Goddard Littlefair were selected by London and Regional, owners of Iconic Luxury Hotels to design its fifth luxury hotel under that brand, The Mayfair Townhouse. Located in the heart of Mayfair the boutique hotel has seven Georgian listed buildings within its structure of 15 townhouses.
Goddard Littlefair set out to restore the interiors, to recreate the Georgian spirit. The Mayfair Townhouse lies in the old part of Georgian Mayfair, and with a focus on its rich history the design studio set out to give the hotel’s rooms and public spaces the feeling of Georgian heart with a contemporary rhythm. Noted was the fact that these townhouses were once home to Oscar Wilde and his contemporaries who spearheaded the Aesthetic Movement in England. This saw beauty and design celebrated in reaction to the industrial revolution. Jo Littlefair, co-founder and director of Goddard Littlefair says, “They led a rich and indulgent lifestyle, being provocative in order to court controversy. The design we pursued for the Townhouse marries Old and New Mayfair, with a layer of 1920s extravagance.”
The Dandy Bar design lures guests to a softly lit space with the furniture, as in the rest of the hotel, bespoke to the project. The seating is covered in printed velvets and leathers with marble, brass and high gloss timbers as base finishes. The glass and brass gantry above the bar and chandelier of alabaster and bronze run down the staircase. ‘We looked at the flamboyance of feathers in flapper outfits and the traditional gentleman’s pocket watch to inspire the design of both pieces’ says senior designer Gemma Prentice. “The Den ” a snug room, is panelled and painted red, lined with fitted seating and layers of artworks all emanating the character of a fox. Jo Littlefair explains, ‘The fox was chosen as a symbol to represent the hotel due to its being woven into British folklore. A resident of both city and country, featured in countless poems, tales and fables throughout history. The fox is symbolic of the subversive and mischievous characteristics of the aesthete’s we were channeling. Playfulness counterbalanced with wisdom are themes that run throughout the hotel’s design.’
Due to the nature of the property, its varying ceiling heights and levels and characterful corridors, each room is unique and has been designed to reflect the decadence and opulence that the framework suggests. “There are almost no identical rooms in the entire building,” said Martin Goddard, co-founder and director. “Previous incarnations of hotel had wiped away period details leaving us with few historic references for the interiors. We set up a design language relating to the architecture to be interpreted into each room through panelling, colouration and detailing. The result is a unity through the bedrooms, but guests who stay multiple times will have a different experience on each occasion.” A simple, muted corridor design with painted mouldings link all the guest rooms, while intriguing artwork captivates and surprises guests on their journey to throughout The Mayfair Townhouse.
