Premier Hospitality

Ned Hotel – AHEAD Awards

Ned
Written by Roma Publications

The Ned Hotel – AHEAD Awards

One of the most significant UK hotel openings of 2017, The Ned is an ultra-stylish development in the City of London. The Ned comprises a sumptuous hotel, club and collection of restaurants – all within the historic Grade I Listed former Midland Bank building, which was designed by Sir Edwin ‘Ned’ Lutyens in 1924.

Since its April opening, The Ned has drawn widespread acclaim from critics and customers alike. A successful first 6 months was capped off in style with multiple successes at AHEAD Europe, the Awards for hospitality experience and design. The highlight of the evening saw The Ned named The AHEAD Europe Hotel of the Year 2017 alongside recognition for its Spa, Millie’s Lounge restaurant and event spaces..

Ned

The ceremony at Park Plaza was attended by 900 leading hospitality professionals. A panel of judges comprising industry leading hoteliers, architects and interior designers, assessed entries on their aesthetic excellence, guest experience and commercial viability. Crowned as The AHEAD Europe Hotel of the Year, The Ned by Soho House Design was recognised for its holistic approach in successfully transforming a challenging historic building. The hotel was described as an incredible achievement from vision to implementation to operation.

Comprising 11 storeys with a floor area of 29,450 sq m, The Ned hosts nine restaurants, 252 bedrooms channelling 1920s and 1930s design, a range of men’s and women’s grooming services (Cowshed, Cheeky and Neville) and ‘Ned’s Club’, where members have access to a rooftop pool, gym, spa, hamam and late night lounge bar.

Guest rooms include Cosy Rooms of between 20-30 square meters, which are snug yet perfectly considered. At 25-35 square metres, The Ned’s Medium Rooms are full of Art Deco touches in keeping with the era of the building. A heritage walnut king-size bed, tasselled chaise, richly patterned curtains and floral glass chandelier are complemented by the Jazz Age wall tones, a mirrored cocktail cabinet and velvet club chairs. Each features a queen-size bed, and period touches such as a leather-top drum table, a pair of carved oak chairs and a dressing table.

Medium Heritage Rooms are located on the Grade I-listed 5th floor, and offer a taste of the building’s 1920s heyday. Starting at 25 square metres, each boasts original features designed by Lutyens, including French-polished walnut wall panelling and marble fireplaces. Brass queen-size beds and antique dressing tables nod to the era’s grand transatlantic ocean liners.

Within generous 35-45 square metre spaces, ideal for extended stays, The Ned’s Large Rooms showcase super king-size four-poster beds. In the lounge, there’s a glass palm chandelier, a pair of leather wingback chairs and a vintage bar cabinet. There’s also a mahogany-enclosed bathtub in the bedroom, inspired by Lord Bute’s tub at Cardiff Castle.

At 45 square metres, the Studio Suites offer an open-plan living and sleeping space. Each suite is furnished with a dramatic four-poster super king-size bed and elegant touches such as a vintage chandelier, velvet sofa and a Venetian glass mirror.

With an additional living area and generous proportions, The Ned’s 50 square metre Junior Suites are perfect for families. Sleeping up to four people, they include a king-size bed and a separate vintage-style pull-out bed. In the lounge, tassel armchairs and a velvet sofa sit beside a dining table and chairs – perfect for hosting friends or meetings.

Ned

Hallmarks of Lutyens’ signature style have been carefully preserved in the Large Heritage Rooms. Starting at 35 square metres in size, original French-polished walnut wall panelling and a marble fireplace complement velvet furniture and a four-poster super king-size bed. The living area features vintage silk-covered ottomans, a palm glass chandelier and a pair of leather wingback chairs. There’s a mahogany-enclosed bathtub in the bedroom, inspired by Lord Bute’s tub at Cardiff Castle and the marble mosaic bathroom features brass hardware and a walk-in rainforest shower.

Combining 1920s glamour with modern comforts, the well-proportioned 50 square metre Heritage Suites make for a memorable stay. A super king-size bed takes centre stage, alongside plush mohair ottomans and a palm tree crystal chandelier. Period details such as French-polished walnut panelling, an original 1920s marble fireplace and large dome windows – a signature design by Lutyens and the inspiration behind The Ned’s logo. There’s also a desk and dining space with a well-stocked cocktail cabinet. An Italian marble bathroom houses a roll top bathtub and walk-in rainforest shower.

The 51 square metre Terrace Suite offers indoor and outdoor spaces to relax and entertain. Inside, the suite features generous dome windows, a richly draped four-poster king-size bed, velvet ottoman and original mahogany fireplace. A marble bathroom houses a roll top bathtub and walk-in rainforest shower. A doorway from the main bedroom leads outside, where there’s a 35 square metre terrace with a large dining area and lounge, the perfect spot for hosting guests.

Spanning two floors, the 85 square metre Duplex Suite is a space for relaxing and entertaining. The ground floor features a large, well-stocked bar and dining area for up to six people, with private access to a small terrace with views over Princes Street and the Bank of England. Up on the mezzanine, there’s a velvet-appointed king-size bed and a roll top bathtub, whilst the marble tiled bathroom includes a walk-in rainforest shower

The Two Bed Family Suite is a multi-room 95 square metre space with a large lounge and dining space with a host of period design details: tufted mohair ottomans, Persian rugs and glass chandeliers. The master bedroom has an elegant walnut super king-size bed, large silk-covered wardrobes and Italian lampshades. The marble en suite bathroom showcases a roll top bathtub. The second bedroom features a queen-size bed, leather-top drum table, oak spoon-back chairs and a dressing table. The marble bathroom includes a walk-in rainforest shower.

Eight restaurants sit amidst the grandeur of The Ned’s historic 3,000 square metre lobby, serving dishes from around the world. Each of the restaurants has its own distinct space, naturally separated by 92 verdite columns and rows of Grade I-listed banking counters.

Ned’s Club, available to members and hotel guests, offers a range of rooms and facilities. Ned’s Club Upstairs includes a rooftop, with spectacular 360-degree views across London, a pool, Canopy Bar & Restaurant, and Princes Street and Poultry Domes, which will host intimate bars.

Ned

Dominating the belly of the building is the bank’s original vault, with its twenty tonne, two-metre-wide door, which will house Ned’s Club downstairs and the Vault Room lounge bar. The vault contains over 3,000 stainless steel safety deposit boxes and inspired the design of Fort Knox in the 1964 film Goldfinger.

Ned’s Club Active has cardio, strength and training equipment, a boxing gym, Pilates, yoga studio and House Ride (spinning). At Ned’s Club Relax, the spa, there is a 20 metre swimming pool, hamam, sauna and steam room.

The Ned’s six Grade I-listed meeting rooms and two outdoor terraces on the restored 5th floor are among the building’s most elegant spaces. All benefit from natural light and have a dedicated reception area. Each one of the meeting spaces boasts period features including walnut panelling and vintage chandeliers, as well as ample domed windows to allow for plenty of natural light.  Rooms range in size from 21 square metres to 165 square metres, and can accommodate between 4 and 200 people.

To find out more about The Ned, please visit thened.com.

 

Vision Commercial Kitchens

Vision Commercial Kitchens have are one of the UK’s largest commercial catering design companies, offering a complete service from design and specification right through to installation, training and after-sales service. The company was set up in 2002 and covers a wide array of market sectors including restaurants, hotels, education, care homes, garden centres, arenas, airports and more.

Some of their most notable projects include Fortnum & Mason at Heathrow T5, DoubleTree by Hilton Liverpool, The O2 arena and Mondrian London at Sea Containers House. Vision Commercial Kitchens also work with clients such as healthy fast food chain Leon, Malmaison Hotels and Hotel Du Vin on a day to day basis.

Last year, Vision Commercial Kitchens completed work the award-winning Ned Hotel, supplying and installing the commercial catering equipment package to all nine restaurants inside. On this project, they worked closely with architects, lead designers Tricon and the client’s operator Soho House & Co, assisting with the redesign of various areas while maintaining the client’s operational value and needs.

Jack Sharkey, Managing Director at Vision Commercial Kitchens, said: “We feel this project was fantastically unique in size and particularly design, with the interior very much channelling the Victorian era. This was also one of the largest projects Vision has undertaken and we are still extremely proud to have been involved.”

Jack added: “At Vision, we take great pride and care in providing what our clients expect, trying to go that extra mile and develop long term business relationships, which is certainly what we did here.”

 

UHS

UHS is a leading supplier in the hospitality industry for furniture and providing a great range of commercial furniture in many iconic spaces and prestigious venues internationally.

UHS developed and designed some fantastic products to go into a number of the restaurants, social spaces and rooftop lounges on this project.

Dan Gillmore of UHS, said:

“A great project to work on! We have been working with the team at Soho House and when this opportunity came up we were thankful to be involved because it is definitely iconic in the industry!”

 

Hardwood Sales Ltd

Hardwood Sales Ltd specialise in the supply and installation of high-end, high-grade imported hardwood. The company is the UK’s largest independent hardwood specialist and works predominantly in the hospitality and high-end residential sector, including hotels and private houses.

Hardwood Sales Ltd has been in operation for 15 years, covering the whole of the country. Past projects have included works for Claridge’s, The Rosewood Hotel, Corinthia Hotel, The Savoy, Ten Trinity Square and Olympic Village, as well as schemes for zoos, hospitals and schools.

For The Ned, Hardwood Sales Ltd supplied the hotel with a diverse collection of American and European hardwood.

John McCoy, Hardwood Sales Ltd, said:

“We valued our involvement with The Ned. We’re a Liverpool-based company, so for us to be involved with another prestigious hotel in London is fantastic. I visited the site prior to work taking place on the hotel and it was fascinating to learn all about the building’s history.”

John added:

“At Hardwood Sales Ltd, we pride ourselves in the way we take an interest in our clients’ projects – we care. We’ve also invested heavily in our own company – approximately £3 million over the past couple of years – and this is to update our machinery and keep us at the forefront of the industry.”

 

Caledonian Plywood Company Ltd

Caledonian Plywood Company Ltd is one of the country’s largest and most successful importers of Plywood and sheet materials, while also specialising in the manufacture of bespoke fire resistant doors and doorsets. The company was founded in June 1990 and over the last 27 years has manufactured and supplied products the length and breadth of the UK.

Prestigious projects include Standard Chartered Bank; The George Washington Hotel – Newcastle; Edinburgh Airport; London Shepherds Bush Hotel; Lingfield Racecourse Goldsmiths Leisure; and Euro Tower Hotel – London, to name but a few. Most recently, Caledonian Plywood Company Ltd has worked alongside Ardmore Construction on The Ned Hotel.

Working on The Ned Hotel, Caledonian Plywood Company Ltd manufactured many of the fire doors and doorsets required for this project including sourcing many real wood veneers and stains to match existing woodwork of this fabulous hotel. Caledonian Plywood Company Ltd also supplied a considerable amount of wood based sheet materials in to the construction and refurbishment of the building (27 Poultry).

Derrick Bartlett, Director, Caledonian Plywood Company LTD, said:

“It has been our pleasure to work on this prestigious project alongside Ardmore constructions and a joy for us now to see the finished article, we are very proud of our craftsmanship.”

Derrick added:

“At Caledonian Plywood Company Ltd, we pride ourselves on supplying top quality, environmentally friendly certified products, we are fully certified in the supply of FSC/PEFC, Q Mark Manufacturers, EUTR Compliant materials and we are very proud to be one of the suppliers for The Ned Hotel.”

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