London is awash in trendy neighborhoods, each with their own distinct historic charm and contemporary character. Strategically situated at the intersection of chic Marylebone, highbrow Mayfair, and hip Soho, BoTree Hotel is a new 229-room destination that evokes the village-like atmosphere of these surroundings. Dutch architecture firm Concrete Amsterdam’s bold, site-responsive design of its lobby, BoTree Bar, guest rooms, and suites brings the color and vibrancy of the street life outside indoors while still providing guests with the chance to retreat for a while.
Carefully considered proportioning, materiality, and decorative detail makes the transition from outdoors to inside seamless. Floral accents – a hint to the Marylebone area’s particular fixation with the plant – serve as a thematic through-line across the different public and private areas of the hotel; from motif headboards in each guest room to a curved, criss cross-patterned mesh facade structure above the hotel’s entrance that serves as armature for vine formations.
A similarly arrayed wooden fin installation takes pride of place in the lobby and helps break up different peripheral seating areas programmed on a residential scale. Suffused with indoor greenery and flower arrangements, these different alcoves also take on the very English atmosphere of a home conservatory. These meticulously milled architectural elements demonstrate the importance of craftsmanship throughout the project.
The same open wood lattice motif carries over to the neighborhood-oriented bar and takes on new dimensions as it continues through into curvilinear slats that frame circular pendants diffusing light in moody yet bright aqua blues, salmon reds, and lemon yellows.
The fully filled-in “peacock-esque” ceiling installation cheekily nods to the especially un-British, or so it’s said, behavior of outwardly boasting about oneself but with the underlying goal of leaving a lasting impression. As it nears its radical locus point, the main structural element anchors backlit panels and shelves that form the actual back of the bar.
Defining much of the property is an eclectic yet cohesive palette of warm greens, cognacs, and reds, colors also distilled from the immediate context. There’s an around sense of being part of the action but also immersing oneself in an arboreal oasis. While the lantern-like lobby occupies the curvilinear corner of the building, the equally well-appointed BoTree Bar, guest rooms, and suites radiate off of this core.
Driving BoTree’s site-responsive design language home are it’s 30 individually-themes suites, each named for a street in the area and stylized based on a specific attribute of local flower culture or the area’s entrenched connection to the history of unconventional, against-the-grain fashion – think the Swinging Sixties and nearby counterculture haven, Carnaby Street. These expansive homes away from home have street-facing living rooms and balconies, perfect for the rare days when the sun shines on a normally overcast London.
Guest rooms are outfitted with adaptive layouts. Pocket doors with semi-translucent inserts separate foyers from bedrooms. Such programming allows for open-concept bathrooms and closets to occupy the entryways while maintaining the serenity of the actual sleeping areas. The same overall design scheme found in the lobby and bar carries through here but to a more subdued and calming effect. Oak wood paneled walls play off of marble tiles and brass or gold accents.
What: BoTree Hotel
Where: 30 Marlebone Lane, London W1U 2DR, United Kingdom
How much: Starting at £304
Design draw: The hotel’s design seamlessly blends the vibrant street life of its trendy London surroundings with a welcoming, village-like atmosphere. Featuring floral accents, warm colors, and adaptive layouts, the hotel offers both lively public spaces and serene private retreats, reflecting the area’s unique character and history.
Book it: BoTree Hotel
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Photography by Simon Brown.
