The Mandrake, London

BACKGROUND The Mandrake opened in September 2017 and is owned by Rami Fustok. It reopened on July 4 and I stayed a couple of weeks later. Covid-19 precautions were in place.

- Tom Otely

WHAT’S IT LIKE? Very discreet – if you didn’t know the address, you’d struggle to guess that there was a boutique hotel behind the façade of what must once have been a mansion block apartment building. The hotel’s restaurant (closed at the time but since reopened) has its own entrance, and you exited the building via this door to ensure one-way traffic. I was subjected to a quick temperature check and then walked down a dark corridor to the double-height reception.

The interiors are striking, with design studio Tala Fustok (the owner’s sister) aiming to create “spaces that seamlessly reflect the opulence of Paris alongside the eccentricities of London”. What that means is “jewel-toned velvets, gilded mirrors and metallic coffee tables with drape curtains and curvaceous wing chairs”, along with dark paint tones and “vintage panel screens covered with lush botanical prints”. I’d arrived too early for my room, and perhaps too early for the vibe, which I appreciated much more when I returned in the evening.