Make a reservation at Browns

Set in the heart of Mayfair on Albemarle Street, Brown’s is one of the most historic hotels as it was the first ever hotel to open in London in 1837 by former gentleman’s servant, James Brown, when he acquired four adjacent houses in Dover Street.  Composed of 11 Georgian town houses, all 117 bedrooms (including 29 luxurious suites) have been individually designed in traditional English style and elegance.

The hotel is also known with historical events: Alexander Graham Bell made Europe”’s first telephone call from the hotel in 1876; it was the first hotel to have a lift installed; Rudyard Kipling wrote many of his works there, having first visited in 1892; Theodore Roosevelt stayed there prior to his second marriage in 1886, and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt later spent part of their honeymoon there in 1905. Queen Victoria visited the hotel as did other members of European royalty including King George of the Hellenes, whilst he waited for the monarchy to be restored in Greece in 1935, and the Queen of the Netherlands.

During the Second World War – in room 36 – the Dutch government in exile declared war on Japan, an event that soon led to the occupation of the Dutch East Indies.  Brown’s Hotel joined The Rocco Forte Collection in 2003. The hotel has many amenities, like The Donovan Bar, which will be lined with iconic images taken by celebrated British photographer Terence Donovan; The English Tea Room, serving the most famous afternoon tea in London and a spa.

Make a reservation at Browns

If it is “‘breakfast at The Tiffany’s ” for New York, it is absolutely “‘breakfast at Wolseley”‘ for  London. Serving everyday not only breakfast, but also all-day snacks, coffees, afternoon teas, sandwiches, platters of crustacea, ice-cream coupes, patisserie and cakes, and a full à la carte, with a daily changing plat du jour in a very European Grand Café tradition. Favorites include mittel-European classics such as Wiener Holstein and Kaiserschmarren or very French brasserie dishes such as Escargots à la Bourguignonne and Coq au Vin to British staples such as Deep-fried Whitebait, Grilled Dover Sole and Lancashire Hot Pot. The short wine list is derived entirely from Europe.

The Wolseley is located on one of London’s most famous boulevards, Piccadilly, adjacent to The Ritz in an 1921 designed Wolseley Motors Limited building which was used as  a prestigious car showroom. The Wolseley cars were displayed on the marble floor. Unfortunately, the cars did not sell well enough and by 1926 the Company was bankrupt. Barclays Bank acquired the building and the branch opened for the first time in April 1927. William Curtis Green, the architect  was recalled to install managers’ offices (now the bar and tea salon) and a banking counter. He also designed specialized furniture including a post box and stamp machine, which is on display today. Barclays remained until 1999. 160 Piccadilly is now a Grade II Listed Building. Chris Corbin and Jeremy King secured the site in July 2003 and its restoration and renovation was overseen by David Collins Architects. The Wolseley opened in November 2003.

Made in China does not only impress with its food  but  also with its unique decoration. you never expect from a hotel restaurant.  In Made in China  the whole restaurant is a big  Show Kitchen  and you sit either between Wine Cellar and oven where they cook the Peking Ducks, or among the cooks who prepare dim sum or next to the tea preparation table.  Everything is cooked or prepared next or across you. The atmosphere is very stimulating with the buzz from diners and the action from the kitchen.

The restaurant has the best Peking Duck and many tasty North Chinese specialities like Beggar’s Chicken served with the most innovative presentations. It has a great selection of Chinese teas which are exhibited in different traditional pods in the restaurant. It is a must visit place while you are in Beijing..

photos are courtesy of Made in China and by Ozlem Avcioglu

Whampoa Club at the stunning venue, Three on the Bund surprises with its great food and glamor.  Jereme Leung is creating a unique contemporary interpretation of traditional Shanghainese cuisine at Whampoa Club. In addition to its superb Shanghainese cuisine, prepared by the young and talented chef Jereme Leung, you can also choose  from a range of 50 specially selected  exclusive teas from China. Professional tea sommeliers help you to choose from the vast selection.

Located on the fifth floor of Three on the Bund the design of the Club can be described as ‘modern take on art deco’ captures with its interior both the past and contemporary spirit of  today’s Shanghai.

.

Located in Beijing’s downtown Chaoyang district, Green T House is an internationally renowned venue includes a dining space, tearoom and gallery. An eclectic mix of A-list locals, successful expatriates and international jet-setters frequent the venue. With no detail left unattended, its interior design and New China T. and T. Cuisine incorporate elegant, innovative and sometimes stunning elements to create a tantalizing array of beauty that not only energizes the senses, but also soothes the soul.

Green T House is the vision of internationally renowned musician, artist and tea-master JinR. From its beginnings as an intimate and elegant tea house, it has become one of the hottest and is a must visit destination in Beijing, garnering international recognition for its unique ambiance and their “new China” cuisine. It serves tantalizing tea-based “T. Cuisine”, with a menu blending fresh and natural ingredients with time-honored indigenous cooking techniques from across the regions of China.

With cutting-edge performances, innovative design and exhibitions alongside artful and inspired food and T. creations, each visitor has been touched by the Green T House experience. States JinR, “My aim is to create an experience for people – something that touches them in a special way.”

It has continuously evolved and developed to bring beautiful and inspiring moments to its customers in novel and exciting ways..

Founded by musician, artist, tea-master and trend-setter JinR, GREEN T. HOUSE “Living” is a must visit when you are in Beijing.

It takes the brand further with a unique and spacious lifestyle destination that includes fine dining, art and a cultural events space as well as The Bath House Residence, a new bath and residence component which takes the GREEN T. HOUSE brand for the first time beyond tea houses and restaurants into the wider arena of spa and hospitality.

Situated on the outskirts of Beijing GREEN T. HOUSE Living occupies a bold, pavilion rising gracefully from expansive, terraced courtyards of white stone set in a vast 15,000 square metre complex in the high-end Wen Yu River quarter . The chic dining destination is famed for “T-cuisine” and embraces cutting-edge music performances, art exhibits, tea presentations and ceremonies, and creative events.

Named as one of the world’s hottest new venues GREEN T. HOUSE Living has built on the established success of Beijing’s landmark GREEN T. HOUSE, which opened in 1997. Attracting an eclectic mix of artists, celebrities and prominent local and international guests, GREEN T. HOUSE Living aims to revitalize the senses and sooth spirits, drawing on the traditions of Chinese architecture, history, philosophy and the ‘way of tea’ combined with modern elegance and simplicity.

With open views across the surrounding countryside, the monumental T. House pavilion features elegant and innovative interiors including a huge white chimney floating over a long, slim fireplace, community tables and a polished ground white stone and crystal floor.

Bath House Residence  is a  Contemporary Take on China’s Ancient Zen Bathing Culture in a Stunning and Spacious Private Residence in Beijing and
aims to revive China’s ancient zen bathing culture in a cool, contemporary yet ultra luxurious style at Beijing’s top lifestyle destination GREEN T. HOUSE Living. 

Inspired by the bath house of a Tang Dynasty Emperor, The Bath House Residence was designed by the venue’s glamorous founder, musician, tea-master and trend-setter JinR.

“The Bath House Residence expresses through nature’s elegance the interaction between human beings’ understanding of our outside environment and of our inner selves. It is designed to ensure that guests take time out to recharge, since the most beautiful journey to be had is the one of our inner travels, where the journey itself is its own reward,” says JinR of her philosophy in creating this tranquil yet surprising space.

The 1500 square metre Bath House Residence can sleep up to ten for ‘high end slumber parties’ in loft bedrooms as well as traditional curtained four poster “emperor’s beds” in the open living space and includes an enormous GREEN T. infused hot steam bath which is revitalising to the skin and rich in anti-oxidants. 

The Bath House Residence takes only one booking at a time, but this can be for as few as two people or up to a group of eight for overnight stays, and can be up to 25 people for daytime Bathing Retreats which are usually combined with dinner or lunch.

At the core of the Bath House Residence is an immense 12-metre long communal dining table, carved from a single tree trunk, and a giant open fireplace with a roaring log fire. An open kitchen features a counter slab of stone. Interiors are tastefully designed with hand-picked Chinese antiques, screens, furnishings and lamps, and artfully merged with contemporary Italian and New York designer fittings.

The villa grounds incorporate a ‘Tea Reflection Room’ – a mirrored, cube shaped room for traditionally inspired tea ceremonies and meditation which overlooks a thousand square metre black stone reflecting pool designed to mirror the sky. The loft bedrooms with black polished wooded floors have pillows filled with green tea, and guests sleep on contemporary versions of traditional hand-stuffed cotton bedding.

A gigantic egg-shaped bathtub is cut into the black stone of the floor, while a stairway leads to the open rooftop terrace and over-sized Jacuzzi, a circulating mineral spring bath and waterfall. Both of them have space for anything up to a maximum of 20 intimate friends.