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LONDON
Since it opened in 2017, The Ned became something more than the sum of its extremely alluring parts, a living legend that embodies, if not the spirit of London, at least one of her spirits: her brightest, most sparkling, most elegant self; witty, worldly and nostalgic. It's a dream sequence from a Blake Edwards film. CSP Times contributor Eva Piskadlo checked in for a memorable experience in London's finest.
I walked into the grand and airy lobby, which was at once breathtaking and lively with the black and white marble floor gleaming. Intensely designed (thank you, Sir Edward ‘Ned’ Lutyens), partly theatrical (the centre stage and live band), partly staggering (the Midlands bank remnants) summed up the aura of the entrance. Everything about this City of London landmark suggests cultivated refinement: rooms are adorned with fine antiques, views from higher floors are vast, the mahogany panelling is fantastic. It’s all overwhelmingly grand but in the best way possible.
Our staycation began on the hotel’s Grade-I fifth floor in our large Heritage Suite. Offering a taste of the building’s 1920’s heyday from when Midlands Bank occupied the property, our room contained all the existing accents and cornicing details of its pre-hotel days.
The Ned London Suite | Image courtesy of Eva Piskadlo
Our room came fully furnished with a heritage walnut king-sized bed (with the most dreamy sheets I might add!), a fully furnished vintage bar cabinet with a Nespresso machine and a mini boudoir. The bedroom is also fitted with a HD flatscreen television accessible by QR code on your phone. The vintage radio (which I loved) kept us company with retro tunes whilst we got ready in the morning and for dinner, a touch I adored. I particularly loved the bathroom element of the room. Fitted with an en-suite toilet with marbled fittings, the room also featured a separate bath suite for the rainforest shower and a mahogany-closed bathtub. The full array of Cowshed products made each shower and bath time fun. I must’ve spent about a good five minutes pondering which scent to dip in. There is also a separate range on display available for purchase.
Ned’s Club upstairs membership includes access to the hotel’s terrace pool, bar and some of the best views of the city. We sipped on an old-fashioned whilst enjoying a moody backdrop of London’s St Paul’s.
Image courtesy of Eva Piskadlo
We also had breakfast on Sunday at the delightful terrace restaurant.
However, our dining experience at The Ned’s eight restaurants warrant their own post.
Image courtesy of Eva Piskadlo
Perhaps the feature of our stay that has convinced me to apply for a membership at The Ned thanks to the state-of-the-art gym and spa. The 620 square meter gym comes fully equipped with Beaverfit training, a full set of free weights, monkey bars, climbing ropes, punch bags and machines for a killer workout. Set on the lowest floor of the building, the gym is truly the Theatre of Dreams. As a member, personal training services and group classes are offered on a daily basis. The indoor spa facilities come complete with a sauna, traditional Moroccan Hammam room and eight treatment rooms.
Thank you to The Ned and the lovely Jen Harris for hosting us for our splendid staycation. I can’t recommend this landmark London destination enough. Perhaps the grandest hotel in the city, this experience was an absolute coup de théâtre of a weekend.
The Ned London, 27 Poultry, London EC2R 8AJ, United Kingdom, + 44 (0)20 3828 2000