REVIEWS


London, England


LOCATION: Just a two-minute walk from Holborn nderground station, ’oscar is one of the only five-star hotels in the area. Residing quietly along Bloomsbury’s bustling Southampton Row, the hotel’s unbranded exterior initially akes it hard to find; the only giveaway is the sartly-dressed concierge waiting with white-gloved hands to usher you in.


FIRST IMPRESSIONS: L’oscar is fabulously unapologetic in style. rafted at the hands of aboyant rench architect and designer Jacques Garcia, interiors see hues of deep purple and mustard yellow, satin curtains, velvet upholstery, panels of dark oak wood and a stateent chandelier that spirals seven oors down through the original staircase. Garcia does not do things by halves and you’ll love it or hate it. Either way, it’s undeniably opulent and a fantastically wacky base for a stay in the city.


THE FACTS: Built in 1903, L’oscar started life as the UK headquarters of the Baptist Church. Adopted by Garcia about seven years ago, the 110-year-old, Grade II-listed property has been reimagined into 39 bedrooms and suites, as well as Café L’oscar, The Baptist Grill restaurant and a bar. Though Garcia’s reinvention of the building is a far cry from its original purpose, aspects of the church live on. The bar and restaurant are in the spectacular octagonal chapel, its huge,


glass-domed ceiling presiding over guests as they dine on eecutive chef Tony leing’s odern ritish fare. dire the ornately decorated ceiling, while enjoying drinks from a menu that pays homage to its roots with cocktails listed as ld’ or ew Testaent’. or a real iersion in history, ask for room 303, a deluxe bedroom that curves round into what used to be the entrance to the bell tower. It now leads into a luxurious bathroom, where the rain shower can be turned into your very own steam room, no less.


EXPLORE: L’oscar is a short walk from London’s theatre district and its proximity to the Underground also puts Covent Garden, Soho and Oxford Street shopping in easy reach.


WOW: The food at The Baptist Grill is exquisite. If you haven’t filled up on suptuous sourdough and caraelised yeast butter over a cocktail or two, opt for the duck and shiitake ravioli or octopus carpaccio to start. or ains, the ‘mini axe’ sharing steak is an indulgence worth paying for.


BOOK IT: Rooms start from £395 a night.


LOSCAR.COM Erica Bush


108 ASPIRE FEBRUARY 2019


aspiretravelclub.co.uk


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