A lavish "Urban Spa" in the heart of London’s West End, Sanderson Hotel offers a retreat from the bustle of the city into a world of fantasy and wellbeing. The landmarked 50s building has been transformed by Philippe Starck into a surreal Cocteau-like dream world, epitomizing a “new luxury” that is smart, pared down, and tempered with a healthy dose of wit and irony. With the absence of “normal” walls and a floor-to-ceiling glass facade that diffuses natural light through flowing layers of ethereal sheer curtains, Sanderson’s indoor/outdoor lobby is a layered and sophisticated environment that is totally original. Surrounding an extraordinary landmark Courtyard Garden designed by Philip Hicks, Starck’s visionary style mixes baroque and modern, juxtaposing Salvador Dali’s curvaceous red lips sofa with classic 60s mosaics and hand-carved African furniture with an oversized Louis XV armoire. The result blends wit, magic and surprise in an elegant balancing act of extravagance and pure simplicity.
