Cameron Diaz, Rihanna.

VITAL STATISTICS: A hotel that is popular with minimalist-minded fashion designers such as Giorgio Armani and Donna Karan; their pared-down clothes almost perfectly match the white, cream and coffee colour scheme.

Singer Rihanna

Star guest: Rihanna is one of the A-listers said to have enjoyed the hotel"s minimalist features

Most desirable of all is the penthouse, where floor-to-ceiling windows look out across London - even the shower has a view on to Hyde Park; Bruce Willis and the Beckhams are some of the people who have looked out across its Japanese zen garden to the greenery beyond.

Three-quarters of the 150 rooms look out on to the park - the higher the floor, the better the view.

Part of a small chain of hotels from Christina Ong, who also owns the celebrity-stuffed Parrot Cay in the Caribbean, it has a spa that offers a variety of treatments, including a facial from cult dermatologist Dr Perricone, which also includes a lunch of the wild Alaskan salmon that lives off a skin-boosting wild algae.

LOCATION REPORT: One of a cluster of hotels around Hyde Park Corner; neighbours include the Hilton, Dorchester and the Intercontinental, but while the other hotels peddle history and tradition, the Metropolitan celebrates modernity.

The jewellery and fashion shops of New Bond Street are an easy walk away.

The Whisky Mist bar in Hertford Street, which sees royals and rockers parade through its doors nightly, is within staggering distance while fitter celebrities can alight gracefully from their in-room yoga mat and head out to Hyde Park opposite for a run.

KEY ATTRACTION: All guests get automatic entry to the hotel"s Met Bar on the ground floor, a leather-boothed drinking den that becomes a private club each night at 9pm where ageing rock stars, including Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, play DJ.

On the first floor, Michelin-starred Nobu specialises in Japanese fusion food and is a restaurant that draws celebrities on a nightly basis - the hotel"s guests get priority for reservations.

Concierges pride themselves on being able to get their guests into any London club, including nearby Mahiki.

IN THE NEWS: Singer Rihanna followed in the footsteps of the Brit pop artists of the Nineties by partying here in November. Liam Gallagher has been a regular since the Met Bar opened.

An exterior view of the Metropolitan hotel

Neighbours: The Metropolitan hotel is one of a number of hotels grouped around Hyde Park Corner

GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE REST OF US? A night"s stay starts at 179 including breakfast. Lunch at Nobu starts at 26, and there"s also a trendy afternoon carb-light tea that costs 25. Beauty treatments start at 50.

GETTING THERE: 020 7447 1000, www.metropolitan.london.como.bz.

More...Find out where the celebrities go on holidayRead more brilliant hotel reviews hereWant to go to the Big Smoke? Find out where to stay

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