Do the Strand, ME London hotel promo, GQ, 2012
With panoramic views, world-class cuisine and the design touches of Foster + Partners, ME London hotel on the Strand is an avant-garde expression of luxurious living
[I had to be careful when I was chief copywriter/sub-editor at GQ not to use too many music headlines. I’m still doing it now – the trick is to limit yourself to two per issue. I never went to this snazzy sleepover in London. It was another case of getting on their website, gazing at the photos and imagining what it would be like to be there. But what was GQ Live? From what I recall, it was a page given away for free for services rendered. Maybe there was a GQ photoshoot in the bar upstairs. I don’t know – I was in the office!]
GQ Live (promo), 2012
Shopping in London has become a precarious endeavour. Step inside the fashion outlets of Covent Garden, Seven Dials, Soho and Carnaby and within an hour, you could easily find yourself parting with upwards of £1,000. This isn’t because London prices are spectacularly high (the reality is, London prices are no different to any other UK city), it’s purely down to choice. A profusion of flagship stores and one-off spaces will see style sentinels quickly straining under the weight of store-branded carrier bags.
The avant-garde ME Hotel on the Strand sits within striking distance of London’s style-laden thoroughfares, a central base for storing fashion hauls and an essential starting point for an exploration of the capital’s well-known attractions. In fact, from the ME Hotel’s Radio Rooftop Bar, you can see all the attractions in a single 360-degree sweep. Overlooking Somerset House, the view from Radio takes in the Thames, Shard, Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral and the London Eye, a sensational backdrop for sipping cocktails and sampling the bar’s superior tapas with a twist.
ME London is the flagship ME hotel, designed (inside and out) by revered architects Foster + Partners. Its 157 rooms are based around a monochrome palette, a harmonious yin and yang that interweaves dark and light. There are nine different room styles to choose from, but for the ultimate London experience, the duplex suite ME on the ninth and tenth floors gives incredible views of the city, as well as VIP-style private access to the Radio Rooftop Bar. Of course, world-class vistas are not everyone’s cup of tea. There are also fine dining options at carnivore’s retreat STK London and rustic italian fare at Cucina Asellina, plus a fully equipped gym, open 24 hours a day, to rid yourself of the excesses of the London high life.
ME London, 336-337 The Strand, London WC2. Prices from £340+VAT per night. melia.com