Design influences from the 1960s and 70s have been sweeping interiors as of late, and now the era’s energetic colours, sinuous shapes and bold material choices have arrived in one of London’s most desirable locations, just off Pall Mall, close to Piccadilly and Whitehall. The Sofitel hotel, which opened in 2002, has recently undergone a multi-million-pound transformation, featuring two spectacular flagship suites, created by renowned hotel interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, whose firm was behind the Four Seasons George V in Paris and New York’s Waldorf Astoria.
Suite 70 is a vibrant celebration of the 1970s with a palette reminiscent of that era in bright orange, deep green, brown, black and white. An iconic 1965 Eero Aarnio ‘Ball’ chair takes pride of place in the bedroom and makes the perfect spot to play at being a louche Bond villain, spinning, a cocktail in hand. Elsewhere, Pierre Paulin’s ‘Pumpkin’ sofa by Ligne Roset in the living room sits close to the ‘Experience’ bar, its walls lined with vinyl records to play on the vintage record player.
The Opera Suite is a more pared-back, subtle approach to the 70s aesthetic with more familiar design classics in evidence, including Paulin’s ‘Ribbon’ chairs for Artifort and Eero Saarinen’s ‘Tulip’ chairs for Knoll, as well as a massive bespoke suede headboard in the suite’s expansive bedroom. ‘I hope these rooms bring back the thrill and fun of the decade; that bold, playful energy, which spread throughout the era and made individuals feel that anything was possible,’ says Rochon. ‘It is a space where guests can feel a little more daring, taking them back to defiant times, right in the heart of London.’
The hospitality and amenities at the central-London gem are equally impressive, with the Michelin-starred Wild Honey St James restaurant alongside the St James Bar (exactly where to head for those aforementioned cocktails) and treatments at the award-winning Sofitel Spa, making this the perfect place for summer in the city. Rooms from £390 per night; suites from £2,100 per night, sofitelstjames.com
