For the first time in almost two hundred years, the historic home of law and order in London’s City of Westminster, being one of the city’s most historic and cherished buildings, GREAT SCOTLAND YARD reveals a five-star hotel with fertile storytelling, where tradition of the past meets modern luxury.
GREAT SCOTLAND YARD Hotel is a member of The Unbound Collection By Hyatt which is a portfolio luxury properties, from historic city gems to modern trendsetters, both boutique hotels and resorts.
PAGES OF HISTORY
GREAT SCOTLAND YARD Hotel, located on London’s famous Scotland Yard in a beautiful building of Edwardian red brick and Portland stone, goes back to the distant past with its history.
The back side of the hotel is dated to 997 when Royal Housing was gifted to the King of Scotland, to be used during his visits to the English monarchy. This link to Scottish royalty gave the street its iconic name. From 1541 onwards, Great Scotland Yard was used to house prominent civil servants, on account of the proximity to the Royal Palace.
Today Great Scotland Yard is most famous as the former headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police force, which was located there for over 200 years. In 1910 the building façade was redone to look as it stands today. Until 2013, the building housed the Ministry of Defense.
ART COLLECTION & DESIGN
With the opening of the GREAT SCOTLAND YARD Hotel in this building, quickly turning into one of the leading hotels in London, the owners have gone to great lengths to immerse guests in its fascinating and colorful history.
The hotel was designed by the world famous group HBA International (according to Interior Design “Number One Hospitality Design Firm”), which expressed the personality of Great Scotland Yard with an unexpected play of Edwardian-inspired hues and patterns, alongside conventional Whitehall, and bursts of colour that relive the sophistication of the era whilst keeping a flair of the contemporary.
HBA International was tasked with preserving the soul of the building and honoring its heritage, not just breathing new life into old walls. The design team has created a place that invites guests to take a fresh look at the rich history, entering a place where past and present merge.
From the moment guests step through the famous green front door, immortalized in great works of fiction (Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle), they are greeted by Nicola Green, artist and historian, in 30 portraits entitled “Service” by Marcus Hodge, Ann Carrington, Cornelia Parker and other British artists.
The art not only reminds guests of famous parts of the building’s history, but also introduces them to new, intriguing elements of its past, giving them a fascinating insight into the enormous historical significance of this famous place.
Conspicuous and moving is the stunning art collection of crime history, detective work, ceramics and sculpture created by current criminals and put together by the UK’s most prominent prison art charity, Koestler Arts.
ROOMS & SUITES
GREAT SCOTLAND YARD Hotel offers 152 rooms, including 7 suites and one penthouse, as well as 11 rooms for disabled guests. Each room has a typical British atmosphere.
The interiors of the rooms also have individual touches that confirm the past of the building — a carpet which integrates concepts of badges and police uniforms in the design, wallpaper and neutral colour palette and natural lighting provides counterbalance to the blue veneered night-stands — a colour synonymous with the British police force. Further curated details include iterations of the key, which links back to the renowned green entrance door, and wardrobes concealed behind book clad doors. Suites have four-poster beds and marble fireplaces.
No art is the same in bedrooms. Pieces range from intricate collages by Korzer-Robinson who tells stories through the medium of antiquarian books, cut page by page to reveal their illustrations, as well as using leading names from the past. These concepts are wholly in keeping with GREAT SCOTLAND YARD narrative.
The rooms have all the modern comforts of a 5-star hotel, and the bathrooms feature beautiful British tiled walls, large walk-in showers, all essential bath amenities and luxury perfumes.
COCKTAILS & DINING
Upon entering GREAT SCOTLAND YARD through the iconic green doors, guests are greeted to a natural flow of food and beverage spaces.
EKSTEDT at The Yard
Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt has opened his first EKSTEDT restaurant outside of Stockholm. Reminiscent of a countryside escape, EKSTEDT at The Yard’s distinct identity is conveyed through barrelled ceilings, vintage lamps and tanned leather banquettes.
Bringing Niklas’ signature style of wood-fired cooking to the UK for the first time, EKSTEDT at The Yard specializes in Scandinavian cooking methods using the very best seasonal British ingredients, offering a menu of signature dishes, as well as an inventive cocktail list and an innovative extensive wine list.
Snacks from the Fire, Smoked Fish and Meat, Birch Flamed mushrooms and vegetables — everything inspires to discover Nordic cuisine.
One of the special bestsellers on the menu is Flambadou Oysters, preparation of which features a centuries-old technique, back to vikings times.
The interior of the restaurant is decorated in a rustic style with an open kitchen, lined with beautiful tiles, where an excellent breakfast is also served in the morning.
Behind the secret doors of EKSTEDT at The Yard, disguised as bookshelves, is a portal to Sibin, a more intimate drinking den, which is famous for its unique collection of whiskeys from around the world.
The 40 Elephants
The 40 Elephants bar is inspired by a period when an all-female gang, which name derives from working alongside the all-male Elephant and Castle gang, were responsible for some of Britain’s largest shoplifting operations between the 1870s – 1950s.
Dressed in tailored items with hidden pockets, they raided London’s West End shops, plundering goods worth thousands of pounds in search of financial independence.
The bar is naturally lit by a skylight from which is suspended a breathtaking chandelier composed of multiple broken glass, which, along with glass-engraved cabinets, captures the spirit of female gangsters very clearly.
The cocktail bar offers drinks inspired by William Terrington’s Cooling Cups and Fine Drinks. This book, dating from 1869, is considered the oldest book on British cocktails.
This prompted the team to create a list of cocktails, each named after a story, connected with 40 Elephants gang, that also pair spirits with wines and even beer. Every drink is served with snacks that match the spirit of the hotel.
Also opposite The 40 Elephants is The Parlor Tea Room, where you can enjoy great afternoon tea.
Great Scotland Yard Hotel
www.hyatt.com/great-scotland-yard
Address: 3-5 Great Scotland Yard
London, England, United Kingdom, SW1A 2HN
Contacts: +44 0 207 9254 700
info@greatscotlandyard.com
Instagram: @gcy_london
Text: Marina Timo
Photo courtesy: EATWEEKGUIDE
