NoMad, London

NoMad, London

This former police station-based London newbie is making headlines for all the right reasons.



“Have
you stayed at NoMad yet?” was the question on everyone’s
lips when this hotel finally threw open its doors in 2021 – having
been in the making since 2012. Perhaps the most hotly anticipated
opening of 2021, the NoMad London – much like its US siblings in
New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas – is a place to see and be
seen.

We had to pinch ourselves when we peeked out of our bedroom
window in the morning to a full-frontal view of the Royal Opera
House and theatreland gently starting to stir below. Set in the
grade II-listed former Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police
Station, the building’s Covent Garden location is hard to beat.

You’ve no doubt seen the hotel’s foliage-strung atrium all over
Instagram, as The Nomad Restaurant and Bar – headed up by Ashley
Abodeely, with Pietro Collina and Leo Robitschek behind the
renowned cocktail menu – has already become a destination in its
own right. If your hard-earned doesn’t quite stretch to a room,
dinner here will give you a taste of what’s made NoMad somewhere
everyone wants to stay.

Rooms

A distinctive NoMad feel means interiors are homely, arty and
unique. The 91 rooms and suites offer hardwood floors, pink-hued
marble fireplaces, mammoth beds and clawfoot bathtubs. We were
obsessed with our pearlescent bathroom of shimmering tiles and gold
hardware, and with the gorgeous mid-century lighting throughout the
hotel, which beautifully illuminates the idiosyncratic art that
adorns the walls.

What’s for breakfast?

You’ll struggle to choose from a menu spanning far more
imaginative offerings than the usual suspects – the breakfast
burrito being a highlight.

How about lunch and dinner?

The aforementioned atrium restaurant is abuzz with diners
slurping on frozen-cucumber oysters, twirling king crab
tagliatelle, tucking into suckling pig and rounding things off with
rum baba. The sommelier is particularly friendly and will guide you
through a global wine list.

Guests can also head to Side Hustle. Based on a classic British
pub, it packs a colourful punch, with a menu featuring tacos,
tostados, margaritas et al.

Is there a bar?

Yep, just next to the restaurant. Slick and seductive, it’s an
ideal place for a date even if you’re not staying. Take it slow and
stay until closing time.

Things I should know…

You can visit the Bow Street Police Museum below the hotel –
book at reception and a member of staff will show you around. If
you’re into British crime dramas, this one’s for you.

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