A Peek Inside London’s Most Sustainable New Hotel: 1 Hotel Mayfair

Photo Credit: Mikkel Vang

The 1 Hotel brand has arrived in the U.K. and if this doesn’t get recognized as one of the best in London, I would be extremely shocked.

For starters, the UK flagship and first European destination for 1 Hotels, the first nature-inspired, mission-driven hotel brand, can be found in one of the most prime locations in all of Londontown, in the heart of Mayfair, on tony and historical Berkeley Street, directly across from The Ritz and Green Park. 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, offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the best of London city life and the beauty of the natural world, bringing the gorgeous landscapes of Green Park inside. But location alone doesn’t make for a great hotel, and this one is. So what else sets it apart?

First off, it would be remiss not to mention the brand’s commitment to sustainability. Biophilic design principles drove every decision in creating the 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 spacious suites, which feature floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over Green Park or the skyline of Piccadilly. A fully automated guest room management system reduces electricity, which is 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 (wife to actor Colin Firth) Eco-Age, a leading sustainability consultancy, to ensure that environmentally focused initiatives are both credible and compelling.

Photo Credit: Mikkel Vang

This very commitment is apparent from the moment guests arrive, as they are greeted by a living, breathing wall of fresh greenery. More than 1,300 individual plants and 200-plus local and native plant species are scattered throughout, courtesy of 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, comprised of 50,000 strands of air plants, all lit magically from above.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.

The reception desk should be noted as well, given that it’s 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.

Photo Credit: Jon Day

Now, for the rooms. There are 181 rooms, including 44 suites, all of which have a Zen feel, in part because of the 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. There’s a spout in each room that pours fresh, filtered water, a first for a London hotel.

Photo Credit: Mikkel Vang

I’ll also mention the property’s four spectacular signature suites. The seventh-floor double-height Green Park Penthouse is the largest one-bedroom suite in Mayfair, and features sweeping wrap-around terrace and retractable sliding doors that open to panoramic park views.The Garden Terrace suite houses 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 that seats 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.

Photo Credit: 1 Hotel Mayfair

Photo Credit: Jon Day

1 Hotel Mayfair is home to several restaurants and bar concepts that reflect the brand’s sustainable, eco-minded approach to dining. At Dovetale, two Michelin Star Chef Tom Sellers focuses on reimagined modern European cooking and Mayfair classics. The raw bar features 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. The wine program, meanwhile, places 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. All can be enjoyed in a lovely setting fashioned by Dion & Arles with decor inclusive 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.

Photo Credit: Milo Brown
There are two additional concepts in Dover Yard, a destination bar for casual bites and pre-dinner drinks, and Neighbours, a cafe that serves up healthy grab-and-go snacks, cold-pressed juices, and artisan coffee, as well as wine, classic cocktails, and local snacks in the evening.

Photo Credit: Milo Brown

But what would any hotel worth its salt be without a spa? That earthy haven is the Bamford Wellness Spa, which offers a selection of exclusive selection of holistic treatments, services, and classes meant to nurture the mind, body, and spirit, echoing founder Carole Bamford‘s holistic approach inspired by her first wellness spa at Daylesford Organic Farm in the Cotswolds. Don’t expect cutting edge, results-driven facials here: again, organic, natural, of the earth are the brand’s benchmarks, so expect the spa to follow suit. There’s also the Field House Fitness Center, which 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 personal trainers.

Photo Credit: Milo Brown

Last but not least, the hotel experience is rounded out by a proper house car, few of which are stilled offered to hotel guests these days. 1 Hotel Mayfair’s whips are a fleet of electric Audi house cars such as the Q8 e-tron, Q8 Sportback e-tron, and RS e-tron GT.

1 Hotel Mayfair is located at 3 Berkeley St, London W1J 8DJ